Derrick Rose snuck up on no one. He was a Chicago high school superstar, an elementary school superstar before that. He played in a national-title game in his only college season and became a number one NBA draft pick, selected by his hometown club, the Bulls. He was voted Rookie of the Year, then an All-Star. He wears the number 1. This is not the résumé of a surprise.
And yet there's a fresh commotion in Chicago, in the third season of Rose's career. The Bulls finished the regular season with the NBA's best record, and though they have never won a playoff series with Rose, a memorable postseason run is predicted—perhaps the first title since Michael Jordan left with six. There are multiple reasons for this confidence—an improved defense implemented by head coach Tom Thibodeau; an edge-of-reckless aggressiveness personified by wild-haired center Joakim Noah; and a deep bench of reserves. But the case for Chicago quickly circles back to No. 1.
At 22, Rose may be the NBA's most riveting player. That's not a radical opinion, but it still sounds strange in a league with in-their-prime fliers like LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Dwight Howard, and ever-vigorous veterans like Dirk Nowitzki and Kobe Bryant. Rose was the only NBA player to finish the season in the top 10 in points and assists, and though there are compelling statistical arguments for candidates like Howard, he's expected to be named the league's MVP. The MVP voting is often as much about narrative as it is raw data, and as the star of a marquee franchise having a rejuvenated season, Rose is an attractive choice.
But still...household name? Not exactly. There are long basketball shadows in Chicago.
Had you not been aware of Rose, had you missed the entire NBA regular season, the two prior NBA seasons, and Rose's controversial one-and-done year at Memphis (a season the school was later forced to vacate because of a scandal involving Rose's SAT), you could have understood his greatness just by watching him Saturday against Indiana in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference playoffs' first round. (Game 2 is Monday at 9:30 p.m. ET on TNT.)
![[SportsFeature_0]](http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/OB-NN803_Sports_DV_20110417220327.jpg)
European Pressphoto Agency Watching the early rounds of the NBA playoffs—which last year ended on June 17—can feel like showing up at the airport nine hours early. Indiana, which completed its regular season 37-45, isn't expected to give much of a fight to top-seeded Chicago, but on Saturday, they were frisky, jumping out to a 27-23 first quarter lead.
But there was a dazzling Rose moment in the opening quarter. Rose was on defense, guarding the Indiana point guard Darren Collison. Indiana's Tyler Hansbrough set a pick, slowing Rose, and Collison blew past on the left, a clear lane to the basket. As Collison began his layup, Rose was steps behind, but before the ball dropped to the cylinder, Rose leapt and closed the gap, swatting the shot against the backboard, into the hands of Bulls teammate Keith Bogans.
Rose tumbled out bounds, pushing off the red basket support to launch himself back into the play. Before mid-court, Bogans gave the ball back, and Rose drove to the center of the court. Confronting Hansbrough at the top of the key, Rose twirled around him with a 360 spin. In most cases, that move should have been enough to score, but beneath the rim lurked the 7-foot-2 Pacers center Roy Hibbert. Rose twisted his body once more, gently twirling the ball off the backboard over Hibbert's reach, whereupon it dropped, paused hard on the rim, and tumbled in.
Indiana was unfazed. The Pacers held off the Bulls deep into the fourth quarter, even after a third-quarter elbow from Chicago's Kurt Thomas laid Hansbrough to the floor. He returned, and with 3:38 left, Indiana led 98-88.
In the stands, Pacers executive Larry Bird smiled. Was an upset coming?
A quarter century ago, Bird watched a 23-year-old Chicago Bull score 63 in a playoff game against the Boston Celtics and declare he'd seen "God disguised as Michael Jordan." The deity comparisons have yet to happen to Rose—the Jordan ones are also premature—but the next three minutes would fuel his growing legend. With Indiana leading by six, Rose fired a cross court pass to Noah, who soared for a dunk. With 1:50 to play, Rose curled around Hibbert for a lay-up and foul. With 1:27 left he spun past Indiana's Paul George for a teardrop floater.
Tie game, 99-99.
The definition of NBA greatness is to do it when everyone expects you to do it, when every defensive weapon is emptied at you. But the definition of NBA brilliance is to do something different when everyone expects you to do it again. With less than a minute to play, Rose started a drive, dragging the Indiana defense with him, only to kick out a long pass out to Kyle Korver, who buried a three and gave Chicago its first lead.
The Bulls went on to win, 104-99. In a weekend in which Memphis shocked San Antonio and Chris Paul led New Orleans to a magnificent stunner over the Lakers, Rose delivered 39 points, and everything when it mattered. It was a bright rescue by an emerging NBA superstar. It just wasn't a surprise.
And yet there's a fresh commotion in Chicago, in the third season of Rose's career. The Bulls finished the regular season with the NBA's best record, and though they have never won a playoff series with Rose, a memorable postseason run is predicted—perhaps the first title since Michael Jordan left with six. There are multiple reasons for this confidence—an improved defense implemented by head coach Tom Thibodeau; an edge-of-reckless aggressiveness personified by wild-haired center Joakim Noah; and a deep bench of reserves. But the case for Chicago quickly circles back to No. 1.
At 22, Rose may be the NBA's most riveting player. That's not a radical opinion, but it still sounds strange in a league with in-their-prime fliers like LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Dwight Howard, and ever-vigorous veterans like Dirk Nowitzki and Kobe Bryant. Rose was the only NBA player to finish the season in the top 10 in points and assists, and though there are compelling statistical arguments for candidates like Howard, he's expected to be named the league's MVP. The MVP voting is often as much about narrative as it is raw data, and as the star of a marquee franchise having a rejuvenated season, Rose is an attractive choice.
But still...household name? Not exactly. There are long basketball shadows in Chicago.
Had you not been aware of Rose, had you missed the entire NBA regular season, the two prior NBA seasons, and Rose's controversial one-and-done year at Memphis (a season the school was later forced to vacate because of a scandal involving Rose's SAT), you could have understood his greatness just by watching him Saturday against Indiana in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference playoffs' first round. (Game 2 is Monday at 9:30 p.m. ET on TNT.)
European Pressphoto Agency Chicago's Derrick Rose scored 39 points on Saturday as the Bulls rallied to defeat the Indiana Pacers, 104-99, in the first round of the playoffs.
But there was a dazzling Rose moment in the opening quarter. Rose was on defense, guarding the Indiana point guard Darren Collison. Indiana's Tyler Hansbrough set a pick, slowing Rose, and Collison blew past on the left, a clear lane to the basket. As Collison began his layup, Rose was steps behind, but before the ball dropped to the cylinder, Rose leapt and closed the gap, swatting the shot against the backboard, into the hands of Bulls teammate Keith Bogans.
Rose tumbled out bounds, pushing off the red basket support to launch himself back into the play. Before mid-court, Bogans gave the ball back, and Rose drove to the center of the court. Confronting Hansbrough at the top of the key, Rose twirled around him with a 360 spin. In most cases, that move should have been enough to score, but beneath the rim lurked the 7-foot-2 Pacers center Roy Hibbert. Rose twisted his body once more, gently twirling the ball off the backboard over Hibbert's reach, whereupon it dropped, paused hard on the rim, and tumbled in.
Indiana was unfazed. The Pacers held off the Bulls deep into the fourth quarter, even after a third-quarter elbow from Chicago's Kurt Thomas laid Hansbrough to the floor. He returned, and with 3:38 left, Indiana led 98-88.
In the stands, Pacers executive Larry Bird smiled. Was an upset coming?
A quarter century ago, Bird watched a 23-year-old Chicago Bull score 63 in a playoff game against the Boston Celtics and declare he'd seen "God disguised as Michael Jordan." The deity comparisons have yet to happen to Rose—the Jordan ones are also premature—but the next three minutes would fuel his growing legend. With Indiana leading by six, Rose fired a cross court pass to Noah, who soared for a dunk. With 1:50 to play, Rose curled around Hibbert for a lay-up and foul. With 1:27 left he spun past Indiana's Paul George for a teardrop floater.
Tie game, 99-99.
The definition of NBA greatness is to do it when everyone expects you to do it, when every defensive weapon is emptied at you. But the definition of NBA brilliance is to do something different when everyone expects you to do it again. With less than a minute to play, Rose started a drive, dragging the Indiana defense with him, only to kick out a long pass out to Kyle Korver, who buried a three and gave Chicago its first lead.
The Bulls went on to win, 104-99. In a weekend in which Memphis shocked San Antonio and Chris Paul led New Orleans to a magnificent stunner over the Lakers, Rose delivered 39 points, and everything when it mattered. It was a bright rescue by an emerging NBA superstar. It just wasn't a surprise.
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