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Imrem: Rose, Bulls pass all tests in opener

The tendency was to focus totally on Derrick Rose and miss what else the Bulls were doing Wednesday night.

Rose's first foul of his comeback was a charge into Knicks forward Amar'e Stoudemire …

Rose's first turnover was a steal by Carmelo Anthony … Rose's first points came on free throws … Rose's first assist came on a basket by Kirk Hinrich … Rose's first basket came on a drive down the lane for a layup.

Rose … Rose … Rose …

The attention was only natural for a former NBA MVP playing his first game in nearly a year and only his 11th in two seasons.

Now that Rose is back - the Bulls hope for the entire season after two serious knee injuries - championship aspirations depend on those rebuilt knees.

But not just on him and not just on them and not just on all that.

The Bulls certainly weren't only Derrick Rose as they opened the season with a 104-80 victory in Madison Square Garden.

This was just one game, and it came against a Knicks team that is short of talent while trying to adjust to new management, a new coaching staff and a new-to-them triangle offense.

If the Bulls are legitimate contenders to win the Eastern Conference and maybe even the NBA title, the Knicks are a team that must routinely be shoved aside.

That's what the Bulls did as a prelude to LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers coming to the United Center on Friday night.

So much went right for the Bulls against the Knicks that it was almost too easy. So many first impressions turned out to be positive that it seemed almost like a setup for a fall.

OK, so primary among the good news was Rose's workmanlike performance: 13 points and 5 assists in 21:21.

Most important, Rose's knees held up. There were gasps when he fell softly to the court playing defense in the second quarter, but he popped right back up.

Nearly as important, though, were the first clues to what the answers will be to some of the Bulls' pressing questions.

Like, will the Bulls' reserves be worthy of being called the Bench Mob? So far the answer is a resounding "Yes!"

Aaron Brooks backed up Rose at point guard, rookies Doug McDermott and Nikola Mirotic held their own, and most of all Taj Gibson looked like the best sixth man in the league.

Will the shooting be better than last season's clunkers? Yes again as the Bulls shot 51 percent from the field despite going only 29 percent from 3-point range.

Who will guard the NBA's premier small forwards until Jimmy Butler returns from injury? Mike Dunleavy survived the assignment for openers.

Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau kept Dunleavy on the court for a team-high 31 minutes, and he helped hold Carmelo Anthony to 14 points.

How well will veteran Pau Gasol fit in with the Bulls after winning two NBA titles with the Lakers? Just fine on this night.

Gasol will have to adjust to playing with fellow 7-footer Joakim Noah, and on the Bulls' first basket of the season the ball went from Gasol to Dunleavy to Noah for a layup. From there, Gasol proceeded to record 21 points and 11 rebounds in 29 minutes.

Will the Bulls be all right early with Rose and Noah playing on surgical knees and their minutes monitored? No problem against the Knicks.

Brooks covered for Rose, Gibson covered for Noah, and Thibodeau went 10 deep to lighten the starters' loads.

Now, does anyone have anymore questions?

Probably, not the least of which is whether the Bulls can play this well when the opposition is more formidable than the Knicks.

It'll be interesting to see whether the rest of the Bulls can support Derrick Rose as well Friday night against the Cavaliers.

mimrem@dailyherald.com

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