Derrick Rose scored 14 points in Sunday night's All-Star Game, but he logged just 18 minutes of playing time, which was the fewest among the East's five starters.
East head coach Tom Thibodeau said he discussed that minutes limit with Rose prior to the game -- Rose has been hampered by back spasms -- but after the game, Rose sounded a bit unsure about why he didn't get to play more.
"At times I wanted to get in there, but Thibs just didn’t put me out there," Rose said. "I think he was worried about my back. I didn’t know, and I didn’t ask him."
It's hard to blame Thibodeau for being cautious considering how hard the Bulls have been hit by injuries this season. Chicago starts the second half of the regular season on Tuesday night against New Orleans.
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