(Hat-tip to Stylish80 for the video)
Derrick Rose was the hero last night. 30 points, 7 rebounds, 11 assists, and 5 steals. We’re seeing it more and more now. These are numbers Chicago hasn’t seen since Michael Jordan. Every bit of the last fourth quarter play was heroic: his confidence to take the shot, his eyes fixated on the game clock, the lift off the ground, the propulsion of the ball headed towards its date with destiny. Rose is good. The hype, as Stacey King very much wanted us to understand, is real.
But the thing about being a hero is that life is a lot easier when you don’t save people all the time. Rose and his hype train has been powered by the mystique of flair and drama. Who can forget the legendary Bulls/Celtics First Round series two seasons ago? Who can forget his Game 1 performance? Who can ever forget the way in which he performs a reverse layup? With a startling combination of power and pretty, he does so easily the impossible. Why then, must the easy be so impossible?
Rose did not attempt a single free throw against the Rockets. This marks the first time — well, the first time where he’s logged minutes — this has happened this season. There were questionable non-calls that Stacey King very much wanted us to acknowledge, but still: Rose took 28 shots to score 30. Life still isn’t easy for Derrick Rose. The magic shroud that he clings to on every jackknifing reverse layup will wear away eventually, and sooner rather than later if he keeps this up.
To give him credit, he’s had a jump in attempts per game for the season, but it’s clearly not enough. Stylistic (roughly) doppelgänger Russell Westbrook has also been turning in dramatic improvements, including a huge spike in free throw attempts a game (9.1 a game). Rose’s average (6.0 a game) is right on par, or slightly better than other elite point guards. But like Westbrook, Rose isn’t blessed with otherworldly court vision, and thus most of the ball movement that centers around their play relies on hard drives into the paint, resulting in foul shots or a kick-out. For someone with such incredible athleticism, it’s inexcusable to have 7+ free throw attempts in only three games.
With all of the statistical improvements Rose has made, they still feel empty. Rose’s play on the court remains a spectacle, but his numbers speak just as loudly. None of Rose’s contemporaries shoot more than 20 field goals a game. Rose shoots 21 a game to score 25. That said, Rose hasn’t been too inefficient. After all, he has led the Bulls to a respectable record without Carlos Boozer. Now with Boozer back, it’ll be interesting to see if Rose changes his game any. Having an inside-outside threat in Boozer should improve Chicago’s offensive flow, allowing for a more balanced attack. Most importantly, with a legitimate second option backing him up, Rose won’t need to put as much pressure on himself to score. Because it’s hard not to get exhausted watching Rose play.
Rose is a main attraction for a reason. He is a dancer, and the hardwood is his ballroom. But flair and dramatics can only take you so far. Heroes have a duty to save, but ultimately, their goal is to ensure that similar problems never resurface. This is the team he’s been waiting for. Rose has to learn to meld his individuality and put his trust into the collective. Until that happens, he has a ways to go before catching up with the reputation that precedes him.