Can Bulls’ Rose make it to finish line?
Some have taken to criticizing Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau over Derrick Rose’s mounting minutes.
Like in Monday night’s loss to the 76ers, Rose played the entire second half and 42 minutes total.
In fairness to Thibodeau, he has no choice but to ride his thoroughbred and to ride him hard, for better or worse in the long run.
Luol Deng is starting to look a bit worn down. Joakim Noah has a minor ankle issue. Carlos Boozer is slumping.
The Bulls are Rose’s show more than ever. The consequence is that it isn’t unusual that after some games he’s a walking ice bag with a human being inside there somewhere.
Still, Thibodeau won’t entertain the notion that his point guard’s workload must be monitored more closely than that of other players.
“I don’t want him to pace himself,” Thibodeau said after Tuesday’s practice. “I want him to be a complete player, and he wants that responsibility.”
Rose does have going for him that he’s young and strong and willing and eager and driven to be a full-service superstar.
“All the best players in the league choose to do that,” Thibodeau said.
The danger, of course, is that Rose will run out of energy before the Bulls run out of games.
Rose’s inclination to be everything to everybody is as much about the miles as the minutes and the mental as the physical.
My goodness, Rose brings the ball up, he initiates the offense, he finishes the offense, he plays defense, he shoots jumpers, he shoots layups, he passes the ball, he leads the break, he leads his team, he rocks, he rolls, he hips, he hops, he countries, he westerns.
In other words, Derrick Rose does it all.
It’s scary to watch Rose drive the lane, lean this way, reverse that way, challenge opposing big men, put the ball up to the hoop, be slammed down to the floor, get up and go to the free-throw line rubbing a bruised body part.
Rose’s basketball adrenaline flows like no other player’s I can remember, more even than Michael Jordan’s did on the way to becoming the best player ever.
As much as Jordan did for the Bulls, he had moments to catch his breath as Scottie Pippen or John Paxson or Ron Harper did their things.
The Bulls don’t have the luxury of letting Rose stand off to the side for a while. When he’s on the court he has to be involved in just about everything every possession.
At Milwaukee last weekend Rose drew raves for his 30 points and 17 assists that rallied the Bulls to victory.
The question is whether doing so much is too much. Rose had to do it all and has to do it all so often now, no wonder concerns arise over his fatigue after a 10-turnover game like Monday night’s.
“He’s not going to play great every game,” Thibodeau said.
However, it’s only March 30. The playoffs won’t end until mid-June for the two teams that reach the NBA Finals. Can Rose play at his current pace for 10 more weeks?
That’s a lot to ask of even a young, strong, willing, eager, driven player when just about everybody in the postseason will be playing with intensity similar to Rose’s but without as many miles.
It’ll be interesting to see whether Derrick Rose has a reserve tank of adrenaline big enough to carry him, Tom Thibodeau and the Bulls to where they all intend to go.
mimrem@dailyherald.com