Rose to play tonight, Hamilton a game-time decision

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ORLANDO, FLA.Well, theres good news and bad news for the M.A.S.H. unit that doubles as the Bulls backcourt.Derrick Rose, coming off a scary fall in Detroit on Wednesday that led to a left elbow bruise, fully participated in Friday-mornings shootaround at the Amway Center and will play in the evenings contest against the Magic.Its fine. You know if it wasnt messed up, I still wouldnt tell you. Its good, said Rose, who wore a protective sleeve and underwent electronic stimulation, as well as old-fashioned ice treatment for the injury. Its coming along.Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau added, Hes good. Theyre going to get bumped, theyre going to be bruised. If a guy is hurting, we want him to play. If hes injured, we dont want them to play. Theres a difference between the two, he continued, with a slight smirk on his face.Now for the bad news: Rip Hamilton, the other half of Chicagos starting backcourt, is a game-time decision, due to a nagging groin injury. It was tough because when I went back to Detroit, there was no way that I was going to sit out that game and just adrenaline alone, it was like, Youre good. Theres no wayI dont care who would tell me how hurt I wasI was playing regardless and it pulled during the game, so I wrapped up during the game and Thursday it was bothering me, said the veteran shooting guard, who missed two consecutive games prior to his return to the Motor City, following the teams shootaround. The groin is crazy. Its one of those things that can be nagging. I thought I was good. I thought I was where I felt as though I was ready to come back, but nobody could keep me off that floor anyway. I dont give a damn. I was going to play.While Thibodeau maintained that Hamilton was a game-time decision, Rose perhaps accidentally revealed that his new teammate would sit out of the contest.Its going to hurt us, especially when you lose a player like that, but were ready for anything, said the leagues reigning MVP. We have other guys on the team that areready to step in and play, but well definitely miss him tonight.Backup point guard C.J. Watson, traveling with the team despite his sprained left elbow, suffered in the Bulls New Years Day home-opening blowout victory over Memphis, said that hes making progress, but still isnt ready to suit up.Said Thibodeau: Hes not ready, but hes coming along.

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