Nov. 16--Derrick Rose remains remarkably upbeat for a player who is still experiencing vision problems and shooting 35.9 percent while missing 17 of 18 3-point attempts.
"I'm loving the way I'm working out," Rose said after practice Sunday. "I'm loving the way we're playing. We're winning games, so that's the only thing I'm worried about. Everything else will come.
"I'm missing a lot of shots I normally hit -- floaters and layups. But I'm getting my legs under me. It's still preseason for me, the (ninth) game. So I'm still warming up."
Rose downplayed coach Fred Hoiberg's casual comment that Rose's vision issues could last up to three months. Rose suffered a fractured left orbital bone Sept. 29 and had surgery the next day.
"You kind of have that hope in your mind that it gets well quicker, but for this to be seven or eight (weeks) out and still the same way, I can't do nothing but live with it.
"It's still blurry when I look certain ways. The depth perception of the rim, my eyes are thrown off. I'm finding ways around it, but there's no excuses. I'm not going to blame anything on it. I just know it's part of the process and something I have to deal with."
Rose said the defensive attention he draws has freed Pau Gasol for pick-and-pop jumpers. And he reiterated his plea for Jimmy Butler to shoot more.
"Certain games, I'm going to have it. Other games, I'm not," Rose said. "I want him to shoot a consistent amount of shots. He needs to."
Toe the line: Kirk Hinrich delivered nine active minutes Friday after a five-game absence with turf toe that required a shot.
"I felt good. And it felt good to be out there," said Hinrich, who had played five minutes total previously. "I just want to stay healthy and do whatever I can to help."
Hoiberg said Hinrich was "excellent" and helped his lineup increase the pace. Hoiberg said he didn't know if Hinrich would have a minutes limit against the Pacers.
In light of Hinrich passing Aaron Brooks in that game's rotation, Hoiberg said he addressed the team again Sunday about accepting shifting roles.
"Everybody's got to be ready," Hoiberg said. "(The rotation) might not be the same every night."
Layups: Mike Dunleavy will be on the West Coast trip, but there is no target date for his return from Sept. 25 back surgery. He has had no issues as his workouts have increased but hasn't started cutting. The veteran may participate in some non-contact portions of practice soon. ... Entering Sunday, the Bulls ranked tied for first with the Heat in opponents' field-goal percentage at .409. "We're doing a much better job of defending without fouling," Hoiberg said.
kcjohnson@tribpub.com
