CHICAGO -- Derrick Rose took some contact in Thursday's practice and sounds more optimistic about playing in the regular-season opener against the Cavs on Tuesday.
Rose, who suffered a fractured left orbital when he took an elbow from Taj Gibson during the Bulls' first training camp practice on Sept. 29, didn't rule out the possibility of playing in the final preseason game against the Dallas Mavericks on Friday in Lincoln, Nebraska.
"It's reality," Rose said of playing on opening night. "Every day I'm improving. The eye itself, the swelling is going down. Just taking my time, practice has been going well. [I've] been practicing pretty hard. If everything's all right [Friday], I'm going to play a little bit."
The swelling around Rose's eye has decreased in the past week, but the former MVP says he is still experiencing double vision. But Rose, who has missed the entire preseason, said he hopes to be out there on Friday and would be able to play even if he was still struggling with his eyesight.
"They said they just want me out there," Rose said. "So as long as I'm out there and just moving around -- I'm not worried about attacking or being aggressive, that's going to come. I just need to be out there."
Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg called Rose's participation on Thursday "a step in the right direction," but was unsure if Rose would play Friday. Hoiberg said if Rose does play it would be for only a few minutes.
"Derrick participated in a little bit of the contact, not a lot," Hoiberg said. "But it was good to see him out there ... we'll see. Maybe see how he feels in the morning and kind of go from there. He's got a lot of general soreness right now just from picking up the activity after basically not doing anything for two weeks."
Hoiberg didn't say that Rose had to play Friday to be able to play in Tuesday's regular-season opener, but was hopeful that Rose would wake up on Friday and be ready to roll.
"I think it would be great for him if he can do it," Hoiberg said. "If not, if he's got double vision, we obviously won't play him."
Rose and Hoiberg sound much more optimistic about Rose's possible participation against the Cavaliers than they did a week ago.
"Opening night is opening night," Rose said. "It's when the season starts. It's your showcase to show people what you've been doing the entire summer. So it's a big night, but at the same time if I feel like I can't go there's no point of rushing it or pushing myself."
