2. Derrick Rose
Derrick Rose put the city of Chicago on his back during Game 3 of the 2015 Eastern Conference Semifinals by hitting a buzzer-beating shot to win it.
All U Can Heat
On this day in Chicago Bulls history, many fans will remember the inbound play that set back the Cleveland Cavaliers going into Game 4. For Rose, the buzzer-beating shot helped to give the team’s postseason run an added edge.
As a 30 percent shooter from deep overall, Rose walked a thin line at this juncture of his career. The former MVP was only just working his way back from injury. It doesn’t help playing for a city as deeply grounded in a culture of winning as Chicago.
The buzzer beater held difficulty for Rose, whose forte lays in the paint and in his mid-range shot. The former MVP has shown time and time again that his shot selection from deep can drop amid the regular flow of a basketball game. It appears Rose was intending to rely on way more than just luck in this instance.
The moment holds a lot meaning not only for Rose, but also the fans in the stands. For years, Chicagoans wondered who could propel the Bulls franchise in the absence of Michael Jordan.
The former MVP’s shot emanated a sense of entertainment in how the play is orchestrated. Rose inbounded the ball, weaved away from his defender and pulled the trigger on a jump shot from deep.