"Derrick Rose had never before sat for five straight games in his NBA career, so the deafening roar that drowned out his name after public-address announcer Tommy Edwards began "From Chicago ..." didn't surprise.

But when close to the same roar accompanied Rose merely dribbling on the Bulls' first possession Monday, the impact of his absence became more fully felt.

His teammates didn't cheer, at least publicly. They merely benefited from Rose's aggressive presence that featured 23 points, six assists, five rebounds and four turnovers in the Bulls' 90-79 matinee victory over Atlanta.