Derrick Rose being "tackled" at the "goal line!"
Just three games into the 2013-2014 season the Bulls are
1-2. This isn’t a time to start panicking because the team obviously is trying
to find a chemistry since this is the first time their starters have played together
in regular season play. The Bulls overall seem to be a good team as they have
been since Tom Thibodeau became their coach. Their defense still looks great
but the problem so far has been the play of Derrick Rose. Besides the game
winner he hit against the Knicks in his home debut he has been playing
absolutely horrible! Over the course of three games he has averaged a very
dismal 14.3 ppg, 4.4 apg while shooting a wretched 28.8 % from the field to go
along with 5.7 turnovers!
In the preseason he looked great like a fine tuned Ferrari
and was working on all cylinders. Over the first 3 games he looks like a 2003
Chevy Malibu with a leaking head gasket! Many NBA pundits have said he’s rusty
and there is a difference in the speed of the regular season versus preseason.
I don’t agree because Rose has shown that he’s still arguably the fastest
player in the NBA, one of the strongest and still one of the most explosive.
The problem is he like Lebron at times tends to rely on their athleticism too
much the difference is Lebron can get away with it because he's 6'8 260 pounds and Rose is 6'3 and probably around 215 pounds. Rose is playing like a running back
instead of playing like a point guard. He needs to understand that he has some
of the best ball handling ability in the NBA besides a Kyrie Irving or Chris
Paul and that he has some of the best footwork and use these things towards his
advantage until he finds his rhythm.
The Bulls offense has also been very stagnant. They run very
few pick-n-roll plays and Rose on offense has resorted to passing the ball and
getting out of the way. It’s still early
in the season but as the Bulls and Rose are seeing the NBA is way more
competitive overall and especially at the point guard position since he last
played. Don’t believe me? Go ask rookie point guard Michael Carter-Williams is
he intimidated by Rose. I have said over the last 2 years that Rose could learn
a lot by watching film of Tony Parker and Chris Paul. Those guys are good
athletes but not great but they know how to use picks and screens toward their
advantage because their IQ and fundamentals are supreme.
Rose strikes me as
the type of person that wouldn’t take that type of advice. He seems very stubborn
and resistant to change judging by how much more physical he has been playing. But the Bears could use a good running back so
if Rose wants to put on a helmet I’m sure with his size, speed and agility he
would be great but right now the Bulls need him to raise his game and not his
athleticism. As a fan of the Bulls I’m not in panic mode I’m more so surprised
at how he’s slumping after playing so great in the preseason. But nonetheless this will be over soon as he rounds into regular season form!
As much as I hate to see Derrick Rose blacklisted, numbers don't lie. I see this as bad coaching/bad staffing. This is the very reason he is so injury prone & they don't seem to be redirecting him. His speed is much too much for his brakes. This is why he keeps breaking a limb, no pun intended but same if that line ain't true. Tom encourages this kids aggression. Tom is the problem. It's Tom!
ReplyDeleteYou make some very valid points. Thibs is the type of coach who demands maximum effort to the extreme! He's like a Marine drill instructor and commands one to execute flawlessly with unmatched aggression and Rose's ability may be both a gift and a curse for that style of coaching. Hoever, on the bright side of things Rose is still going to round into a more consistent form as the season progresses but I think his style is so amazing people expect him to be producing now since he took the year off! I think patience is needed because Rose is the one who has to get it done on the court, he knows he's struggling, he will adjust and hopefully the major injuries are behind him.
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