NBA Hall of Famer and former Chicago Bulls forward Scottie Pippen is just one of the many who took notice of the impressive game play performance of Derrick Rose during the Bulls game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on February 12.
Rose scored 30 points in the game on 12 of 24 shooting, seven assists, four rebounds, and only two turnovers in 41 minutes of action en route to a 113-98 victory of the streaking LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Judging from the Bulls guard performance versus LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, Pippen thinks that the vintage Derrick Rose is back, notes the Chicago Sun Times.
Coming from an injury, Pippen explained that Rose is going to have his ups and downs just like any other player who is on his way to full recovery after a surgery. The former half of the Bulls dynamic duo says that Derrick Rose is back and that people should stop judging him whether he has a great game or a bad game because he’s only human.
Pippen added that what is more important at this point is that Derrick Rose is pretty much over the hump with regards to his injuries.
He advises Rose to just continue playing until he gets into his rhythm by the time the NBA reaches its post-season, where the Bulls guard really wants to play.
A work in progress
Derrick Rose has played 27 of the last 28 games of the Chicago Bulls. And with a 34-20 win-loss record going into the NBA All-Star break, the Windy City basketball team is poised to make an impressive second half of the season anchored on a resurgent Derrick Rose.
While there is obviously a long way to go before he gets into his 2011-12 form when he was named the league MVP, Rose is satisfied with the progress he is getting and pleased with his performance.
He said that he is just letting the game come to him and that he is really being patient with the ball. Rose added that he’s just trying to read the defense and pass the ball to the right teammate who is open during the game.
Teammate Jimmy Butler, who is playing in the NBA All-Stars as a reserve says that Derrick has really been playing well in the current NBA season. Butler says that Rose was indeed impressive during their victory against the Cavaliers but that did not surprise him nor his teammates because the chief Bull has already done that in the past.
Butler confidently pointed out that Derrick Rose will eventually get back to where he was. While one game may not prove that but he’s really been a big help for the Chicago Bulls to win a lot of games in the current season and now safely perched on the No. 3 spots in the Eastern Conference, states Butler.
Apparently, everyone wants to see Derrick Rose finally get his old form because it would really be fun to see him and the Bulls play by then.