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The Chicago Bulls were already set to be without their best player, Jimmy Butler, against the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night. Now, the team will be without its most recognizable player as well, as point guard Derrick Rose has been ruled out with a hamstring injury.
Rose previously missed the team's 109-104 win over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday as a result of the injury, and while the team fared well in his absence, the Bulls are wildly shorthanded. Chicago's starting lineup included E'Twaun Moore at point guard in that game, with Aaron Brooks, Tony Snell and former Hawks swingman Justin Holiday prominently involved in the festivities.
While Rose certainly isn't the player that once took home NBA MVP honors, the Bulls are objectively worse without him in the lineup, leaving the door open for the Hawks to snatch a much-needed win. Still, Atlanta dropped a game to the Miami Heat last week in a similar circumstance and, well, no one in the fan base should be comfortable just yet.
The Hawks really need to sweep the Bulls and Hornets at home over the weekend before heading to the west coast for a road trip, and Derrick Rose won't be standing in their way.