DENVER (AP) — Derrick Rose was scratched from the Chicago Bulls’ lineup against Denver on Friday because of a stiff neck.
Rose, who scored 35 points in Wednesday’s double-overtime victory at Phoenix, woke up Friday with neck pain. He may have slept on his neck wrong, a team spokesman said.
C.J. Watson was slated to start in the place of Rose, who ranks third in the NBA in scoring (26.3 points per game) and eighth in assists (8.3 per game).
Meanwhile, Nuggets guard Chauncey Billups missed a second consecutive game with a sprained right wrist and broken nose sustained last Saturday against New Jersey.
