Following Derrick Rose: What We Need To See In FIBA!

Aug 1, 2014; Las Vegas, NV, USA; USA Team Blue guard Derrick Rose (41) shoots the ball during the USA Basketball Showcase at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

The Blue-White scrimmage was a coming out party of sorts for Derrick Rose. I think D-Rose showed more flashes in the first three minutes than he did in the 10 games he played the last two years. He was strong, fast and most important, confident. The proper level of confidence is the last obstacle an athlete has to overcome after an injury. Derrick has had two, so this start was even more exciting if you are a Bulls fan. But that was one game. Now let’s get to the analysis going forward.

The FIBA Basketball World Cup is the first chance for all NBA purists to see Derrick Rose in action and  see where he really is on his comeback attempt. Every move that Derrick Rose will make in the upcoming exhibition games and the international tournament will be evaluated and analyzed time and time again.

It won’t stop there Pippen Peoples. These moves will be gauged on how successful the Bulls will be this upcoming season. No  matter what moves the Chicago Bulls made in the offseason, everyone in the NBA circles will base all of the championship aspirations the Bulls have on Derrick Rose and how he plays this season.

You can count probably 300  million things that every basketball fan will expect from Derrick Rose (also read…be unrealistic) but Pippen Ain’t Easy will break down what we want to see from Derrick Rose in this tournament to carry into the regular season. Here’s three questions we have while watching Rose play in the World Cup.

1) Can Derrick Rose run a half court offense?

Derrick Rose showed his individual talents that has made him famous and a rich man. He blew past DeMarcus Cousins twice for layups that probably gave him a cold from the breeze. Then he cut to the basket for a dunk so vicious that everyone is still talking about it. In fact if it wasn’t for Paul George’s injury, that slam dunk would be the story until the next time the U.S. team plays again.

But we did not see Derrick Rose in a half court setting. Now that Paul George is out, it will be up to Derrick Rose to set the table and get everyone involved. Right now Derrick Rose is going to be the key for the U.S. going into the medal rounds. Understand that the international game is different from the NBA game and players do struggle to adjust sometimes. (Think back to the 2004 Olympic fiasco with Larry Brown coaching.) The international teams play a little rougher and more physical. Look, Stephen Curry is my favorite player in the NBA. Boy that dude can shoot. But he struggles when defensive players show hard and trap. Kyrie Irving is a beast but I see Uncle Drew struggling late in the tournament. As of this writing, John Wall and Bradley Beal have already been cut.

Derrick Rose is going to have be able to orchestrate and execute the offense in the half court. Sure Rose turned the ball over three times in the second half, but that is attributed to rust from the time off and the minutes being laid out. Rose didn’t play the type of minutes that would keep him in the rhythm he  had in the first half. Hopefully, Coach K will make that adjustment.

2) Can Derrick Rose play perimeter defense?

It’s going to be very interesting to see if Derrick Rose can play strong on the ball defense on the perimeter. Sure the Chicago Bulls base their entire game plan on defense. But it’s bigger than that. D-Rose has stated that he has grown mentally as a player, he can take his overall game to a higher level he can dominate on the defensive side of the ball as well as the offensive side.

What does that mean?

It means more than staying in front of his man. Can he show the ability of denying the ball while reading the offense instinctively to play the passing lanes for easy steals? Can he disrupt an offense so the offensive rhythm is affected?  If Rose can do this, it can give him the opportunity to get easy baskets for the team and himself.

Remember when Derrick Rose took the ball coast to coast for that easy left hand layup? If you still have  the game recorded. Look at what happened the play before. D-Rose was caught watching the ball and allowed  Kyrie Irving to beat him backdoor for a layup. This is an example of what Rose needs to clean up. With his speed and strength, Derrick Rose can wreak havoc on opposing teams. Even more on defense. Man that is scary Pippen Peoples, scary. There is no reason why Rose can’t shut out the opposing point guards in this tournament.

3) Can Derrick Rose shoot a jump shot.

Let’s be honest with ourselves Pippen Peoples, Derrick Rose’s jumper needed work when he was healthy. I fully understand that those Bulls teams did lack in depth but Rose needs to be able to make opponents at least pay attention to his jumper. During the scrimmage, does anyone remember Rose even taking a jump shot?

I refuse to take his workouts into account. I always say that anyone can shoot in a empty gym. Want an example? It was reported that Michael Jordan knocked down eleven shots in a row at his basketball camp. I want to see these jumpers fall with a defender in his face…on a consistent basis.

When he gets that jumper to fall on a consistent basis, NBA teams can call Adam Silver and complain that Derrick Rose is not fair to the NBA. You can blame David Stern because he was drafted on his watch. Why? Because nobody will be able to guard the man. Nobody. Not LeBron. Not Kevin Durant. Not the entire Philadelphia team. With his ability to get to the basket, a jumper will make him lethal.

Having a jumper will also keep him healthy. It was that lack of a jumper which exacerbated his attack the basket at all costs mindset which put wear and tear on his body.

That’s why I was happy Rose stated that he was changing his game to a more efficient style of shooting floaters and pull up jumpers. You know, shots that will not have him absorbing a lot of contact.

A lot of eyes will be watching Derrick Rose. There will be a lot of opinions. That’s why you have to keep it locked to Pippen Ain’t Easy for your best choice for Bulls news, previews and reviews. We will be watching Derrick Rose and keeping you informed on all analysis of  Derrick Rose during the FIBA Tournament.