Derrick Rose: Before and After

On Saturday morning, I managed to haul myself and all my luggage to the Montreal airport, saying good-bye, good riddance to my freshman dorm room, nearly puking in the cab ride on the way (you can't have a quiet last night in town in Montreal). A couple of hours later, I landed in Chicago and hopped into my Dad's truck, ready to drive back home. As soon as we left the parking garage, Dad flicked on the radio for the Bulls game. Crap, the Bulls game. It was the playoffs already? The shortened season had sped everything up- the playoffs started pretty immediately after the rushed season. Wasn't the All Star Game like a month ago? Well, anyway, the Bulls were on, and they were beating the crap out of the 76ers. It was the second quarter, and Derrick Rose seemed to be playing near his peak- the announcers were already predicting a triple double, as Rose had ten points, six assists and four rebounds.

We got home in time for the second half, and Rose continued to dominate, and the Bulls pulled away in the third quarter. I switched over to Flyers-Devils, and eventually left around three to watch a high school water polo game (note: my old team looked good.) So, while I was gone, I missed the moment where the Sixers made a little run at the end of the game, and Derrick Rose was put back in the game. I missed the part where he drove to the basket, made an awkward move, leapt for yet another lay up, and clutched at his knee in mid air. He grimaced in pain on the ground. He was helped off the floor. I was completely unaware of this, in the dungeon of my high school's pool, but I came home in time to log onto twitter and see the pleas of Bulls fans, hoping that Rose was ok. Not soon after, the Bulls officially released their bombshell- Derrick Rose had torn his ACL and would be out for the playoffs. 

There go the Summer Olympics, for one- and the Olympics were going to be an awesome battle between Rose and Chris Paul for the starting point guard spot on the loaded US team. There goes the Bulls title hopes. The Bulls were able to go 18-9 without Rose this season, but against some crappy teams, working their ass off every night, and not in the playoffs. Sure, they might get past Philadelphia, and could beat Atlanta in the next round, but without a star (or John Lucas III morphing into a star- slow progress so far), this team cannot win a championship. Rose is out. He was banged up all season, but this is a career- changer, something that you can't come back from quickly, and something that may force him to alter his style of play. Rose's whole game has been predicated on his quickness in getting to the basket. As with Chris Paul, who suffered the same injury a couple years ago, Rose will have to deal with his 'new' knee. For Paul, it sapped much of his quickness and forced him to become more of a 'pure' point guard- less drives, more passes. That'll be Rose's challenge as he recovers from this injury.

On Tuesday, the Bulls came out and attempted to rally around Rose's injury and prove they could win without him. They started off well, grabbing a big lead in the second quarter. In the second half, though, their defense started to fall apart (which probably couldn't have been solved by Rose) and their offense stalled, settling for jump shots. They lost by 17. The Bulls don't have a consistent shot maker, and no one can drive with the efficiency of Rose. The Sixers defense simply had to press on the perimeter, and they could shut down the Bulls. Yeah, they could still win this series, maybe the next, but this was not a title team. Rose is out, and so are the Bulls.

I realize I haven't said much about the Bulls this year- but they have been the solid bedrock in what has been a crappy sports year for me. The Cubs were always bad; the Bills started well and fizzled out; the Sabres bottomed out, made an epic comeback run, and then failed right at the end. Through all that, I could always look to the Bulls and say, hey, they're pretty good. This team could contend for the championship. I'll admit it, the NBA is not my favorite league and basketball is not my favorite sport, but the Bulls are the one team I like with a serious chance at a title in the near future (try getting to the playoffs, Bills, Cubs and Sabres). They gutted through a regular season full of injury and got the NBA's best record. Somehow. And they seemed all put together going into the playoffs. There was something to look forward to once I got home. But that all vanished as Rose grabbed his knee in mid-air. It's not fair.  

We're past the point where we can blame Tom Thibodeau for having Rose in the game- as we saw in the  Clippers-Grizzlies game, a comeback was certainly possible. Besides, Rose needed conditioning and crunch time minutes to get him back into playoff shape. There's an argument to be made that the compressed schedule due to the lockout contributed to this injury. I merely think that it accelerated the process.  Rose has always played, seemingly, at the limits of human athleticism. How to explain someone his height, his size, could move so fast, jump so high. He threw himself into the middle of the defense, bouncing off of bodies, twisting through contact in mid air to make another ridiculous lay up, or a thunderous dunk. He got hacked and hit by other players. He played, in a word, bravely, or, perhaps, dangerously. With every drive, he threw himself into a minefield, landing safely after every trip. We often forget that athletes, despite their freakish physical gifts, have bodies just like ours, with finite limitations, things it simply cannot do. Derrick Rose was banged up all season, a body rebelling against itself. His last drive was the tipping point, something stretched and stretched until it finally snapped. If it wasn't in that game, it would've come soon- there was only so much more that he could've taken. Hopefully he comes back and can play at nearly the same level as before the injury, throwing himself towards the basket with the same combination of speed and hops. Maybe he'll be a different player, though, and we'll look back at the first years of his career, Derrick Rose 1.0, who dove into the game till it broke him, irreparably changed his game. 

NBA Olympic Basketball Team: Who's the Worst of the Best?

The US Men's National Basketball team recently announced their prospective roster for the 2012 Olympics. It's a list of twenty players from the 2008 Olympics "Redeem Team" and 2010's younger World Championship Team who expressed interest in playing in the 2012 Olympics, along with two more players shortlisted in order to bring it all to a nice round number. Before the Olympics, though, the roster has to be pared down to 12 roster players (and six alternates). If you're anything like me, you immediately started thinking about who was going to get cut! So, join me as I go through the roster of twenty and find out which 8 guys aren't quite good enough to make it on perhaps the most talented Olympic team ever (yeah- I said it- watch out Dream Team.)

The No Doubters:


Dwayne Wade: The best player on the Heat (but more on that in a little bit). One of the best defensive players in the league, as well. You're not leaving the best two guard in the world off the roster. As long as he stays healthy, he'll be on the team.

Kobe Bryant: If Kobe were one of the 20 people or so who read my blog, he'd probably be very angry at the part where I said Dwayne Wade was the best two guard in the league, and score fifty points in his game and make a snippy comment about it in the postgame presser. In his continued aping of Michael Jordan, Bryant has taken on Jordan's "intense motivation at tiny slights" act. Right now he's dropping close to 40 a game just to show he still can. Whatever the Germans did to his knees, it's working wonders. No way Bryant misses this one, likely his last chance at playing in the Olympics. (Wait for 2016 when he plays in Rio and, after a game, says, "Evan Dent! You said I wouldn't be here!").

LeBron James: The most physically gifted player in the game. He still has an issue to become too passive at the end of the game--his "Miami mindset"-- and settles for long jump shots instead of driving or posting up. Still, the guy is an athletic freak, the second best player on the Heat, and capable of taking over games when he gets his head right.

Dwight Howard: The best center in the world is going to be on your team, no question. Against a team like Spain, who have the Gasol brothers and Serge Ibaka, Howard's size and interior presence will be key.

Chris Paul/Derrick Rose: You could give either of these guys the title of "best point guard in the NBA" right now. While I personally have Rose as the better player right now- his passing has improved immensely and he outgunned Paul already this season- you can't go wrong with having both on the floor. Paul is playing ridiculously well since his trade to the Clippers. He doesn't have the same quickness as he did before injuring his knee, but he's learned to play exceptionally without that speed. As for Rose, well, he might be the best pure driver in the game, and he's coming off an MVP season. No way he's not on the top six for this team. The battle between Paul and Rose for minutes during the Olympics will be fascinating to watch.

Kevin Durant: The best pure scorer in the game (although Carmelo Anthony is close). Durant can score from nearly anywhere on the floor and also has the freaky athleticism to play the four in case the US decides to play small.

Chris Bosh- There aren't very many natural power forwards on the roster, which makes Bosh a near lock for a spot. On a team like this, he'll be the fourth or fifth option on the floor at any time, which is a perfect role for him. Great pick and pop shooter who can also run the pick and roll.

Carmelo Anthony: A less versatile scorer than Durant, but fills the same role. He'll be playing valuable minutes off the bench, and can fill in the two or the three spot.

By my count, that's nine guys who should unquestionably on the team, which leaves three spots left on the main roster, guys who will fill important bench positions, creating a just as dangerous second unit. These are the guys who give Coach K versatility all over the court.

Rounding Out the Twelve


Tyson Chandler: When you absolutely, positively need a stop inside, you're bringing in Chandler. Imagine a defense with Howard and Chandler down low- it'll be nearly impossible to score inside, which will be valuable against a team like Spain.

LaMarcus Aldridge: He's quietly evolved into a near elite player in the NBA. With a paucity of true power forwards on the list, he should be in as Bosh's backup. His ruthlessly efficient jump shot should come in handy.

The last spot is tricky. I could make a compelling argument for about five players in this spot. I'm going with a gut feeling here on who should be the last guy- Andre Iguodala. Previously known for insane dunks, Iguodala has become one of the best defensive small forwards in the league. Plus, he can fill in for the two and three spot- versatility that offers depth as well. His role on this team should be in the same vein as Chandlers- a pure defensive stopper who can help a little on the other end. Add him to the Chandler-Howard lineup down low, and it's near impenetrable. On the 2008 roster, Tayshaun Prince filled nearly the same role- why not add this same type of player again?

Six Alternates: The Not Quite Ready for Primetime Players


Blake Griffin: As much as adding him to this team would make it the most exciting team ever, he still doesn't have the defensive skills or offensive retinue to warrant inclusion on the 12 man roster. 2016, though, he should be there.

Russell Westbrook: He may well get the last spot over Iguodala just to add more point guard depth. He is one of the top five point guards in the league athletically, but still struggles with knowing when to take over the game and when to defer and pass to his superstar teammate (and on a team like this, he'd have about four on the court at all times). Still, his rebounding prowess could get him on the 12 man roster. I like Iguodala better in that spot, but to each their own.

Kevin Love: The guy is a rebounding machine and has the ability to play the three or the four (and spread the floor with his three point shooting), but he's not that great a defender overall. With a talented crop of big men already on the roster, I wouldn't take him over Aldridge or Chandler. After Westbrook, he's the next most likely to be on the twelve man roster instead of my pick.

Deron Williams: If he wasn't playing so listlessly this season, he'd be in over Westbrook, but he's had major struggles this season and isn't playing up to his potential. Maybe he'll turn it on during the training camp, but right now he's nowhere near above an alternate. Also unfortunate for him is the emergence of Rose and Westbrook since 2008, when Williams was the 2nd/3rd point guard on the Olympic team.

Lamar Odom: He's a great versatility guy, and played exceptionally well at the World Championships. He's having similar problems to Williams though- he's in an extended funk since being traded. Besides, the 3/4 group on this roster is stacked; it'll be tough for him to get into the top twelve without an amazing training camp.

Eric Gordon: The best young two guard in the game, but, unfortunately has to compete against Hall of Famers in Wade and Bryant. Tough to see him on the team unless they really want two guard depth.

Stuck in No Man's Land between Cuts and Alternates


Rudy Gay: He's a great defender and a pretty good scorer, and you could certainly put him on the alternate squad based on that- but he seems to be a victim of the numbers game at this point. I see a cut for either Gordon or Gay, and Gay hasn't been quite himself since last season's injury.

The Easiest Decision to Make: Cut 


Chauncey Billups: It's pretty hard to make a case for why Billups should be on this team. He's old, no longer the great three point shooter he was, and frequently stops the flow of the offense. He was good as a fill in for the World Championships, but this is the end of the line.

My final lineup:
Starters- Rose/Paul, Wade, James, Bosh, Howard.
Bench: Bryant (though he could start over Wade), Durant, Anthony, Aldridge, Chandler, Iguodala.
Alternates: Westbrook, Love, Griffin, Williams, Odom, Gordon
Cuts: Gay, Billups.

Small lineup: Rose/Paul, Wade, James, Durant, Howard (or even Bosh at center)
Defensive lineup: Rose/Paul, Iguodala, James, Chandler, Howard

Hell, the bench unit on this team- Rose/Paul, Bryant, Durant, Aldridge and Chandler- could probably win Gold. So I'd say the Dream Team is going to be given a run for its' money.

The Chicago Bulls: Welcome to Must Win Territory

Yikes. After a dominating Game One performance, the Bulls have dropped the last two games to fall behind 2-1 in the series. The Game Two loss was slightly acceptable- the Heat were going to be fired up, it was tied with three minutes left and the Bulls let it slip away (but still, they were in it), and the Bulls just had an off shooting night.

Game Three, though, was infuriating. The Bulls defense, statistically the best in the league, got ripped up by CHRIS BOSH. Yes, Bosh Spice of all people. One of the softest big men in the league was able to drop 34 on the Bulls. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade didn't even have spectacular games- they just about matched Bosh's production points wise, TOGETHER. On offense, Derrick Rose had 20 points, but was barely the dominant force he needs to be for the Bulls to have a chance. Carlos Boozer finally stepped up, but Joakim Noah stepped into the background with a point and five rebounds, while Taj Gibson continued his solid, consistent effort. Omer Asik...we'll, he's not what we'd call "offensively competent," so Miami is happy to leave him in scoring position, which he does not take advantage of. Luol Deng had a decent game, but continued to force the issue on the offensive end. Too often he drives into the paint and tries to force a shot that just ins't there instead of passing the ball off. The lack of scoring from the Shooting Guard position has been exposed this series- Bogans isn't hitting open shots, Brewer, for some reason, isn't getting quality minutes, and the Heat attack Korver defensively every time he subs in.

Simply put, the Heat defense has figured out how to stop the Bulls attack-with some help from the officials, who aren't giving that many fouls on Derrick Rose's drives. The Heat don't respect Joakim Noah as a shooter, so are free to leave him open on the high pick-and-roll with Derrick Rose and clog the lane (which is why I think Gibson should get more playing time in that role). Also, the Heat have put LeBron on Derrick Rose, along with a helper (who comes off one of the big men, Noah usually) to prevent his drives. They're keeping the ball out of his hands. And when that happens, the Bulls aren't scoring consistently.

On the defensive side, the Bulls fell apart on their rotations and help defense, leaving Bosh open to try and stop Wade or James. Here's the problem- Bosh can hit open shots when he's motivated. He continued to punish the Bulls for playing off him when all they needed to do was play him hard and take him out of the game early. As for stopping Wade and James, I think the Bulls should go with Brewer on Wade (he's better than Bogans on defense and has been hitting more shots recently) and keep Deng on James with help off Joel Anthony (when he's in) or off of Bibby/ Chalmers (because Haslem has been killing us).

But that's just one fan's opinion. What really matters for Game 4 is how much effort the Bulls put into the game. This is simply put a must win. The Bulls will not come back from down 3-1 in the series. Miami is too talented to lose three straight. The Bulls need to take this one and prove that they can win on the road, even the series and regain home court advantage. If the Bulls can play defense like they did in Game 1, where they shut down James and Wade and let Bosh do some damage (but not enough to really kill them, as their offense was actually working), they can win this game. They need to pair that defensive energy with some offensive fire- some good low post play along with a dominating Derrick Rose performance. This is a time when an MVP shows what he's made of- in the clutch, when the team needs him most. He's been hemmed in this series, and he needs to bust out in a big way- the rest of the team will follow.

So I'll be watching Game 4 intently, hanging on every basket. Because it is life or death. As much as fans like to delude themselves, 3-1 is almost impossible to get out of. It's the death knell for the season, the shot before the total knockout. That dazed state is almost impossible to deal with. Hopefully the Bulls keep me out of there.