The Bulls handled the Lakers easily on Thursday, 113-93, despite letting them back in the game in the third quarter. While Derrick Rose‘s line of 20 points (7/14) and six assists might now awe the average fan, after his 29-point game against Kyle Lowry and the Raptors in a Monday win, and his 25 points against John Wall and the Wizards in a Tuesday win — including 10 in the fourth – it’s a sign Rose is finally getting comfortable while finding a new niche on the court.
Early on last night, Rose showed off the mid-range game that’ll give his knees and ankles some respite from some of his more cataclysmic forays to the iron. The first bucket of the game, for instance, was just a pull-up after the Lakers packed the paint expecting a drive:
Then there was this step-back bank shot on Wayne Ellington. Rose shows a new-found ability to separate and use the glass:
While it’s not as sexy, similar to his late breakaway lay-in Chris Webber was hoping would morph into a showy dunk, Rose’s ability to appraise the situation rather than crush headlong into the restricted area leads to easy buckets and less strain on his legs and the psyche of Chicago fans.
He can still create, too, something he mentions in his post-game comments.
But Rose hasn’t sacrificed the special he brings to the court for a more grounded, less risky game. He can still amaze, like he did with this floater right as the shot clock was about to expire:
Derrick Rose isn’t back to where he was in 2011. But he’s getting closer, and the team surrounding him is so much stronger than the group he led to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2011.
(video via Dawk Ins)
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