Derrick Rose: Latest rehab from knee surgery was 'hell'
You don't return from three knee surgeries in three years without breaking a sweat in the process, and Derrick Rose knows that all too well.
Rose called his recent six-week rehab from a February meniscectomy "hell."
"Hell, because you got to do rehab over again," Rose said when asked at Monday's shootaround what the last six weeks were like. "Waking up at 7:30 every day, being there before practice, two hours before practice, beating everybody to the training room," Rose explained, as reported by ESPN's Nick Friedell.
"When you arrive to the city, you have damn near two or three workouts every day. So the game, that's kind of easy for sure," said Rose, who's suited up in three straight games since returning to the Chicago Bulls' lineup last Wednesday.
Rose suffered a torn left ACL on April 30, 2012 that kept him off the court until the start of the 2013-14 season, and then suffered a season-ending meniscus tear in his right knee 10 games into that return.
The former MVP had surgery to address another tear to his right meniscus on Feb. 27 of this season, and has logged only 67 minutes total over the three games since his latest return.
"If he's playing well and he can handle the minutes, maybe (he'll play) a few more minutes," head coach Tom Thibodeau said Monday. "But I like where he is right now."
Rose is averaging more than 30 minutes, 18 points, five assists and three rebounds while struggling mightily with his jumper through 49 games, but the key will be preparing for a heavier load once the postseason begins this weekend.
After so much time spent on the sidelines, however, the 26-year-old is just happy to be playing basketball, period.
"I'm just happy to be playing the game. I'm just happy to be on the floor," Rose said. "This is my life, I dedicated so much to this sport."
"I'm happy where it took not only me, but my family and friends. And I'm just appreciative right now."
For what it's worth, the Bulls have performed slightly better with Rose on the court, outscoring opponents by 4.4 points per 100 possessions with Rose running the point as opposed to 2.1 points per 100 possessions with him on the bench, according to NBA.com.