With Derrick in place, Bulls have a chance to strike oil
It's a fresh season for the Bulls, and the motto seems to be out with the old and in with the more-or-less new.
From the moment Benny the Bull rappeled down from the ceiling of the United Center like a deranged Christmas mountaineering toy, you knew the Bulls were attempting to break from the baffling, downward spiral of the 33-49 team of 2007-08.
There were new coaches for the Bulls -- Vinny Del Negro and Del Harris and Bernie Bickerstaff and Bob Ociepka -- and new coaches, but old Bulls faces -- Scott Skiles and Jim Boylan -- for the visiting Milwaukee Bucks.
There was Drew Gooden's new and somewhat horrifying multi-strand, braided, Kung-Fu beard. And there were the dancing Luv-a-Bulls wearing, for one skit, what appeared to be white bikini tops, white booties and white diapers with ''BULLS'' printed on the butts. What's next, gals, thongs and negligees?
But most of all there was No. 1 draft pick Derrick Rose, fresh out of Simeon High School and the University of Memphis, recently turned 20 years old. The point guard position on the Bulls has basically been handed to Rose for, oh, the next decade, and everything that happens with the Bulls will be filtered through that starting concept, through his role as alleged savior.
''It seems like it took forever,'' the 6-3, 190-pound youngster said pre-game. By that he meant, amazingly, his brief journey to the NBA. ''I remember being in high school just wishing I was older so I could have the opportunity.''
Well, he does now, and we can only hope his first move acourt was not an indication of the merit of Rose's speedy ascent. With eight seconds gone in the scoreless game Rose threw a bad pass that the Bucks Michael Redd easily intercepted. At that rate Rose would average -- let's see -- 360 turnovers per 48-minute game.
It's doubtful that will happen. In fact, Rose showed the kind of skills -- and the certain lacking of other skills -- that almost everyone has predicted.
With the ball in his hands he is a fairly large presence (much bigger than the Bucks' Luke Ridenour, who guarded him, that's for sure), and he is fast, and agile, and exceedingly athletic, and he always, always looks for the other man first.
In 16-plus minutes of play in the first half Rose had a number in just about every stat line: five assists, two fouls, one steal, two turnovers, three points. And it was that first figure that hints at what might be his biggest flaw, or at least biggest possibility for development -- shooting and accuracy.
He was 1-for-4 from the field after two quarters and 1-for-2 from the free-throw line. He would end up with nine assists and 11 points -- on 3-of-9 shooting, 5-of-7 from the free throw line -- but he had one of his driving layup attempts blocked and others that bounced out. And he had a few shots from the field that looked more like prayers than answers. This is no longer Glenbrook North or Cincinnati here.
But, in truth, that is just quibbling. Of course, Rose has room for improvement. He has never claimed to be perfect, never bragged, never really even shown an immature attitude or arrogance that would need curbing and channeling.
When his name was called last in the starting lineup, while the green lasers flashed and the sold-out crowd roared, Rose calmly and methodically ran through the parallel lines of his teammates, slapping palms but doing nothing else.
No showboating.
No high, half-spin ass-bump salute with a pal.
No fist pumps or taunts or screams or flash.
Just business.
''Now that I'm here, I want to make the most of the opportunity,'' he had said, adding again and again that he was excited but not nervous, that he had treated every preseason game as if it were a real game, the real deal.
Oh, indeed, it was important that the weak Bucks were the guests at this coming-out party for the hometown new kid, that they have finished last in the Central Division four straight years. What, you wanted the Celtics?
In truth, Kirk Hinrich, the Bulls' bonus baby point guard from five years ago, and now a non-starter, was terrific off the bench. It could be that his style of leading the team may still be the best way for Luol Deng, Tyrus Thomas and Co.
But that should change. People can't take the ball from Derrick Rose. They never have. The kid has work to do on his scoring -- it will be harder to break down pro defenses when they don't respect your pull-up jumpers and three-point bombs and know you won't go 90 percent from the line.
''It's going to get better and better and better,'' Del Negro said of Rose's play.
And the Bulls won 108-95, and Derrick Rose always had to be watched, always was a threat.
That was new. That was good.