Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose vows to come back stronger in the next season
When the Michael Jordan era departed, it also took away the aspiration of a championship from the windy city. However, it all changed three years back, when the Chicago Bulls drafted a certain rookie named Derrick Rose as the number one draft pick. The epic emergence of the point guard once again put the Bulls on the NBA championship map.
After successive 41-win seasons and the first round exits from the playoffs, the Bulls and Rose were rearing to break the shackles in their third year together. And then Rose found a mentor in the shape of Tom Thibodeau. Under the guidance of the first year coach, Rose almost single-handedly propelled Chicago to the best record in the league during the 2010-2011 regular season.
Such was the domination shown by the third year guard, that he overcame the likes of the two times reigning MVP LeBron James and the best post player of the league, Dwight Howard, to win the Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the regular season. Thibodeau was also honoured with the coach of the year award as the Bulls raced away into the Eastern Conference Finals to face the Miami Heat.
However, as good as they were the whole season, the Bulls turned out short against the offensive battery of the Heat and their play-off journey ended in the game-5 of the best of seven series. The Bulls offence was exposed by the Heat in the playoffs. Before the series began, everybody knew that the Bulls had only one offensive outlet in the shape of Rose. However, Heat made sure that even he does not settle in his groove.
Miami completely rendered Rose ineffective during the series and forced him into the worst shooting stretch of his three year career. Rose however has vowed to accept this as a learning curve and insisted that the Bulls would come back hungrier in the next season. "I think it's going to make everybody hungry," Rose said.
Rose spurred a below par team to play above its talent level and nearly took them to the summit of the Eastern Conference. However, standing in his way was LeBron James and ironically he is the best man, who can understand Rose’s feelings
"I've been in situations where I say why me at this point? But you have to keep working and be put in those positions time after time after time where if you fail, you have to be ready to take that challenge again and again and again.” James said.
In the third season with the team, Rose has transformed into a juggernaut. Even with his shooting woes, he averaged 27.1 points and 7.7 assists in the post-season. His play even left James impressed, “D-Rose — he earned the MVP. He's a great talent, unbelievable player. Chicago got not only a great basketball player, but a great kid, too. What he's done for this city and what he's done for this franchise in just three years is remarkable. The sky is the limit for that guy.”
Rose is determined that the Bulls will get better next season. Experience is the only thing that lacks in Derrick’s resume and once he has that, there is no doubting he can outperform anybody on any give night.
Tags: