March 01--Derrick Rose participated in most of Monday's practice and will be a game-time decision for Tuesday's game against the Heat after missing the last three with right hamstring tendinitis.
Coach Fred Hoiberg said the Bulls beginning a back-to-back set of games won't factor into whether Rose plays and strongly defended Rose's decision to sit.
"Look, nobody wants to be out there more than Derrick does," Hoiberg said. "I know that. I talk to him every day. He cannot explode off that leg. Working him out, you can see it. He's limping. He's favoring the other leg.
"The last thing you want is for Derrick to be out there thinking about the leg and injury and if he can push off or not. He's made progress. He's doing a good job coming in here a couple times a day getting treatment on his leg."
Hoiberg also for the first time acknowledged what several media outlets have written for days, that the concerns over the issue extend to Rose's right knee. Rose has had torn meniscus in that knee surgically repaired twice.
"It's basically an injury based on feel. If he feels he can explode off it, then he'll play," Hoiberg said. "If not, if he still has trouble exploding off the leg, we'll take a cautious approach and sit him. It's diagnosed as a (hamstring) tendinitis injury. It's obviously on the same knee that he has had repaired a couple times. Once we do get him back, hopefully we'll have him back for the rest of the year."
Workout partners: Jimmy Butler and Nikola Mirotic worked out individually before practice. Hoiberg said Butler will play one-on-one and two-on-two in Chicago while the team travels to Florida. Barring a setback, Butler, out since Feb. 5, is scheduled to practice Friday and has a chance to play Saturday versus the Rockets. Next week is more likely.
"His big thing is getting comfortable and confident he can explode off that left leg, which is his jumping leg," Hoiberg said.
Mirotic remains weeks away in his recovery from an appendectomy and hematoma removal.
"He's still got pain," Hoiberg said. "With the hematoma, they had to put a drainage tube in there, and that's a tough surgery to recover from. He lost weight. He's starting to get his color back. He still doesn't feel great after workouts. But he's significantly better than he was a week ago."
