Derrick Rose to play against Blazers

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose will play Tuesday against the Portland Trail Blazers after missing the last two games because of a sprained left ankle.

"Derrick's good to go tonight," Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg said. "Everything went well [in shootaround]. He felt really good after the last couple days of practice, so yeah, he's ready to go."

Rose, who initially sprained his ankle on Nov. 16 in a win over the Indiana Pacers, is in good spirits heading into his return.

"[There's] stiffness, but no soreness," Rose said of the ankle. "So that's a good thing. Just can't wait to play. It's been a long time. I sat out two games, so I'm excited about playing."

Rose does not expect to be under any kind of minutes restriction on Tuesday.

"I think it's touch and feel, see how it goes," he said. "If I get winded or if I feel any discomfort while I'm out there, I'll for sure let them know."

Rose's return against the Blazers comes almost two years to the day after he tore the medial meniscus in his right knee in the Moda Center. As he returns this time, he is trying to keep those thoughts out of his mind.

"I can't think about that," Rose said. "The past is the past. It could have happened anywhere, it just happened here and I haven't thought about it until you just said it. So kind of like just leave that in the past."

Bulls' Derrick Rose scores 17 points in return against Trail Blazers

Derrick Rose was in the starting lineup Tuesday night against the Trail Blazers, the Bulls guard's first action since suffering a left ankle sprain Nov. 16 against the Pacers.

Rose missed games against the Suns and Warriors, but in recent days he participated fully in practice and Tuesday morning's shootaround.

Rose, who was taking dozens of 3-point shots while most of the Bulls already had wrapped up the shootaround, said his ankle is stiff, "but no soreness. That's a good thing. It has been a long time ... out two games. I'm excited about playing."

And he proved it with 17 points and six assists in 34 minutes to help the Bulls end a seven-game losing streak in Portland with a 93-88 victory.

"I felt all right," Rose said afterward. "There were some plays where I had no lift on my shot. That's going to come the more I play, the stronger I get.

"I was close, but I haven't been able to move around like that for real, like the physicality of the game is different than practice, hitting bodies, guarding screen and roll. I hope I can get a lot of games so I can get my legs under me."

The last time Rose played in Portland was Nov. 24, 2013, when he suffered a season-ending medial meniscus tear in his right knee.

"I can't think about that," he said before the game. "The past is the past. It could have happened anywhere. I haven't thought about it until (the question was asked). Kind of like to leave it at that."

They posted their last road victory against the Trail Blazers on Feb. 3, 2007.

Big break: The Bulls' three-game West Coast swing includes an unusual twist: three consecutive days off between Friday's game at Golden State and Tuesday's game in Portland.

The last time the Bulls had three consecutive days off during a trip was 2010.

"It has been really different. I don't know if I've ever had three days off in between road games," said coach Fred Hoiberg, who played 10 years in the NBA.

After losing to the Warriors, the Bulls spent Saturday and part of Sunday in Oakland before flying to Portland.

"We've had two good days of practice," Hoiberg said. "We (had) some very valuable time on the practice floor, which at this time of the year, you don't get a lot. We were able to work on things and add some new elements."

Dunleavy improving: Mike Dunleavy is getting closer to action after undergoing a lower back microdiscectomy in late September, though Hoiberg said it's uncertain when the 35-year-old swingman will return.

Hoiberg said Dunleavy was able to increase his activity during the trip.

"Now it's a matter of getting home, getting rechecked by the doctor," Hoiberg said. "Hopefully he'll continue to progress in the right direction and we'll get him out there soon."

Hoiberg says he hasn't given any thought to how he will alter the rotation once Dunleavy returns. Dunleavy averaged 9.4 points and 3.9 rebounds for the Bulls last season.

Side road trip up next: Though the Bulls return home after Tuesday's game, next up for the Bulls is another road game Friday at Indiana. The Bulls begin a four-game homestand Monday against the Spurs.

Nick Daschel is a freelance reporter for the Chicago Tribune.