just confirmed

Orlando—Derrick Rose’s return will take place near the end of his 4-6 week timeline set out by team doctors, and although he was his usual monotone self, Rose admitted to be relieved to be back on the floor.

“Just try tonight and see where it takes me,” said Rose before the Bulls shootaround at Amway Center Wednesday, hours before the Bulls’ game against the lottery-bound Orlando Magic.

Although he was listed as questionable by the Bulls on Tuesday, there was a sense he would give it a go, and he’ll be under the traditional safeguards of having his play and body monitored—under the guise of a 20-minute playing time restriction.

Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said Rose had to go through shootaround and the pre-game warm-ups but it all seems like a foregone conclusion at this point.

Rose is back, and he also expressed excitement.

“I’ve been putting a lot of work in, busting my ass to get back,” Rose said. “I’m just happy that I’m able to come back to a team where I think we’re playing alright basketball.”

[MORE BULLS: Kirk Hinrich on the mend after worry over injury]

Everyone involved has preached the same talking points: that this rehab is much more different than the previous two. Rose’s meniscus tear in his right knee was somewhat expected, although no one believed it would happen this quickly, and the recovery time went right along with other meniscus tears.

“This one is totally different than my last ones,” Rose said. “I was only out six weeks. The other ones I was out four or five months. This time is totally different and I just have to pace myself this time.”

“It gave me a little time to rest. Everybody else is beating each other up. I’m coming in fresh. I will come in better. So it’s a little bit of excitement on my end.”

Rose has missed 20 games (the Bulls have gone 10-10) and with only five games left before the postseason begins, there’s real concern as to if he can truly get himself ready for the playoffs with a small sample size.

“Who knows? I got a lot of confidence in myself,” Rose said. “But who knows how many games it’s going to take me. All I can do is just continue to work on my game and push my teammates for this playoff run.”

Simple things, like getting up and down the floor are chief concerns tonight, as he’ll go against speedy Magic rookie point guard Elfrid Payton, who ran Rose around circles with his activity—a crash course indeed. And the plan is for Rose to play Thursday, on a back-to-back against the Miami Heat.

“I’m going to be winded for sure,” Rose said. “Just missing so many weeks, so many days, you’re going to be winded. That comes along with coming back from surgery and not playing the game in a couple weeks.”

[NBC SPORTS SHOP: Buy a Derrick Rose jersey here]

But the simple fact he’s stepping on the floor will be seen as an accomplishment to some, as it has been speculated he wouldn’t return at all this season—and the mood after the revelation of his injury in late February certainly reflected that.

“Him just being there is a plus for our team,” said Thibodeau. “I'm not expecting him to play 35 minutes, score 30 points. Play to your strengths, cover up your weaknesses, make your teammates better. That's all I want him to do.”

But everyone has an eye toward the postseason, as it appears likely the Bulls hold onto the third seed in the East, with the playoffs beginning in 10 days. It gave Rose time to observe how his team has been playing yet again, this time with the knowledge he would be returning to help matters.

“I think we’ve been playing all right. Of course we lost some games we were supposed to win,” Rose said. “But as far as defense, you look from the beginning of the season until now, I think we’re helping a lot more. Offensively, I’m not worried about that. But defensively, I feel like we’re really helping each other and giving that effort that we need. That’s the only thing I’m worried about with us.”

Tonight's Bulls-Magic game is on CSN, NBC Sports Live Extra. Coverage begins with Pregame Live at 5:30 p.m. Click here for more info.

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favrefan said:"Chris Coghlan isn't gonna pay your rent, Jimmy."

The team is better without him. I hope be reinjures himself before the playoffs.

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Is this standard reporting when discussing athletes or a bias against Rose? Because I've heard a lot of dumbass athletes over the years and only rarely have I ever read a critique of their manner of speaking in a column or article.

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Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

Who else does that sound like: Can't move his legs and monotone voice

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favrefan said:"Chris Coghlan isn't gonna pay your rent, Jimmy."

if he gets out while his name still has a buzz i think he can headline @ nightclubs in vegas under the moniker "dj volume chucker"

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Arent all people who are in the public eye judged on their looks, what they say and how they say it?

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CSFMB 2014 Nascar Pick 'em Champion

We don’t have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven’t taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much. — Ronald Reagan

Apparently not. I've read a lot of articles about Brian Urlacher over the years without ever reading about his monotone.

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Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

Oh come on. Urlachers rambling monotone speaking style was talked about repeatedly on 670 and 1000.

I'm starting to think that you are a BJ Armstrong mult!

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CSFMB 2014 Nascar Pick 'em Champion

We don’t have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven’t taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much. — Ronald Reagan

Are you really comparing shock jocks to journalists? Like I said, I never once read an article or a column that mentioned that Urlacher sounded like a fucking moron.

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Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

urlacher was never an idiot. rose definitely is one. and none of it really matters because we just want them to be athletes.

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the world will always the world. your entire existence is defined by your response.

Other that saying that he didnt care about Bears fans.

But yea, Rose is in the team photo of the most disliked athletes in Chicago history. Too bad that he isnt smart enough to realize that he has brought it all on himself.

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CSFMB 2014 Nascar Pick 'em Champion

We don’t have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven’t taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much. — Ronald Reagan

urlacher could have been smarter about how he handled the media, but part of that was the system he was in (lovie NEVER made his players talk, quite the opposite). and its not like he was the only one with a media problem- look at seattles runningback. these guys are here to play, i completely ignore their public relations.

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the world will always the world. your entire existence is defined by your response.

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

Mebbe cuz Rose doesn't give stories to local media.

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Reality is your friend, not your enemy. -- Seacrest

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Good people drink good beer - Hunter S. Thompson

<º)))><

Waiting for the time when I can finally say
That this has all been wonderful, but now I'm on my way

and how many great college players have blown out their knees before they get drafted and never got a chance to have the best surgery available?

derrik is one lucky dude

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the world will always the world. your entire existence is defined by your response.

Yeah, that is laughable. Urlacher was a fucking moron from day one.

oh really? the guy who was right about cutler from day one? the guy who knew tressman was an idiot before the 'coach' even got to halas hall? the guy who fucked paris hilton and told everyone 'fuck off its my life' and then left that bitch hung to dry? idiot i think not. my guy!

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the world will always the world. your entire existence is defined by your response.

Was Urlacher an idiot or did he get shit for his redneck life and illegitimate kids?

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Elections have consequences.

Yes. He is definitely in the team photo as well.

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CSFMB 2014 Nascar Pick 'em Champion

We don’t have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven’t taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much. — Ronald Reagan

Yes


Idiot.


Idiot.

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he was an nfl player and definitely stayed pretty low key for his status. i dont see why people think hes dumb

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the world will always the world. your entire existence is defined by your response.

Both?

kc johnson on the line defending rose.

i completely agree with him. rose did play pretty good this year considering not playing for 2 years. he did show signs of greatness, we know he can still do it.

and with the doctors saying how successful the surgeries were i am confident he will still be our best player

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the world will always the world. your entire existence is defined by your response.

He didn't play at an all star level. He had a few all star like performances. Shot a bad percentage low assist total with a terrible turnover to assist ratio. That being said it is no doubt that the Bulls need him if they are going to make any noise. I hope that he doesn't play with the indifference which he displayed during some of the regular season games.
All things being equal he has not played well, but his participation is very much needed

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He has not withstood the test of time which all the great ones most do! PS KC Johnson doesn't know dick and is a houseboy for the Bulls

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I'm going to bounce from the spot for awhile but I will be back at some point to argue with you about this hoops stuff again. Playoffs have been great this season. See ya up the road.

I'm out.

Right, Walt, but that's just unfortunate. It's not a good reason to hate the guy. Tommie Harris and Wally Chambers would have been Hall of Famers if they had stayed in one piece longer. They didn't. I don't hate them for that, do you?

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Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

So Joe I don't hate him and I don't love him ...he's just eh

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I'm going to bounce from the spot for awhile but I will be back at some point to argue with you about this hoops stuff again. Playoffs have been great this season. See ya up the road.

I'm out.

1st 5 ninutes he chucked up 3 treys ..he is not Curry

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I'm going to bounce from the spot for awhile but I will be back at some point to argue with you about this hoops stuff again. Playoffs have been great this season. See ya up the road.

I'm out.

Yeah, it's a shame he isn't going to have the career he might have had. But that was always a possibility when you saw the way he played and his size.

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don