The Chicago Bulls season is doomed after star point guard Derrick Rose went down for the count last night; suffering a medial meniscus tear in his right knee during the third quarter of Thursday night’s loss to the Portland Trail Blazers.
This is Rose’s second major injury in the past three seasons and it very well could signal the end of D-Rose as we know him. Already having struggled since his comeback – averaging less than 16 points a game on 35% shooting – Rose is simply never going to the same player that he was during his MVP winning season.
With a game that is dependent on his explosiveness and lateral quickness, there is no way Rose can be expected to return to full form while playing on knees that belong in a geriatric home.
This extended loss of their franchise player spells utter doom for the Bulls season as they’ll now have no chance of competing with big dogs in the Eastern Conference come playoff time.
At this point, the Bulls would be best off tanking the rest of the season, cutting ties with some of their higher priced assets [cough Carlos Boozer], and hoping to land one of big name talents in the 2014 draft class.
With that in mind, if any player has the heart and will it takes to come back from a second devastating injury, it’s Derrick Rose. Unfortunately, with an injured Rose, comes a wilting season for the Bulls.
