Rose injured as Bulls beat 76ers in NBA playoff opener

Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Derrick Rose suffered a left knee injury in the final seconds of Chicago's 103-91 victory over Philadelphia on Saturday in the league playoff opener. But any joy for Chicago from seizing the early edge in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference playoff series was tempered by a fear that Rose, who missed 27 games this season with various injuries, might be lost when needed most. Rose scored 23 points and added nine rebounds and nine assists in helping the Bulls seize a huge lead in the final minutes. But instead of benching Rose from the lopsided game, the Bulls chose to keep him in the lineup. With 1:15 remaining, Rose jumped and landed hard as he planted for a jump shot and his left knee buckled. Rose passed the ball off to a teammate and landed carefully, then lowered himself onto the court and rolled onto his back. Grimacing as he grabbed his left knee, Rose lay on the court while being examined by a trainer until he was helped up and aided in leaving the court and walking to the locker room where his knee was iced. An MRI exam was expected to be performed later at a nearby hospital to guage the extent of the injury. Fans briefly chanted "M-V-P" as Rose rose from the court but most of the crowd was silent, shocked and stunned as Rose's teammates, some of them wide-eyed, watched their top plymaker leave with his future for the remainder of the playoffs uncertain. "I'm sure there is a lot of concern over Derrick Rose," 76ers coach Doug Collins said. "I admire him greatly. He's one of the bright lights in this NBA. I hope he is back soon." The Bulls, who won 50 regular-season games to claim a home-court advantage throughout the NBA playoffs, will host the 76ers in game two of the series on Tuesday. Rose, who was 9-of-23 from the field, had missed 27 games this season, 12 for a groin injury and five games each for back, toe and ankle problems. The Bulls went 18-9 without him and 32-7 with him in the lineup. Rose had missed only three games in six years until this season, when the league wedged 66 games into four months after the season was shortened due to a money dispute between club owners and players that was settled last November. Richard Hamilton added 19 points for Chicago while Britain's Luol Deng contributed 17 points and Joakim Noah added 12 points and 13 rebounds. Former Bull Elton Brand led the 76ers with 19 points.