Does beating Utah tonight get the Bulls closer to a championship?

would you care to reconsider your position ?

I still think they will make the playoffs. There's a whole lot of bad in the East. Thibs just needs to figure everything out with his rotation and gameplan and he will right the ship. They might as well just play Deng 48 minutes this year, since he will be gone next season.

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i honestly don't know how much more i can watch moving forward
that game last night felt like it was longer than Titanic, and i even fell asleep in OT

The sad part is the almost surely will make the playoffs .... that's what fuels my desire to unload a piece or two (not everything) just to make it more difficult for that to happen ... then again, maybe having Deng around to run into the ground will take T's gaze away from Noah once in awhile.

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Power is always in the hands of the masses of men. What oppresses the masses is their own ignorance, their own short-sighted selfishness.
- Henry George

Soft as puppy shit.
How many games has he missed in his carer compared to Jordan? Too bad that if they trade him now they will get nothing

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When I am stuck and need to figure something out I always remember the Immortal words of Socrates when he said:"I just drank what?"

I understand where DB and DT are coming vis-a-vis the Bulls making the playoffs, but I'd urge us all to recall what happened the first time Rose went down with a season-ending injury. They were better than that Philly team even without Rose, and I know Noah went down later on in that series, but the Bulls checked-out mentally the minute Rose was lost for the year. No way Philly beats a mentally strong Bulls team, and in the playoffs to boot.

No way of proving this, but I think they're gone again mentally. I imagine it's easier to put up with Thibs' hard-core practices and demeanor when you know it's going to result in wins and success; but with Rose out, everyone knows the team is done, and that must make it that much more difficult to go through the everyday, Thibs-inspired grind of the regular season.

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Successful calls:

Kyrie Irving will never win anything as a team's alpha: check
T.rubisky is a bust: check
Ben Simmons is a liability: check
The Fields Cult is dumb: double check

2013 CSFMB ROY

I'm beginning to wonder at what point this team starts to tune Thibs out.

Good question. Isn't the biggest difference between Skiles and Thibs that Rose stood by Thibs while no one stood by Skiles?

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Skiles is an asshole that I don't think anyone has ever liked. He's nothing like Thibs.

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Well, they're both grindy defensive specialists who burn out their players' bodies. Skiles just burned out their souls, too.

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Bump.

RICHMOND, Calif. – The Chicago Bulls are expected to pursue Carmelo Anthony in free agency. They just shouldn't expect Derrick Rose to participate in the recruiting.

Rose told Yahoo Sports on Sunday that he doesn't plan to recruit Anthony – or any free agent, for that matter – even though he likes Anthony's game and thinks they can play alongside each other.

Rose's reason is simple: He said it's "not his job."

"My thing is if they want to come, they can come," Rose said.

Anthony averaged 27.4 points for the New York Knicks last season. Rose averaged 21.8 points and 7.9 assists during the 2011-12 season – the last before he injured his left knee in the 2012 playoffs. Rose respects Anthony's game and believes they can co-exist.

"I love Melo's game," Rose said. "He's a great player. Takes the game serious. He's consistent. He shoots the ball great. I love his heart.

"I can play with anybody, no matter who it is. I believe I can play with anyone if they step on the court with me."

As for when Rose will resume playing, he told Yahoo Sports he expects to be ready for the 2014-15 NBA season-opener, but has yet to decide if he will try out for USA Basketball's World Cup team this summer.

Rose has played in only 10 total games the past two seasons and 50 the past three because of various injuries, including two major knee surgeries. He said he has been taking part in five-on-five scrimmages for a while and his rehabilitation is going well. But Rose also said he is uncertain if he will participate in USA Basketball's training camp starting July 28 in Las Vegas.

"I still don't know yet," Rose told Yahoo Sports at the Drew Gooden Foundation Basketball Camp on Sunday. "If I'm feeling right and the time is [right], for sure I will go out there. My body is responding good, but you never know.

"Right now, I haven't really thought about that. I am just worrying about just trying to get back every day and I'm really taking rehab one day at a time instead of trying to think about competing."

The United States will begin playing in the World Cup in Spain on Aug. 30 and the gold medal game is Sept. 14. If Rose doesn't play, USA Basketball's 2014-16 28-man roster pool is still loaded with point guards that include Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Russell Westbrook, Damian Lillard, Kyrie Irving and Stephen Curry. Westbrook, Lillard, Irving and Curry are expected to try out for the World Cup team.

USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo is expected to begin reaching out to players in early July. USA Basketball will also have a training camp in Rose's native Chicago from Aug. 14-15 and play Brazil in an exhibition game on Aug. 16 at the United Center. Rose last played in a game for the Bulls on Nov. 22 and last played in the United Center in Chicago on Nov. 18.

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Rose has played in only 10 games the past two seasons. (AP)

Rose has played in only 10 games the past two seasons. (AP)
Rose said it would be fun to play for the U.S. in Chicago, but he's more focused on his rehabilitation. He said his national team decision will be made between himself and his agent, B.J. Armstrong.

"If we both agree on it, we're good. If not, there is nothing wrong with saying no," Rose said.

Rose has been playing five-on-five for about 45 days and Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau recently said Rose was increasing the intensity of his workouts. Rose is certain he will be in uniform for the Bulls' opener.

"For sure. That's not a concern," Rose said. "I'm on a mission. I'm just trying to get better. I'm taking it day by day. I'm getting the best out of every day."

Asked to grade the strength of his knee, Rose said, "I want it to be a surprise. I want people to see me. It's going to be a surprise."

Rose flew to the Bay Area for one day to make a surprise appearance at the camp hosted by Gooden, his former Bulls teammate. He spent about 10 minutes talking to and taking questions from the kids in attendance. He next spent another 20 minutes patiently signing autographs and taking pictures with kids and adults in attendance at the Booker T. Anderson Community Center.

Before Rose departed, the kids began chanting, "MVP! MVP!" Rose hopes to be playing at that level next season.

"I think I was ready a long time ago," Rose said. "Right now is about just getting all the wrinkles out. I've been playing for a long time, even though nobody has [seen it]. I want to just step on the court and I want people to see that I'm the same."

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I used to have mixed feelings on that but I really don't blame him. I respect his stance. I'm not gonna beg you to come play here.

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Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

The key thing there would be you being on the court.

I would agree if he had actually played a meaningful game in the last three seasons.

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What does that have to do with this?

I agree with FF.

I think it is dumb that people expect/want to be recruited by other players. This is professional sports, not 1st graders on a playground. Act like adults.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

I don't like his stance. For a guy that says he wants to win a championship, reaching out to a player who can help you should be something that you are willing to do.

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Be well

GO BEARS!!!

I agree, but that is not how it is.

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I've ripped him for how he's handled his rehab last year, and I don't think he's ever going to be close to the same. I just like his attitude when it comes to this, although it's almost certainly detrimental to some degree to the Bulls chances of bringing in a star.

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Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

IMO he is being a selfish brat. He has actually recruited a player (forgot who it was but remember him saying it). My problem is he says he wants to play with another star but refuses to reach out to anyone who may be better than him. He wants to be the guy who leads the Bulls to a championship. He wants all the credit. Considering that he hasn't been relevant in 36 months he should be on the phone talking to everyone.

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Be well

GO BEARS!!!

Way off. It has everything to do with it.

The team "leader" should want the team to be successful, right? The 12th man on the Bulls hasn't played significant minutes the last 3 years either, but he probably wants his team to be the best it can be.

D-Rose, as a team leader, should actually - actively - WANT his team to be better.

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LeBron is on the phone talking to everyone and he is the best player in the NBA. Only a selfish player wouldn't see the stupidity in his stance.

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Be well

GO BEARS!!!

The team leader is trying to recruit Melo and has been since the all star break.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Noah wants to win a championship. The so called best player only wants to win on his terms.

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Be well

GO BEARS!!!

This dodges the essence of my post. You know that.

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So because he hasn't played a game in awhile he should change his feelings on recruiting players and go after Melo?

I don't see how those things connect.

I get people want him to recruit players to come here. I think it is dumb but I get it. But I don't see how the fact that he has not played in awhile is a part of that?

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Because when your stated goal is to win a championship you should do everything you can to get as many people around you that can help you accomplish that.

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Be well

GO BEARS!!!

I get that. But what does the fact that he has not played for awhile have to do with that?

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

He should really want his team to be much, much better.
You don't get that?

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I get that. I have said that now like 3 times.

I do not get how that connects with the fact that he has not played in awhile.

That is what I do not get.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."