Courtney Lee claims New York Knicks teammate Derrick Rose flashed his MVP form during offseason workouts. Here are five 2015-16 games where Rose looked like his old self.
Say what you will about his night-to-night performances, but Derrick Rose has an uncanny ability to play up to the level of his competition. When it comes to playing a genuine star at his position, Rose comes through in a powerful way.
The question has always been: can Rose get back to the point of being able to perform at a star-caliber basis on a consistent basis?
Rose won league MVP in 2010-11, which is why he’s still one of the most popular players in the NBA. He’s endured a number of injuries in the five years that have since transpired, however, and has undergone multiple knee procedures.
Starting Knicks shooting guard Courtney Lee saw flashes of the 2011 NBA MVP when he attended an offseason workout with Rose.
"He kind of reminded me of that MVP D-Rose, man, especially in some of the drills that we was doing. He was able to get to the spots quick, explosiveness, and knock down shots. He also showed a lot of athleticism, also."
That’s beyond encouraging.
Lee isn’t alone in that belief. Rose and the Knicks began training camp this week, and all eyes inevitably turned to the player who projects to handle the ball more than anyone else on the roster.
According to Ian Begley of ESPN New York, head coach Jeff Hornacek believes Rose is significantly more explosive than he was in 2015-16.
"“I think he’s getting he’s legs back. Just watching him last year when we played them, it didn’t look like he was as explosive as maybe he is now,” the coach said Wednesday."
That’s what a full and healthy offseason can do for a 27-year-old athlete in the prime of their career.
Rose may not be the superstar that he was in 2010-11 or 2011-12, but he can still be a force to be reckoned with. He averaged 17.4 points on a slash line of .468/.375/.784 after the 2016 All-Star Break.
The question is: during which games did Rose corroborate Lee’s take on the matter? In which five games did he look like an MVP again?