Even as a best-case scenario, Derrick Rose figured to be no more than a game-time decision to play for the Chicago Bulls against the Golden State Warriors tonight (10:30 ET, ESPN). But Rose never even made it that far, his sprained left ankle still too sore to compete – especially against defending MVP Stephen Curry and his championship teammates on their blistering 13-0 roll.
Coach Fred Hoiberg ruled out Rose when talking with Bulls reporters at the team’s shootaround Friday morning, reports K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune:
With backup point guard Aaron Brooks (hamstring) also out, Chicago will resort to Plan C, Plan D or anything it can muster to defend against Curry and the NBA’s most lethal attack. Some of those limited options were kicked around as they prepped for the matchup, as chronicled by Johnson in the Chicago Tribune:
If Rose joins Brooks on the sideline, Kirk Hinrich will spend at least some time on Stephen Curry. Hinrich is coming off an impressive 6-for-7 night that featured strong defense and a critical 3-pointer late.
That performance won’t do much for the Curry assignment, which has been a nightmare for the entire league.
“It’s impossible to guard,” Hinrich said. “It’s just ridiculous what he’s doing.”
In this sense, the Bulls must show similar fortitude to what they displayed last January when they posted the last regular-season victory by a visiting team in Oakland, Calif. Curry is going to hit shots, regardless of who is guarding him.
Not hanging their collective heads when he does and limiting the damage of others is the only chance at victory.
“You can’t just give him one look. He’s too good; he’ll figure it out,” Hoiberg said. “You have to throw different guys at him, different coverages, and understand and know that he’s going to hit some crazy shots. You’ve got to keep playing. And they will go on runs. You just have to try and limit them.
“But you have to put your game plan around the superstar. You did it when you played the old Bulls teams with Michael [Jordan]. With LeBron [James], obviously, that’s where it starts with that team. Same thing with Golden State and Steph but knowing they have other guys who can hurt you as well.”
