First pre-season game: Rose returns, Bulls win

George Hill contests a Derrick Rose layup

Central Division rivals Indian Pacers and Chicago Bulls met at Indianapolis in their first preseason game.

The sloppiness of the game was typical of a preseason game.

Both team shooting terribly from the field and committing more turnovers than they normally would. Bulls shot 37.8 % from the field with 23 turnovers while the Pacers shot 32.9% with 15 turnovers. The game went back and forth throughout and the Pacers entered the fourth quarter with a healthy lead of 6.

However, the Chicago Bulls finished the game by outscoring the Pacers 24-12 in the fourth quarter to win the game 82-76. But there was excitement and buzz among Bulls fans present in the Bankers Life Field house right from the start as all of them waited for the 2009 league MVP to step foot on the floor. On his performance in the game:

“Same old Derrick Rose,” Pacers coach Frank Vogel said. “He looked great.”

“That’s the way he played before the injury, and he’s back to playing like that,” Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said. “And for him, that’s his game. The speed, the quickness, the power to go along with it – that’s what makes him so special and unique. There’s no one like him.”

His 13 points and 3 assists with 2 rebounds on 5 of 12 shooting in 20 minutes earned him such praise from both coaches. But the stats don’t matter, what really matters is that Rose played and he did so without holding back.

Derrick Rose is back!

He never stayed away from contact, constantly challenging the Indiana Pacers’ frontline. He was at his lightning best with several breakaway layups including a steal and a dunk in the third quarter.

With a minute and 34 seconds to go in the first half, Rose powered into the lane and launched himself of his surgically repaired left knee into the 7 foot 2 inches 290 pound Pacers center Roy Hibbert. He bounced backward awkwardly until he staggered and flopped onto his back. However this time around he was standing in two second prepared to shoot from the charity stripe.

“That’s the way I’ve been playing, in practice, I’m not slowing down, and I don’t care who’s in the hole or whatever. If they’re going to foul me hard, I’m just going to get back up and continue to go hard at them,” Rose said later.

The game on Saturday had finally answered all questions of –“When?”, “Why not now” and “Why is it taking so long”. The season long wait had come to an end.

He was 5 of 7 from the restricted area and 0 for 5 from anywhere else on the court, but today isn’t the night to criticize. The fact that he was back even faster and quicker to the naked eye and if he is to be believed, Rose feels he can jump higher now by 5 inches.

“I think I’m more balanced,” Rose said.

A statement which would echo across the league and make the Chicago Bulls a certified contender on Miami Heat’s quest to accomplish a three-peat.

The only tension in the game was seen when Head Coach Tom Thibodeau asked him to step out to the bench with 7:07 still remaining in third quarter. Rose was upset as he was told another 5 more minutes but was benched after 3 minutes.

Predictions can’t be made based on the team’s performance, although the Bulls looked sloppy with the number of turnovers they committed and if it wasn’t for their fourth quarter performance, the Bulls deservedly would have lost the game.

Other than that, its official guys – Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls are back!