One day after missing a game against the New Orleans Pelicans without explanation, Derrick Rose has rejoined the Knicks. The team has fined him, but will not issue a suspension. He is expected to play against the 76ers on Wednesday.
Derrick Rose returns to Knicks a day after his unexplained absence
The Knicks point guard returned after missing a game against the Pelicans, and the team has fined him without a suspension. He said he was dealing with a “family issue.”
Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images
Rose said Tuesday that he went back to Chicago to deal with a “family issue” that “had nothing to do with the team or basketball.” Rose said that the issue had to do with his mother, according to Newsday’s Al Iannazzone.
Rose was scheduled to start against the Pelicans after attending shootaround, but moments before tip-off, the team announced Brandon Jennings would start and that Rose was not with the team. Team officials, players, and even Rose’s associates could not reach Rose before and during the game.
He later told team officials that he returned to his hometown of Chicago to deal with a family situation, according to ESPN.com’s Ramona Shelburne. Rose could face punishment — a fine or suspension — since he failed to give the team notice beforehand.
Rose’s ex-Bulls and current Knicks teammate Joakim Noah said he spoke with his starting point guard after the game and that “he’s OK.”
“I mean, I don’t really want to talk too much about it because I don’t really know what the situation is,” Noah told reporters after the game. “Obviously Derrick is one of our better players. And when he is not here, it is tough. But I am just happy that everything is OK with him.”
Rose hadn’t played in the fourth quarter of either of New York’s previous two games against Milwaukee (win) or Indiana (loss) leading up to Monday night, but it is unclear if that played a role in Rose’s absence. When Hornacek was asked if there was an issue between he and his starting point guard, he answered “No.”
Monday’s no-show was only the fifth missed game for Rose, who had missed games in December due to back spasms.
Without Rose, the Knicks were blasted by a Pelicans team that entered Monday night 10 games below .500. Anthony Davis scored 40 points and helped build a New Orleans lead that grew as big as 29.
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