If his stats were dominant, they wouldn't be saying the numbers are unimportant. That much seems really obvious.
I have to wonder about anyone who is certain about anything with regard to how Rose is going to play this season. Most media and fans have an opinion because it doesn't cost them anything and they're worth what they paid for them. As for GarPax, they said what they should have said. I mean, what did we expect, "Forman says Rose Sucks - Paxson Declares Season a Wash"? As I've said before, what I see in Rose right now is encouraging in terms of running fast and jumping high. Shooting, not so much and his game just lacks a smooth rhythm. As they say, it's a process.
If Rose came in and put up big numbers and showed no rust that would have been a remarkable story indeed and crowing about numbers justified. But 2 years did indeed leave plenty of rust. He showed enough to show he is pretty healthy. In that sense the numbers aren't crucial. Yet. Healthy body 1st. Get rust off next.
In 10 games last season (rust): 15.9 PPG on 16.4 FGA (that's really bad, I don't remember ever seeing someone with more FGA than PPG) .354 FG% 5.0 APG 31 MPG PER 9.7 At some point stats do matter.
Well said. Derrick's Rose's performance this season is going to be about as "we'll have to wait and see" as it can possibly get. As a Bulls fan I'm pleased with his FIBA tournament. He seemed to get through it without soreness or re-injury, and it helped him expedite his recovery process. I doubt this is what we'll get, but the best policy towards Rose is to be satisfied with slow, gradual progress throughout the season, with a constant focus on where he ends up, not where he starts.
I pretty much agree with you and transplant. I don't think the season's a wash or anything close to it. Even without Rose. After 10 games last season, he only looked good on few plays. He had the skills to get off 17 shots a game in only 31 minutes, so he had some "other" sort of problem. He's got to get past that.
All of this is fine, but I have to pick a fight. You've said you're going to get antsy if Rose isn't back by mid way through the season, right? I agree with the Bulls that Rose's numbers don't mean a damn. The reason I agree with them is because I'm elated he's even back out on the court. I guess what I'm trying to say is that the "we don't care about stats" sentiment is something someone says when you're trying to be supportive for a player who is still six months away from being six months away. I really think we're not going to know what's going on until next season.
I don't think this is what we're going to get either. Rose looked decent in that exhibition game against the Dominican Republic (I think) when he had reportedly sat out four or five days of practice. He'd looked much worse later during portions of the tournament. I think we have to be prepared for the possibility that his best play may be early before his body starts to wear down and that he's going to struggle for much of the season.
I think you might be right, which is why I think it'd be fine if the Bulls placed strict games/minute restrictions on Derrick throughout the season. The idea should be to have his play gradually crescendo throughout the season. If that means him playing 25 mpg and sitting out back-to-backs to start the season then that's fine. No rush.
Rose tore his meniscus about 10 months ago. If he wasn't able to take the court by now, we'd have a story. While serious, a torn meniscus ain't an ACL. Rose's problem is "rust." I have trouble allowing a full season for rust removal.
I dunno. Why did Deng need so much time flipping tires and pounding fists in sand before he got healthy again?
Westbrook has had 2 or 3 knee surgeries. He still manages to play. And it doesn't take him very long to get rid of any "rust." I would hope we can expect similar things from Rose.
I agree with agruements from both sides if that is at all possible. Here is my take: Before team USA camp I didnt know what to expect from Derrick. In fact I was prepared to read that Rose didn't make the club at all. Two years is a long time! I saw where Wall and Lillard were invited to camp and it would not surprise me if Derrick never made the team. That being said he did. I liked what I saw. If I hadnt seen him play during exhibition and in the games I would have had even more anxiety as to what Derrick was going to do this season. His speed is there. He can bring it to the basket the same as he did in the past, although he looked more like Teague rather than the Rose of the past. He never finished most of the time. Obviously his shooting was and is off. I thought his defense was fine. Some Bulls fans said it was excellent, some said it was awful. I saw fine, bordering on good. I also thought his assists was very good and could have been better had some players hit the shots they took. Now, last season he had all of the team to carry. Let's be honest. He knew it when he came back. It started with and ended with Derrick. This team is not like that. On some nights, if he plays good defense and passes the ball well, that is all we will need from him! On other nights we will need much more than that. We will have to wait and see if he can deliver more than he did during the world cup. We dont have long to wait. Training camp is 13 days away and the first exhibition game is in the first week of Oct.
