Derrick Rose and Richard Hamilton need to build a stronger backcourt chemistry – NBA Feature
After the loss to the Miami Heat in the NBA Eastern Conference Finals last year, the Bulls knew that they were relying too much on their point guard Derrick Rose and teams were picking up on that.
Rose, being the point guard of the team, already has the responsibility of making plays and delivering passes while guarding the most difficult position on defense. To be the top scorer of the team is in itself a huge responsibility and it seemed that Rose was trying to do too much while juggling with all his responsibilities. So when the off season came, the Bulls went ahead and found him a team-mate, one who can share the load with Rose on the offense and who is familiar with playoff games.
And they found the right person in Richard ‘Rip’ Hamilton.
The shooting guard who was once an All Star player of the championship winning Detroit Pistons with Ben Wallace and Chauncey Billups, is all too familiar with the playoffs, having made the trip on several occasions with his former team. He is averaging 20.6 points in 120 career playoff games. However, the dream team combination that was going to propel Chicago to new heights this season met a few bumps on the road early.
The two teammates have not played together much this season, as both players have been battling with injuries. Rose and Hamilton have missed a combined 63 games this season and have only been in the starting lineup together on 17 occasions. This has not given them the due time to get to know each other on the court and their playing styles.
As the Bulls head into the playoffs, everyone knows that Hamilton is critical to Chicago’s success this year, probably as critical as Rose. This is why he was brought into the team, for the playoffs. But the two players, who are supposed to be wreaking havoc on the floor through excellent team work to open up the defense for each other, are still getting to know each other.
"Have I learned how to hit him in stride? Well, I'm getting to that. I've been out, shoot, 26 games. But I have been able to watch his tendency and where he wants the ball. The only thing I know is if I deliver the ball to him, it's got to be pretty hard" said Rose regarding his chemistry with Hamilton.
“I just want to help him out, take some of the load off him in terms of playmaking. Whether that's scoring or passing … they depended on him a lot for that last year. And I saw that from afar. If I can make some of those plays, it gives him a chance to breathe a little bit" said Hamilton when asked about the team work with Rose.
Coach Tom Thibodeau has had a rough season. He has been battling with injuries to his key players all season long but has made a tremendous effort in utilizing his bench effectively to still come out with the best record in the league. However, he knows that he needs his starting five healthy for the playoffs. and while all starters are currently playing for Chicago after Rose’s return to the line-up in the Bulls last game against Dallas, his starting five have played together only 14 times this season. They are 12-2 in those 14 games but the lack of time spent with each other on the court is something the Bulls will have to live with and make it work somehow.
In the last game against Dallas, Hamilton proved his utility to the Bulls team when he scored 19 points on a night when Rose was playing very cautiously after just having returned from injury. The Bulls won against the defending NBA champions and fans did catch a glimpse of the amazing combination Rose and Hamilton could become on the court, but they were not quite there.
With the playoffs approaching fast, the Bulls need to play with the cards that they have been dealt with. They need to use their remaining two games of the season to familiarize themselves with each other as much as possible and be ready for the challenges waiting for them.
If the two can hit it off, it will be a combination that could overtake the Durant-Westbrook and James-Wade pairing. Let’s hope that they figure each others' game out, and do it fast.
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