The Bulls didn't practice Tuesday, so technically Derrick Rose didn't miss another session. But if they had taken the court, it would have been without their starting point guard yet again.
After testing his lingering right ankle injury by running on Monday, Rose reported some soreness on Tuesday morning and his activities were limited to weight training and getting treatment.
"They didn't want me running [Tuesday]," Rose said. "I told them it was a little bit sore from all the running I did [Monday]. We're just taking it day-by-day."
Tuesday's soreness was just the latest chapter in a frustrating healing process for Rose. He was encouraged Monday after he ran for about 20 minutes without pain, but discouraged that he woke up sore the day after.
"Yeah, it's definitely from the running, but I can play through it," he said. "I'll try to practice [Wednesday] early and, hopefully, I'll be playing on Friday [in the preseason finale].
"Hopefully, they'll let me practice. If not, I will be kind of upset, but I have to listen to [the medical staff]."
The soreness isn't a setback per se, but a sign that the healing process isn't complete just yet, which is an obvious concern to coach Vinny Del Negro.
"It all concerns me," Del Negro said. "It's the old cliché, day-to-day.
"We'll see how he feels [Wednesday]. We want to get the soreness and inflammation out of there. He's getting a little bit better every day, so we'll see how he feels and, hopefully, he can do something out there.
"If he can, great, and if he can't, then we'll monitor that."
I hope they are just being cautious and this is NOT some crap about egos. I wish they would STOP messing with these guys heads. Be real and let them know whats going on so that they will not be doing too much thinking. Its uncalled for. Rose and Tyrus are saying things about starting and practice that I don't like hearing. Its uneccesary anxiety and immature head games. Stuff that is reserved for rookies and bench players, not budding stars and veterans. Its Scott Skiles-ish and that means backwards coaching. Mind games only work if they are possitive reinforcements. Sometime I wonder if Phil ever coached here, or if these guys ever look at success.