NEW YORK – After mixed results while playing for Team USA in the FIBA World Cup this summer (he had one good game, and it was Coach K, not Coach Thibs, who inspired him), Derrick Rose returned to the NBA hardwood for the first time in a regular season game since Nov. 22, 2013.
“I think USA Basketball did a great job of making sure that my nerves weren’t too high,” Rose said. “I wasn’t too antsy when I was out there and it led to me coming out tonight and me playing the way I normally play.”
During the first three seasons of his career, Rose won Rookie of the Year in 2009 and became the league’s youngest MVP award winner (22) in 2011 thanks to his blazing speed, ankle-breaking crossover and freakish athleticism.
The abnormal became the normal for Rose during that time.
However, after missing only five combined games in those first three seasons, Rose suffered an ACL tear in his left knee that caused him to miss the entire 2012-13 season.
Upon his return the next season, Rose tore the meniscus in his right knee after appearing in just 10 games.
After two serious injuries, many doubted that the hometown hero from Illinois could remain the face of the franchise and carry the team on a consistent basis.
Now 26, Rose enters the prime of his career with his best supporting cast.
The biggest addition is Pau Gasol, a two-time champion who received interest from the Lakers, Spurs, Thunder, Knicks and others in free agency.
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With his former coach Phil Jackson in the stands as New York’s president of basketball operations, Gasol torched the Knicks for 21 points and 11 rebounds.
After the game, Gasol explained how close he was to joining the Knicks when Jackson pursued him in free agency over the summer.
“I considered it, but I thought the team wasn’t at the level of other contenders and options that I had,” Gasol said. “I’m coming down to my last few years of my career and I want to maximize them. It was difficult to leave Los Angeles in the first place, but now I feel like I’m in a great position and we have a great opportunity here. Let’s see if we’re lucky and we deserve to do something special.”
Gasol believes his arrival will help Rose to transition from injury more easily.
“I think there’s a lot of pressure off his shoulders because we have a variety of weapons so he doesn’t have that pressure on himself to be able score and force things,” Gasol said.
Rose has been enamored with Gasol’s versatility since the two joined forces.
“He’s a guy where if you don’t double-team he’s going to get up a good shot because of how big he is, how skilled he is,” Rose said. “We’re just going to keep going to him and just try to make the game easy for everyone.”
In addition to Gasol, Chicago added Doug McDermott – one of college basketball’s most accomplished scorers of all-time.
The team also added Nikola Mirotic, one of Europe’s top players who has drawn comparisons to Ryan Anderson.
Aaron Brooks, a former starting point guard, was brought in to provide depth and alleviate the need to play Rose heavy minutes.
The four newcomers combined for 51 points and 25 rebounds against New York. Overall, Chicago had six players – including Rose – scoring in double figures.
“When things run smoothly like they did tonight, I think everyone’s got to look at our whole entire team and just how deep we are,” Rose said.
“We’ve got a lot of guys that can really shoot the ball,” Rose added. “We’ve got Pau where if doesn’t roll all the way to the basket, he’s going to half-roll and shoot his little mid-range jump shot. You’ve got Joakim (Noah) where, if he does roll with the ball to the basket, he’s creating for someone else and he’s 7-foot so you have to stick him whenever he goes to the basket.”
Gasol, Noah and Taj Gibson – who had 22 points (10-12 FG) in 28 minutes – form arguably the league’s best frontcourt due to each player’s versatile skill set.
Previously the focal point of the offense in isolation sets at the top of the key and pick-and-rolls plays designed for Rose to attack, the point guard can now focus on being a floor general.
“With the way our offense is set up in pick-and-roll I don’t really have to do anything,” Rose said. “I was scoring off transition and seeing openings in the game where I felt like I could change the game. I think we have a very scary team if you put all that together, but it’s only a matter of time where everybody will get used to everybody’s game and we’ll really be a really good team in a couple of weeks.”
While it’s only one game into the season, coach Thibodeau believes Rose will continue to improve in due time.
“He’s got to shake that rust off,” Thibodeau said. “Offensively I thought he was attacking well. Defensively he’s got to keep working at it, but it’s not going to happen overnight. He’s got to keep pushing.”
Amazingly, after two separate knee surgeries and prestigious individual accolades early in his career as the focal point, Rose is arguably in a better position to succeed as a catalyst and deliver the championship Chicago has clamored for since his arrival as the No. 1 overall pick in 2008.
If Rose can be the maestro Chicago needs, the Bulls can indeed be the “scary” team he proclaimed them to be and contend for a title.
Michael Scotto is an NBA columnist for SheridanHoops.com. Follow him on Twitter.