Chicago Bulls Must Hold Down Fort Until Derrick Rose Returns

The world isn’t coming crashing down in Chicago.

On Friday morning, physicians performed a meniscectomy procedure on Derrick Rose‘s right knee. According to Web MD, this procedure involves surgically removing the damaged part of the meniscus.

Feb 20, 2015; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose (1) signs autographs before the game against the Detroit Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

On Tuesday, the Bulls released the shocking news that an MRI revealed that Derrick Rose has a torn meniscus in his right knee. Unlike his previous knee injuries, the most recent setback couldn’t be pinpointed back to a specific play. Rather, it probably resulted from the wear-and-tear generated by the long NBA season.

Rose’s latest knee issue is significantly less serious than the ones he sustained in prior seasons. According to Bulls manager Gar Forman, the procedure was relatively minor, and Rose will recovery quickly from the surgery.

"“It was an arthroscopic outpatient surgery, so Derrick at this time is full weight-bearing. It was a quick procedure. He had it done and he was able to walk out of the hospital.”"

Rose has neglected to issue a personal statement regarding his feelings about the injury.

He is expected to miss between 4-6 weeks recovering from the injury. If this timetable holds true, Rose will return long before the 2015 playoffs commence. Although this is all-around fantastic news, the Chicago Bulls must hold down the fort until he returns.

Dec 6, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls center

Joakim Noah

(13) passes to guard

Jimmy Butler

(21) with Golden State Warriors center

Andrew Bogut

(12) looking on during the second quarter at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

The top teams in the East are currently locked in an intense battle for post-season positioning. Every game matters because a single win or loss could dramatically change the playoff landscape. The Atlanta Hawks have jumped to a nine-game lead in the conference. Barring a major implosion on their part, they will likely secure the first seed and the home-court advantage that comes with this designation. However, the teams currently seeded at 2-6 in the conference are only separated by four games. Here are the current Eastern Conference standings. Courtesy of CBS Sports.

EASTERN CONFERENCE	W	L	PCT	GB	HOME	ROAD	CONF	DIV	STREAK	L10
1 Atlanta	46	12	0.793	–	27-4	19-8	30-8	8-2	W3	6-4
2 Toronto	37	21	0.638	9	21-10	16-11	25-10	9-1	L4	4-6
3 Chicago	37	22	0.627	9½	18-12	19-10	21-13	6-4	W1	7-3
4 Cleveland	37	23	0.617	10	22-9	15-14	23-12	6-5	L1	7-3
5 Milwaukee	32	25	0.561	13½	17-11	15-14	21-15	5-6	W1	7-3
6 Washington	33	26	0.559	13½	20-10	13-16	22-16	6-6	L6	2-8
7 Miami	25	32	0.439	20½	10-16	15-16	18-16	4-7	L1	4-6
8 Indiana	24	34	0.414	22	13-14	11-20	16-16	5-5	W1	7-3

In order to keep their current playoff position or maybe even move up in the standings, the Bulls are still going to have to win games at a high clip even without Rose. The next 4-6 weeks isn’t a time for them to become complacent and retreat towards the corner to lick their wounds. They have to understand that every game can dramatically alter the landscape of the playoffs. Perhaps with Rose out of the picture, the Bulls will become closer as a group and use the experience to re-develop a championship focus. Without him, the Bulls are once again dubbed the underdogs. It is a familiar position for this crew. A position that they have thrived in.

Feb 25, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

(14) grabs a rebound past Chicago Bulls forward

Nikola Mirotic

(44) during the second quarter at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

Last season, the Bulls used the absence of their two leading scorers (Rose and Luol Deng) as a way to rekindle their passion for the game. At their lowest point of the season, the team rallied around their emotional leader Joakim Noah and produced Herculean victories despite being grossly outmatched in several of these contests.

The story of the “post-Rose” 2014-2015 season can follow a similar script as last season. The only difference is Rose remains likely to come back for the playoffs.

After Deng was traded on Jan. 6th, 2014, the Bulls looked poised to begin a spiral downward. Talks of deliberately tanking to get a higher draft pick ran rampant throughout the city. Under the leadership of Noah, the Bulls completely reversed this script. After trading Deng, the Bulls powered themselves forward and accumulated an impressive 34-16 record for the remainder of the season.

Feb 3, 2015; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Miami Heat forward Luol Deng (9) gives instructions to guard

Tyler Johnson

(8) during the second quarter against the Detroit Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

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