Derrick Rose drains 35 points as Chicago Bulls down Washington Wizards 98-88 - NBA Recap
Reigning NBA MVP, Derrick Rose, had a disappointing game against Miami Heat on Sunday night. Not because he failed to produce a mammoth tally, but because he failed to net two easy free throws in the clutch and then a jumper in
the dying moments, which cost Chicago Bulls the game.
However a player of his class certainly cannot have two back to back off days and he proved it with a splendid performance tonight. Rose scored his season high 35 points including 14-for-15 from the charity stripe to guide his
team to a 98-88 win over the dismal Washington Wizards.
Rose was hot right from the word go and scored almost in each and every frame of the game.
"I just played my game - and that's me being aggressive," Rose said.
His outstanding show not only earned him praise from his coach and team mates but from the opponents as well.
"Sometimes I caught myself spectating. Some of those shots were unbelievable," Washington's Trevor Booker said.
Washington trailed throughout the first half but were still in the game by the end of it, behind by 11 points 51-40. However in the third frame, Rose and Bulls changed gears further and with the help of a 24-13 spurt in the first
9 minutes, led almost single handedly by Rose, they pushed the Wizards completely out of the game.
"Usually in the third quarter, we tend to back off," Rose said. "This game, we kept going, trying to make the game easy - and that's how we got the win."
Wizards showed some fight in the deciding frame but they never managed to get much closer than 8 points 78-86, in the fifth minute. Within no time, the deficit was again in double figures and by the final buzzer, it was still intact.
Other players from the Bulls starting line-up fired tonight as well.
Carlos Boozer had 18 points and 8 boards. Kyle Korver drained 17 points on 5-for-12 from the long range whereas Joakim Noah had a double-double with 14 points and 13 boards.
John Wall marshalled the Wizards with 20 points on a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line and 6 assists. Nick Young had 17 points while JaVale McGee pounded 16 points and grabbed 9 boards. Reserves Trevor Booker and Jordan
Crawford also chipped in with 14 and 10 points respectively.
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