Derrick Rose
For all of the talk about his depleted athleticism, Derrick Rose remains one of the fastest players in NBA history. His ability to get from a stand-still to the basket has been the catalyst for the New York Knicks’ offense over the past three games.
Rose built upon his intriguing start to the season by erupting during the opening quarter and providing the Knicks with an impact it’s long been yearning for from a point guard.
Rose finished with 17 points, five rebounds, two assists, and his third block of the season in 31 minutes of action. He shot 8-of-17 from the field and converted all three of his attempts from the free throw line.
Though it’s easy to say Rose should’ve passed more, he had the best +/- of any Knicks player who saw at least 25 minutes of court time.
In the long-term, Rose will need to be a more willing passer in order to help the Knicks’ offense flow. He did an outstanding job of attacking the basket against Detroit, however, and appears to be as fast as he was before the injuries.
Rose may have flaws that he needs to improve upon, but he can still get to the rack and finish as well as any point guard in the NBA.
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That’s something of a silver lining around a loss that should’ve been a win.