Even with Rose injury, Teague could struggle to find minutes

by:Rashawn Franklin10/10/12
One would think with Derrick Rose out for an extended period of time rehabbing a left ACL injury, new Chicago Bulls point guard, Marquis Teague, would see a lot of playing time in his absence. Not true, according to a recent Chicago Tribune article. In Chicago's first preseason contest against the Memphis Grizzles, Teague logged close to eight minutes in a 92-88 win. But, according to coach Tom Thibodeau, when the regular season arrives, Teague figures to not see many rotational minutes, if any at all.
Even with Derrick Rose sidelined until likely the All-Star break following knee surgery, this is a developmental year for Teague, who will turn just 20 next February. Barring injury, Kirk Hinrich and Nate Robinson will carry the majority of the position's workload. "I understand all that I have to learn," Teague said. "It has been good competing and trying to learn the system. I've been happy with the way I played. You have to figure out the pace of the NBA and learn how to run the offense. There are a lot of plays and new stuff." After July's summer league, Teague returned to the Berto Center in early September to begin his education. That pretty much answers the question how the rookie can develop even without playing much. "You have to learn how to be a pro first," coach Tom Thibodeau said. "Then you have to practice well. Then you have to learn the league. Then you have to learn your teammates. Once you do those things and know how to do your job, you may get an opportunity to play. But it's a big step going from college to pros. Everything is based on performance."
Since he took over as head coach of the Bulls, Thibodeau has been extremely reluctant to play rookie players. It seems like he wants to see how players handle certain situations in practice before actually counting on them in a game. That's fine, but this is as good a time as any to see how Teague can matchup against other point guards in the NBA. Ultimately, this situation is going to be a good one for Teague. He can learn a lot from Rose because they have similar styles of play. Also, Chicago, with Rose healthy, is a contender. Teague's time will eventually come, but right now it looks like he'll have to be patient.

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