The Chicago Bulls are deep enough into their design that they can't swap out the centerpiece now.
Their linchpin, Derrick Rose, remains their ultimate source of optimism, their key to joining the uber-exclusive fraternity of full-fledged NBA contenders.
As the former MVP goes, the Bulls will follow. That portion of the program hasn't changed.
Yet Chicago's foundation is frighteningly flimsy. As good as this house looks from the outside, its main support beam has already faltered twice. The Bulls can hope that Rose's knee problems—first a torn ACL in his left one, then a torn meniscus in the right—are behind him.
They bet the farm on that fact before knowing this was a battle he would fight. And outside of crossed fingers, well-wishes and all the patience they can muster, they have nothing to help him wage that war.
It used to take something special from Rose—a killer crossover, a rapid-fire offensive outburst, a Tom Thibodeau-approved highlight hustle play—for the Windy City to erupt. Now he can spark mass hysteria simply by stepping inside the lines.
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Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NBA
Article written by Zach Buckley
Can Chicago Bulls Still Rely on Derrick Rose as Their Franchise Building Block?
September 5th, 2014 by Zach Buckley Leave a reply »
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