He’s the most beloved athletic figure in Chicago currently, and to this point I swear. But in any other town he’s a forgotten rose, such as a place like Miami, where he blossomed like a rose in LeBron James’ house near the shores of South Beach.
For all the strange folks in this universe ignoring a self-proclaimed Rose, Derrick Rose to be more precise — a relentless point guard who is favored to earn MVP honors this year after such a sensational season with the Chicago Bulls — he is almost unstoppable and hasn’t been denied, with the exception of Chicago’s loss to Golden State. So there was Rose, in one of his remarkable moments, as the Bulls survived on the road with an 87-86 win over the Heat to send a loud statement to the league. In every way, Rose is the symbol of the Bulls, not to mention that he’s part of a promising future and is lucky to play for his hometown that pleads for him to serve as a vital element and validate his place in history. You probably wonder what fuels his energy, a habit he adopts in order to preserve his strength and stay efficient without becoming fatigued, so he can race through traffic and finish at the basket. The intensity he produce comes from his fetish for sweets and junk food that he refuses to turn down and consumes religiously.
Either way, that is, Rose has become the face of Chicago at a moment when the Bulls are in contention and have been putting fear in the hearts of the Celtics, Magic and Heat. Given that he’s in the shadows of Michael Jordan, an all-time legend who still reigns as the greatest ballplayer in Chicago with a statue cast in bronze outside the United Center, Rose will most likely gain a reputation for being the hero after resuscitating the Bulls and after building up a sense of aspiration. The popular youngster delivered on Sunday in a matinee against the Heat, scoring 27 points on 12-for-23 shooting in 38 minutes, capping a season sweep of Miami. It’s never smart to dismiss the Bulls, known as the underdogs this season, even if Chicago only comprise of a crafty superstar as gifted as Rose.
Nobody believes in the Bulls, now a real competitor in the East, growing weary of being called the underdogs after their recent showdown against the Heat showed that the Bulls can presumably beat the boys from South Beach in the playoffs, when they easily humiliated and defeated their toughest opponent.
The stakes were high for the Bulls, who are tied for second place in the Eastern Conference, all while eagerly trying to prove to the basketball world that they are for real and that they can amaze us come postseason with perhaps a best-of-seven series that could be a thriller for the ages.
With the emergence of the Bulls, the reemergence rather, Chicago is suddenly rising to supremacy in the Eastern Conference and Rose isn’t intimidated by anyone — he’s known as a baby version of MJ since he’s not afraid to drive his way inside and finish a layup. In truth, an aura of dominance and toughness defines Rose’s game, a proficient floor general who has led the Bulls in the post-Jordan era, and whose name is simply compelling around the league.
It seems as if the Bulls, even if they don’t survive the postseason, may have removed the Baby Bull label from in front of their name for the first time since Jordan retired. It’s a proven franchise built on tremendous talent and that stands up to the top-notched teams of the Eastern Conference, and many people are suddenly fearful of Bulls.
Few players in our nation can inspire kids, and it just so happens that Rose isn’t only instrumental to the Bulls but also inspirational to children, particularly those who had to grow up in poverty — seeing the way he was raised in a bad side of Chicago. He played pick up basketball in neighborhoods where gang violence, street gangs, homicides and drugs were rampant. In reality, he was raised in the hood but chose the right path, and instead had been committed to shooting hoops and playing on the street courts, although he resided in a rough environment.
His irresistible play was exposed on an afternoon of a pivotal must-have, during a time when overwhelming beliefs persuaded doubters to actually believe in the Bulls. This shifted the mood and uplifted a dormant town out of an atmosphere of bleakness. The defeat marked the Bulls third win against the Heat in a season when Rose, along with Amar’e Stoudemire, Russell Westbrook, Rajon Rondo and Tony Parker, have all made strong MVP cases.
What’s more, there’s always one player more worthy of the award, and Rose is clearly that guy. It was a dramatic finish, and unpredictable near the end. It appeared as if the Heat were well on their way to a victory, when the Bulls blew a five-point lead late and trailed 86-84 after Mario Chalmers darted inside for an uncontested layup with 25.8 seconds left. That, however, led to a foul charged against Chalmers and it sent Luol Deng to the charity strike, where he drained one of two free throws with 17.3 seconds remaining. By way of contrast, Joakim Noah switched onto James and forced a miss, but the Heat rebounded and Dwyane Wade heaved a prayer from the baseline at the buzzer that rattled out. The last-second jumper decided the game’s outcome for the Bulls. They really wanted to take this one, and they prevailed with much at stake. Fear Rose, known for attacking the rim, surrounded by a reliable supporting cast with Noah and Carlos Boozer. But in this particular showdown, Rose outplayed James and Wade, finding a way to awe spectators with his impressive turnaround.
It clearly was a defensive effort from the Bulls, and they rallied back in the end to win after trailing against Miami. The Heat almost beat Chicago, but Rose orchestrated a late comeback with his hot shooting.
Folks, the Bulls are contenders and aren’t pushovers. Sunday was a reminder, as everyone else worries about the Heat, blinded by the bloom of a Rose.
