Team USA gave Derrick Rose a couple of days off this week, with all parties saying this was done as a precautionry move and a good opportunity to get some much-needed rest. There may be more to the story, it turns out.
According to ESPN, the former NBA MVP has been feeling some discomfort in his two surgically-repaired knees:
A source familiar with Rose’s condition said that Rose has been bothered by knee soreness since his return to the floor Saturday night in an exhibition victory over Brazil in Chicago and requested the extra time to recover. But Team USA officials, to this point, have downplayed concerns about Rose’s status.
“We’re gonna give him a couple days off because he’s been going so hard,” Team USA coach Mike Krzyzewski said during a sports radio interview, which he gave en route to Team USA’s all-day trip Monday to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
Krzyzewski said after Tuesday’s session at the Brooklyn Nets’ practice facility that he expects both Rose and DeMarcus Cousins (knee) to play against the Al Horford-less Dominican Republic, but USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo said Rose might have to surrender his usual place in the starting lineup for a game because Krzyzewski has made practicing the day before a game mandatory for starters in the past.
