Subscribe
Follow Us
Many wondered how dangerous the New York Knicks could be if Derrick Rose regained his famed MVP form — crossing over defenders and swerving to the rim with pirouettes and finishes so strong and athletic, it would let you know why he was deserving of being the youngest ever to net the award.
But to Rose, it wasn't about regaining his form, it was about helping a team achieve something it hadn't in three seasons — make the playoffs.
“That vintage (Rose) is gone, man,” Rose told New York Daily News' Stefan Bondy following the team's 107-103 win over the struggling Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday. “I told you the question should be: Can I hoop? I can hoop. It shouldn't be like he's playing like his old self. Like, if I can hoop, I can hoop, no matter if I did that when I was younger or now. I can play the game of basketball.”
Rose made his most important contribution of the game via a clutch shot with 6.8 seconds left, connecting on a step back jumper over the outstretched arms of Maurice Harkless, giving New York a four-point lead.
“I finally shot the ball up. It's all legs, man,” Rose said. “That's what I mean. Like your whole life you're used to a 1-2 rhythm. You have one injury, and that kind of resets everything. Let alone you have three, and you've got to find your 1-2, how high you want your jump on your shot, how high you want to jump on your threes.”
“I missed preseason. All those little things count. Like, this entire time, these three or four years, I'm playing catch-up.”
In reality, an MVP-caliber Rose would clash with two other players that need the ball to produce, Carmelo Anthony, and Kristaps Porzingis, but a Rose that is aware of his limitations and learns to play within coach Jeff Hornacek‘s system is much more sustainable than dropping 20 to 30 points a night.
