On the evening of April 18, Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose delivered an all-star performance in his first postseason game since 2012. In the Saturday game against the Milwaukee Bucks, he scored 23 points to the tune of “MVP” chants from a fired-up home-court crowd. Supported by teammate Jimmy Butler’s 25-point performance, Rose helped his team start the playoffs with a 103-91 victory.
The Bulls began the 2015 postseason with high hopes, as their last playoff run with Derrick Rose led to the 2011 Eastern Conference Finals. They secured the number-one seed in 2012 but lost their star player to an ACL tear in their first playoff game against Philadelphia. Derrick Rose has been absent from the postseason since that fateful playoff opener. While he rejoined his team for the 2013-14 season, he returned to the bench after only 10 games due to a torn meniscus in his right knee.
Finally fit for postseason play, Rose brought both the audience and his teammates to their feet with his stellar performance, shooting 9-of-16. Remarking on his return to the playoffs, he noted that his only goals were “to have fun, to have no expectations, and to compete.”
The Bulls began the 2015 postseason with high hopes, as their last playoff run with Derrick Rose led to the 2011 Eastern Conference Finals. They secured the number-one seed in 2012 but lost their star player to an ACL tear in their first playoff game against Philadelphia. Derrick Rose has been absent from the postseason since that fateful playoff opener. While he rejoined his team for the 2013-14 season, he returned to the bench after only 10 games due to a torn meniscus in his right knee.
Finally fit for postseason play, Rose brought both the audience and his teammates to their feet with his stellar performance, shooting 9-of-16. Remarking on his return to the playoffs, he noted that his only goals were “to have fun, to have no expectations, and to compete.”
