Rose's squad loses big in Team USA scrimmage

Bulls guard Derrick Rose was on the losing side of the USA Basketball Showcase, a trumped-up intrasquad scrimmage played late Saturday night at UNLV's Thomas & Mack Center.

Rose's White squad was overwhelmed in the second half and lost 100-81. The second-year point guard for the Bulls finished with 6 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 4 turnovers in 28 minutes of action, hitting 3-of-7 shots from the field.

"It was fun, too bad that we lost, but it was a fun experience out there," Rose said after the game. "I've got to get back in condition, but the biggest things were trying to push the ball, trying to play defense and getting my teammates open."

Oklahoma City forward Kevin Durant powered the Blue team with 20 points and 8 rebounds. New Jersey center Brook Lopez added 18 points and missed just 1 shot. Kyle Korver (Utah), Thaddeus Young (Philadelphia) and Anthony Randolph (Golden State) scored 12 points each off the bench for the Blue.

A couple of Memphis Grizzlies led the White squad in scoring. Rudy Gay poured in 27 points and hit an impressive 11-of-12 shots from the field. O.J. Mayo had 13 points.

Rose's team led by as many as 10 points in the first half, but the Blue finished the second quarter on a 9-0 run to pull within 43-42 at halftime. The White team was then outscored 58-38 in the second half as the Blue shot 63 percent from the field following intermission.

Joining Rose in the White starting lineup were Gay, Mayo, Oklahoma City forward Jeff Green (8 points) and Portland center Greg Oden (7 points, 10 rebounds). Utah's Ronnie Brewer was effective off the bench for the White with 11 points and 6 steals.

Rose was also asked after the game if this three-day minicamp was a positive experience. The purpose was to help identify Team USA candidates at next year's FIBA World Championships in Turkey and the 2012 London Olympics.

"Of course it was," Rose said. "I got to play with and against great players, getting some leadership from some of them and just seeing how they do off the court too. They probably didn't know I was watching them, but I was watching them off the court, seeing how they eat, see how they preserved their energy and how they are."

The U.S. figures to be looking for a point guard to replace Jason Kidd on the national team roster next year, and Rose is certain to remain a strong candidate.