Derrick Rose Sends Message To Critics: I’m Not Done Yet
New York Knicks starting point guard Derrick Rose has a message for his critics: I’m not done yet. The numbers corroborate that statement.
Over the past five years, no player has experienced more trials and tribulations on the court than Derrick Rose. He’s gone from league MVP with a Hall of Fame trajectory to injury-prone fringe starter with more star power than substance.
Though his reputation may be that of an overrated player living off name value, Rose may have more substance than meets the eye.
For all of the criticism he’s faced, Rose remains one of the more productive point guards in the NBA. In 2015-16, he tormented defenses once he had the protective mask that blurred his vision removed.
According to Nick DePaula of The Vertical, Rose has a message for his critics.
"“I feel like I’m not done,” Rose said. “It’s a new start. I feel rejuvenated, and when you put all that together, when I step on the floor, I really don’t know what to expect. What I’m doing right now is just preparing myself for something big.”"
There’s statistical evidence that Rose isn’t just blowing smoke.
First and foremost, Rose has improved his availability in each of the past two seasons. He played 51 games during the 2014-15 NBA regular season, which followed a two-year stretch during which he was available for just 10 games over the previous two seasons combined.
Rose then played all 12 games during the 2015 NBA Playoffs, averaging 20.3 points and 6.5 assists per game.
Rose also hit that buzzer-beater to win Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Fatigue eventually set in, but Rose had three 30-point games during that 12-game run in the 2015 Playoffs. He scored at least 25 points in three of the six games played during the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
As for those harping on his mistakes, Rose claims that he’ll be a much more mature player in 2016-17.
"“Now, with the No. 25, I think you’ll see a more mature player,” Rose said. “You’ll see the player that you saw toward the end of last year. More under control type of game, and I got a lot more options now this year. That No. 1 will always be engraved in me, and it’s not going anywhere. Twenty-five is just a new step, and a new step in the right direction.”"
That’s an intriguing reality when one considers how effective he actually was in 2015-16.
On the surface, Rose averaged 16.4 points on 42.7 percent shooting from the field in 31.8 minutes per game. After the All-Star Break, however, he averaged 17.4 points in 30.9 minutes on a slash line of .468/.375/.784.
In the 49 games that followed the removal of his protective mask, he averaged 17.3 points in 31.3 minutes on 44.9 percent shooting from the field.
If Rose can put up 17 points on 45 percent shooting in New York, no one in their right mind would complain about his production as a scorer.
For perspective, only nine point guards averaged at least 17 points per game in 2015-16. Two matched Rose’s 42.7 percent shooting from the field, two had a lower field goal percentage, and one shot 42.8 percent.
In fact, seven of the 10 point guards ahead of Rose in scoring average shot worse than 44 percent from the field.
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If Rose can become a more disciplined facilitator in 2016-17, then Knicks fans’ cautious optimism could be rewarded.