| |
|
Out-of-sync MVP hopes to play better
By Scott Au PhilBoxing.com Sat, 14 Apr 2012

CHICAGO -- The rust was expected. After all, he had missed 12 straight games this seaosn and 23 overall after dealing with issues concerning his toe, ankle and groin.
But not even Derrick Rose, the league's reigning MVP, could have imagined how bad his performance would be following his return Thursday night at the United Center against bitter rivals the Miami Heat.
Well, as they say, stuff happens.
And that's exactly what happened in the Bulls's improbable 96-86 overtime victory over the Heat. Rose had a forgettable 2-point performance. He made just 1-of-13 field goals and missed all three of his 3s. And he did not shoot a single free throw.
Rose did have eight assists in nearly 26 minutes of play, but he was also mired by three turnovers and the Bulls were outscored by 27 points when he was on the floor.
Bulls fans need not worry, though. The shy franchise player vowed to do better late in the regular season and into the postseason, where Chicago appears as the very likely No.1 seed overall.
"I'm just trying to get my rhythm back," he told the Chicago Tribune. "I've had worse games than this. These games right here will make me a better player, a stronger player. I'm just happy we got the win. That's the only thing that matters to me. C.J. (Watson) and the other bench guys played great. They're the reason we won."
Indeed, the Bulls bench are amazingly spectacular this season, giving the Bulls a 16-7 record without Rose and a 7-2 mark without Luol Deng, who is nursing broken ligaments in his left wrist.
But make no mistake, the Bulls need Rose to play better to sustain a deep playoffs run. (Scott Au)
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Scott Au.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan arrive for Asia & Oceania Sambo Tournament By Lito delos Reyes, , Wed, 24 Jun 2026Mexican Hall of Fame Legend Carlos Zarate undergoes surgery in Mexico By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Wed, 24 Jun 2026IM Arca to see action in 28th Asian Youth Chess Championships 2026 in Shenzhen,China By Marlon Bernardino, , Wed, 24 Jun 2026Lenar Perez to Face Former Two-Time World Title Challenger Thabiso Mchunu, with Fendero-Fondjo as Co-Feature on September 3 in Montreal! , Wed, 24 Jun 2026Gustavo Trujillo'S Remarkable Journey Continues as Reigning Bkb Heavyweight Champion Climbs the Pro Boxing Ranks , Wed, 24 Jun 2026AMER ABDALLAH APPOINTED ADVISOR TO THE KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN BOXING FEDERATION , Wed, 24 Jun 2026Youth Sports Sambo on June 25 By Lito delos Reyes, , Wed, 24 Jun 2026Train for Puma Half Marathon in starts June 24 By Lito delos Reyes, , Wed, 24 Jun 2026THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION 22 JUNE 2026 By Eric Armit, , Tue, 23 Jun 2026Team PH reigns in Senior League Softball Asia-Pacific and Middle East Regional Tournament in Indonesia By Marlon Bernardino, , Tue, 23 Jun 2026ZAYAS AND BOOTS KICK-OFF FIGHT WEEK WITH STORMY FIRST FACE-OFF IN BROOKLYN , Tue, 23 Jun 2026Santisima, Apolinar stop foes By Lito delos Reyes, , Tue, 23 Jun 2026BOOTS: I FEEL GREAT AT 154 , Tue, 23 Jun 2026Bohat is PBF Silver bantamweight champion By Lito delos Reyes, , Tue, 23 Jun 2026Mexican Boxing Olympic Team returns with bronze medal from Guiyang 2026 , Tue, 23 Jun 2026Lastimosa is PBF Youth light fly champ By Lito delos Reyes, , Mon, 22 Jun 2026Undefeated Unified Champion Oscar “El Pupilo” Collazo Claims WBO International Flyweight Title, Stops Neider Valdez in Two Rounds , Sun, 21 Jun 2026Pascuale Perez: Argentina's First World Champion By Ray Dunbar, , Sun, 21 Jun 2026Round 12 with Mauricio Sulaimán: Mexico’s Greatness Takes Center Stage By Mauricio Sulaimán, , Sun, 21 Jun 2026Boxing world shocked by Turki Alalshikh's health condition By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Sun, 21 Jun 2026Rising Star H2O Sylve Shines in Long Beach, Defeats JoJo Diaz in MF Pro's Historic U.S. Debut on DAZN , Sun, 21 Jun 2026Weigh-in Results: Collazo and Valdez On Weight for Flyweight Showdown in Oceanside By Dong Secuya, , Sat, 20 Jun 2026“I feel Murat’s style is a perfect match for me.” Tony Yoka prepares for Murat Gassiev , Sat, 20 Jun 2026Alex Eala continue her magical run by beating World No. 8 Elina Svitolina of Ukraine By Marlon Bernardino, , Sat, 20 Jun 2026BOXING LEGEND: JIMMY CARRUTHERS By Ray Dunbar, , Fri, 19 Jun 2026 |

|
|
|
|
|