Team USA went undefeated in group play at the FIBA World Cup. Several players, including Kenneth Faried and Anthony Davis, have impressed with their stellar play so far. Despite considerable buzz heading into the tournament, Derrick Rose hasn’t been a stand-out player. But he’s feeling encouraged about his play so far.
In the first game of group play against Finland, Rose came off the bench and scored 12 points, along with two rebounds, three assists, a steal and two blocks. Rose struggled the next day against Turkey, scoring just two points and missing all four of his field goal attempts.
Starting on Tuesday, Team USA played three straight games this week. Against New Zealand, Rose was 1-of-6 from the field. He scored six points against the Dominican Republic the next day, and finished group play with a 2-of-9 performance against Ukraine yesterday.
Playing in a bench role behind Kyrie Irving, Rose has struggled to find his rhythm, and has yet to shoot consistently well at the tournament. Despite all of this, he remains very positive:
DRose: "Missing shots, that’s part of the game. But conditioning-wise and how I’ve been playing defense, I’m loving the way I’m playing."
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) September 5, 2014
Bulls fans are surely following the FIBA World Cup for encouraging signs from their point guard. While his stats aren’t blowing anyone away, there are a few things we should keep in mind.
First, this is the first stretch of competitive basketball Rose has participated in since injuring himself last November. Even if he was impressive during Team USA camp, it’s much different to try and stand out in games that actually matter. The conditioning was always going to be a concern for Rose, especially given the tournament schedule. It’s very encouraging that — albeit in limited minutes — Rose made it through the back-to-back last weekend and the three straight games this week.
Second, playing in a bench role and with new set of teammates means there’s going to be an adjustment period for Rose. This could be one explanation for why he’s been struggling with his shot. Lacking extended minutes to get comfortable on the court hurts him, too. That’s something that will correct itself when he returns to the Bulls.
So while the stats haven’t been overwhelming, we should continue to take the long-view on Rose’s latest return from injury. He has played in all five games, he appears to be improving with his conditioning each day, and there’s still ample time for him to get comfortable. All of these are good signs, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if Rose has a breakout game before the tournament is over.
What do you think?
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