In Team USA’s 121-66 win over Angolo, Derrick Rose hit back-to-back three-pointers to start the third quarter. Those treys pushed the lead to 71-38.
I guess you can’t really call Derrick’s double-triples “daggers” or “knock-out blows” considering the magnitude of the U.S. lead. Angola was already toast. Badly burned toast at that. Still, it showed how much confidence Rose has in his new weapon. Something he stressed to David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune:
“It’s something I’ve been working on over the summer with my trainer Rob (McClanaghan), and over here I stay after practice and take lots of reps shooting NBA threes. Now when I’m open or need to shoot it, I will because I am confident it’ll go in.”
For the game, Rose went 3-for-4 from downtown, finishing with 9 points, a co-team-high 6 assists and 2 blocked shots in 21 minutes. Currently, there are no stats for the leadership he’s been demonstrating, but it’s worth noting. As Haugh pointed out, Rose is telling guys like Chauncey Billups and Lamar Odom what to do.
Those guys have three NBA titles between them, by the way.
Said Rose: “It’s funny because I’ll call something out and it’ll work and they’ll tell me, ‘Good call.’ It’s kind of weird because they think it’s nothing to say that, but for a young player like myself, it’s huge. It’s still kind of weird to have to do that, but it’s preparing me for the future.”
Chicago fans hope that future includes a leap to superstardom (or even superduperstardom) and leading the Bulls to championship contention. The experience he’s getting right now should help with that, even if Kevin Durant is getting all the headlines and Eric Gordon is scoring more points.
The leap is necessary if the Rose/Boozer/Noah/Deng combo is going to match up with Kobe/Gasol/Odom/Artest, LeBron/Wade/Bosh/whoever, and Garnett/Pierce/Allen/Rondo/Shaq/etc.
That’s a pretty tall order.
I have to admit, I’ve been kind of nervous about Rose traveling the world and balling all summer. I don’t want him to suffer some freak injury or be worn out by the start of the NBA regular season. But I really think this experience will push Derrick’s development in ways that vacationing and even playing for the Bulls can’t.
I mean, he gets to see the world (Said Rose: “There’s a bridge by our hotel that connects two continents, can you believe that? If I go out the back by the pool, I can see Asia. That’s crazy.”), hobnob with NBA champs (“I was just asking Lamar (Odom) how it was, playing in a championship game, and he was saying it’s totally different.”) and — assuming Team USA stays on target — win a Gold Medal.
Those are the kinds of experiences that can make a boy a man…or an All-Star a Superstar.
THE FIRST SEASON THIS DUDE HAD WE ALL KNEW HE WAS MORE THAN JUST A ROOKIE… WITH THE EXPERIENCE HE’S GETTING BY LEADING THESE YOUNG ALLSTARS TO BE AND SUPERSTARS TO BE, AS WELL AS A COUPLE NBA CHAMPIONS… ALL BEFORE HIS 3rd SEASON SHOULD BOOST ROSE FROM ALLSTAR TO SUPERSTAR… I MEAN IN JUS TWO LITTLE SEASON HE’S ALREADY A TOP 5 PG IN THIS LEAGUE… SO WITH A MORE MATURE LEADERSHIP ROLE AND HIGHLY IMPORVED 3pt SHOOTING…DERRICK IN MY EYES IS NOW A COMPLE PG… DWILL, CP3, WATCH YALL BACK HE’S COMING…
I shared your original concerns, Matt, but agree with you completely when you say:
“… I really think this experience will push Derrick’s development in ways that vacationing and even playing for the Bulls can’t.”
I’d add that one of Rose’s greatest long-term strengths is that he has resisted any temptation to become an immediate savior or superstar. He knows full well that he needs to continue developing, and that working as a team is the key to success.
You forgot to mention that he is also getting the opportunity to be coached by some of the greatest coaching minds in the US today. I loved it when I heard that Krzyzewski challenged Derrick to step up his defense, that he could shut people down if he tried.
Definitely, rose is maturing nicely, and developing that swagger that the greats possess. He is not getting ahead of himself, but is constantly working on being better. I can’t wait to see what the year has in store for him and the rest of the bulls.
I love the direction Rose has been taking this last year or so. He’s really been training hard and improving parts of his game that need improvement while trying to build on what he already has. He’s been doing and saying the right things. I heard an interview with Derrick on 670 (I think it was) and he really came off as a modest, controlled, and hardworking young man. He’s so talented and he seems to be heading in the right direction from what I can see. You see a guy like Tyreke Evans going 120-130 mph and getting into trouble, but you don’t see that from Derrick (At least from what I’ve read and heard). I think he is truly dedicated and willing to do whatever it takes to become a superstar and more importantly win a NBA championship.
Never mind D’Rose maturing because D’Rose has zero need of maturing and that loser lebron should have totally matured by signing with the damn good old Bulls instead of signing with Miami.And never mind Rose hitting three-point jumpshots because Rose will hit that big three in South Beach when the postseason starts in April.GO BULLS BABY!!!!!
remember, international threes are long twos in the nba. keep the enthusiasm in check, especially after one game of good shooting from distance.
This is great I have been saying this for the longest that D rose is a superstar some become a supertar Drose is an already was one he just needed to show the world that now that he has his game is going to new levels and which makes him even harder to stop this is great for our Bulls this means that the chance to win it all is that much greater with him thanks for the slim margin pick of number one that brought him to us his home town Go BULLS.. Peace
WOW!!!
In one little post we were treated to the “ALL CAPS COMMENT” and the return of the ever popular “No Punctuation/Run-on Comment”. This site never ceases to amaze!
Other than that, (and the fact that I am still a nervous wreck that DRose may turn an ankle at any time), great post Matt!
Can’t wait for the season to start!!!!!
John Lucus III?? I’m still lobbying for a big to backup Noah as I think Thomas is likely to become the Linsey Hunter this season. Let’s hope Omer Asik can play backup. Doug Thonus of Bulls Confidential has a scouting report on Asik:
http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/chicago-bulls-confidential/2010/09/omer-asik-playing-key-role-for-6-0-turkey.html
Based on his comments, I am not sure Asik can beat out Thomas for the backup center spot, at least not early in the season. That would leave us with only Taj as viable a rotational big. Unless James Johnson realizes it’s now crowded on the wings (with Deng, Brewer, Korver, and Bogans) and starts to pattern his game after K. Thomas (Kurt) and not T. Thomas (Tim or Tyrus).
what about ruuuudy man why are we giving up on that (seemingly)??? I think he is vital
This just in from Yahoo Sports writer Marc J. Spears: “Carmelo Anthony prefers to be traded to the Bulls or Knicks.” And right now the Bulls have the best chance of landing Melo then the Knicks do with our good pieces we have to offer to Denver with Deng, Gibson, J.J and our future 1st round draft pick. Also the Los Angeles Clippers, New Jersey Nets and Houston Rockets have expressed interest in Anthony.
Hopefully the Bulls don’t decide to make this trade move for Melo by giving up Deng, Gibson, J.J and the Bulls 1 round draft pick! Trust me people, he is not worth it, even if he plans coming here, he will not resign with the Bulls if they don’t win a championship title this season. So in other words it’s a waste of time. Plus I rather keep Deng, Gibson, J,J and our future 1st round draft pick. Since these guys are all solid role players.
Rudy is not needed by the Bulls, why add a cancer? He was not happy with 23 min. a game in Portland, what makes anyone think he will get more in Chicago? I hear a lot of people anointing D. Rose a superstar. I agree that he might become a superstar at some point in his career, but he is not there yet. He needs to play drastically better defense, he needs to prove he can hit NBA 3pters, he needs to drastically improve his assist totals and finally he needs to make every players around him better. He has proven that he has the work ethic to accomplish those 4 things. Now we as fans need to allow him to get it done, which he will in due time. Right now he is an all-star, and a very, very good player. He is not yet the caliber of Kobe, MJ, Dr. J, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Kareem Abdul-Jabar, Oscar Robinson, Bill Russell, Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain these guys were/are superstars, they transend and define the game. Very soon he will be considered a great player and join the ranks of D. Wade, LBJ, KG, Tim Duncan, Scottie Pippen, and too many others to mention. Kevin Durant is in the same boat that D. Rose is in. Both could become superstars, but they are not there yet.