Rose, Bulls have road-warrior mentality

Ordinarily, going on the road, especially during the playoffs, is considered perilous. In the case of the Bulls, getting away from their adoring home city might be a good team-building exercise.

That seems to be the message coach Tom Thibodeau is sending his team.

“Just play together,” Derrick Rose said Tuesday when asked to sum up the coach’s thoughts. “Have belief, knowing that when we go into this environment the next couple of days, it’s going to be unbelievable. We’re going to have to be at war.

“There’s going to be fire, we’re going to have to walk through it together. Everybody’s going to have to stay on board and play together, and stay positive.”

COLLISON HOPEFUL: Despite walking with a limp at the Pacers film session in Indianapolis, point guard Darren Collison said he’s prepared to play in Game Three Thursday if it’s feasible.

“If I’m at 60 to 70 percent, I’m going to play,” Collison told the Indianapolis Star. “This is the playoffs. I was disappointed I couldn’t get in the game in the second half, but it’s unfortunate it happened.”

Collison was sidelined by a sprained his left ankle when he stepped on a cameraman along the baseline after making a layup late with about 2-1/2 minutes left in the first half of Game Two on Monday.

“I don’t know if he’s going to be able to [play] or not,” interim coach Frank Vogel said. “We have to go in preparing to be without him.”

With A.J. Price and T.J. Ford stepping in for the second half, Indiana was only down 90-88 with 23 seconds left in its 96-90 loss to the Bulls Monday.

“They have quality depth at the point,” Thibodeau said. “Collison’s had an excellent year. Price has played well. And T.J. Ford has been good in this league for a long time.”

CAMERAMEN, BEWARE: There’s no avoiding cameramen on the baseline, Rose said.

“If they’re right there and I’m running, they’re getting run over,” he said. “I’d feel bad for the camera guy, but there’s no way I can stop.”