Rose finds his shooting touch
SACRAMENTO - When Derrick Rose's jump shot is clicking, the ball hits the net with a kind of force that the average NBA jumper doesn't deliver. That's probably because Rose uses his strong wrists to put a faster backspin on the ball.
Anyway, Rose's net-punisher was an effective weapon in Wednesday's 95-75 win over the Los Angeles Clippers. He knocked down 9 of 13 shots, mostly on midrange jumpers, and scored 21 points.
Early this season, Rose's jumper to be seemed much better than advertised. He rarely missed when he pulled up off the dribble.
But the jumper took a vacation the last three weeks or so. He'd knock one down every once in awhile, just not with any regularity until it reappeared at the Staples Center. Asked after the game if he felt like he was in a shooting slump, Rose basically agreed.
"I didn't think about it," he said. "But just thinking about it now (after the question), I was missing for a while. Tonight it was just clicking."
Rose wasn't afraid to admit that when his shots didn't fall, it would cast doubt in his mind and usually result in more misses or fewer attempts.
"The games that you miss like that, they really do help you," he said following Thursday's practice. "You go 0-for-6, 0-for-7, you really don't care about missing any more. You just shoot the ball, really. That's what it's all about.
"I hope it stays like that. I'm not going to stop shooting, because my team wants me to. I just need confidence in my jump shot."
The other hero when the Bulls snapped a five-game losing streak against the Clippers was forward Luol Deng, who scored 17 of his team-high 23 points in the first half.
Deng is averaging 16.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and shooting 48.5 percent from the field in January. That's a huge jump from his disappointing November numbers of 12.4 points, 5.1 rebounds and 39 percent.
A better familiarity with coach Vinny Del Negro's offense and improved ball movement from the Bulls as a whole were given as explanations for Deng's improvement.
"We've been moving the ball a lot better, so I think I've been able to get (involved) in games earlier," Deng said. "Even the games that we've lost, I felt like we've done a good job moving the ball. We just haven't done a good job in the fourth quarter."
The Bulls (19-27) will try for the second straight win tonight in Sacramento, although they've lost nine straight at Arco Arena dating to Nov. 23, 1997.
Bulls vs. Sacramento Kings at Arco Arena, 9 p.m.
TV: Comcast SportsNet
Radio: WMVP 1000-AM
Update: The Kings (10-37) are struggling as badly as any team in the league. They have the worst record in the Western Conference, have dropped seven in a row and are 3-19 since Dec. 16. The Bulls have had no luck in Sacramento, though, losing nine straight at Arco Arena dating to Nov. 23, 1997. SG Kevin Martin has averaged 28.5 points in his last four games against the Bulls.
Next: Phoenix Suns at U.S. Airways Center, 8 p.m. Saturday
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