Bulls staff visited Derrick Rose, Hoiberg said he's ‘in great spirits'

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The Bulls coaching staff paid a visit to Derrick Rose yesterday to get him up to speed about what he’s been missing from the start of training camp, and on the morning of the first preseason game, Fred Hoiberg believes the guard is itching to get back.

“We’ve added probably three sets, three actions, from when Derrick was here that first day,” the Bulls coach said. “You know, he was great. He was in great spirits, a great mood. He’s itching to get back here.”

Rose, whose left eye is still swollen shut after his surgical procedure to repair his fractured left orbital bone last Wednesday, still has some time before he can resume basketball activities. Further elaboration will be revealed after his follow-up appointment today.

“But again he’s moving around, he’s great,” Hoiberg said. “He just can’t do anything right now to get his blood pressure up, but it was great to see him. We also sent him the file of everything we’ve got going. After the game tonight, we’ll have another session with him before we head out of town.”

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The Bulls travel to Boulder, Colorado for a game against the Denver Nuggets Thursday and will be in Winnipeg for a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves Saturday night, hence the checking on him before the team leaves town.

Hoiberg isn’t sure about further complications with the eye as far as vision issues, believing everything is still on schedule for a return before opening night on Oct. 27.

“They haven’t said that,” Hoiberg said. “The surgery went as planned, everything seems to be going as it’s supposed to at this point. But to answer your question, I guess we’ll know more about that after today’s follow-up.”

Although it isn’t a knee injury, Rose can’t do anything to keep his body warm as far as basketball shape, so staying abreast of the new offense is the best he can do in the meantime.

“The good thing about Derrick is he’s been in here since Labor Day,” Hoiberg said. “We’ve been able to get a little bit of a head start by watching film and getting in small groups, try to get a little bit ahead of the game going into training camp, so he did pick things up quickly. I’ll say that.”

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Rose’s wind and timing is essentially his only concern.

“And I don’t think it will take long to get that back, especially having, I guess it will be four days before we get back from this road trip, to watch and relearn everything,” Hoiberg said. “Now it’s about getting his timing back. Normally, you’re at least able to get on a bike and get a sweat, keep that going, get your lungs burning, but he hasn’t been able to do any of that. So I think the biggest thing in those two weeks leading up to the opener for Derrick is going to be all about getting his timing and getting his wind back.”

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