The Chicago Bulls are for the most part healthy heading into the postseason, which has been a rarity for this gritty club the last few years. What hasn’t changed, is their self-assuredness.

Derrick Rose says that he’s still one of the top dogs in the L, this despite having been sidelined by numerous knee injuries since he won the MVP in 2011.

Rose insists that he’s not concerned about his gimpy knees, and can’t wait to take part in the Playoffs.

Per the AP:

“It’ll be fun,” Rose said. “It’ll give me a chance to go out here and battle with my teammates in the playoffs. The playoffs is a different atmosphere, a different type of setting. I get the opportunity to play the game that I love playing. The intensity is going to be definitely high. I can’t wait to play.”

 

 

Does he wonder what might have been had he been healthy the past few years? [...] “Can’t think about that,” Rose said. “I let that go years ago. (I’m) living in the present and that’s where I’m trying to keep things.”

 

He recently missed about six weeks following a minor operation on his right knee and sat out the second half of Wednesday’s finale against Atlanta because of soreness in his left knee. He insisted it was minor. He was also adamant about this. [...] “I believe I’m one of the best players in the NBA,” Rose said. Still? [...] “Still,” he said.