Mornings have become an adventure for Derrick Rose.
That’s when the Bulls point guard wakes up, looks around, and takes an inventory on where his vision is.
Unfortunately, since about Sept. 30, when Rose underwent surgery to repair a fractured left orbital bone, he’s getting an all too familiar answer.
The double vision that was supposed to dissipate is still present. Definitely not as cumbersome as it first was, but still a big enough problem where Rose continued to describe himself as a “one-eyed player.’’
“When I’m out there every single play, I’m trying to read it off the strength of not being able to see, so how they’re playing me when I drive to the hole,’’ Rose described of his life on the court through the first four games. “I mean I look at a lot of film after I get done playing just off the strength of I’m only working with one eye. I can’t see nothing. I’m happy with the pace I’m running with. Every game is a positive for me because I missed so long. As long as we win, I could care less how I play.’’
Good thing, because at times it hasn’t been pretty.
Rose will enter Tuesday night’s game in Charlotte shooting just 37 percent from the field, was 0-for-5 from beyond the three-point line, and was held to just 14 combined points in his last two games.
All meaningless in his opinion, and he might finally be absolutely correct.
Far too often the last four seasons, Rose has put his foot in his mouth more than he’s put the ball in the basket, but in playing through this latest injury, he seems to finally be getting it. Not only that he doesn’t need to be 100 percent to be a weapon for the Bulls, but that there are ways to win games without scoring.
Sunday’s 92-87 victory over Orlando may have been Rose’s finest game as a point guard in quite some time.
Forget the six points. Rose grabbed seven rebounds and handed out eight assists.
“He’s a warrior,’’ teammate Joakim Noah said of what Rose has been doing this season. “Everything he’s going through, and he hasn’t had any preseason or anything like that. Just to come out there and be thrown in the fire and compete the way he’s competing is difficult.’’
As Rose is showing, not impossible.
The big questions, however? When will the vision clear up? Rose was told in early October that it would be two weeks. He’s well past that.
“I’m not concerned,’’ Rose said. “Frustrated because getting up every morning is something different. You gotta get used to it. As far as the way we’re playing, we’re winning games. I could care less about the way I’m playing as long as we’re winning games. I could care less about my eye or anything. I just want to be out there playing.’’
And producing.
Not to the level he would like, but not bad for a guy that is shooting most of his attempts off of feel.
“Yeah, the depth perception is totally different, especially when you’re moving,’’ Rose said. “Set shots are one thing, but when you’re moving it’s kind of hard. Some way I’m figuring it out on my floaters and everything, but I’m happy to be back moving, happy to be back with my teammates. Like I said, there’s nothing like winning games in this league.’’
