So much for the rumors of a Game 3 return by Derrick Rose. Chicago Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau spoke to the media at shootaround on Friday and ruled out Rose, Luol Deng (illness) and Kirk Hinrich (calf) for Game 3 against the Miami Heat. One report had suggested that Rose could suit up on Friday, but now it's clear that he won't be in uniform when Chicago tries to take a 2-1 series lead at the United Center.
Heat vs. Bulls Game 3: Derrick Rose, Luol Deng, Kirk Hinrich ruled out
Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau provided a sobering Game 3 injury update at shootaround on Friday.
Coach Thibs tells media at shoot around..Rose, Deng, Hinrich all out for game 3 vs Heat
— chuck swirsky (@swirsk054) May 10, 2013
Deng suffered complications and lost 15 pounds after receiving a spinal tap last week, and he is simply too weak to play. Hinrich underwent a second MRI on bruised calf, as it has not been responding well to treatment.
For more on this series, visit: Blog a Bull Hot Hot Hoops
The Bulls shocked the world by grinding out a victory in Game 1, but then LeBron James and the Heat responded with a dominating 37-point win in Game 2 to even the series. With the action shifting to the United Center in Chicago, Thibodeau made a point to focus the microscope on the officials by saying that he doesn't expect the Bulls to get many calls against the Heat.
Thibodeau used a starting lineup of Nate Robinson, Marco Belinelli, Jimmy Butler, Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah in the first two games of the series, and now he will have to lean hard on that core group again in Game 3 (8 p.m. ET, ESPN).
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