Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls Entering All-Star Break on a High Note

CHICAGO — This is what Derrick Rose envisioned when he began #TheReturn 2.0. Even as he sat out most of two years with serious knee injuries, the former NBA MVP has talked constantly about his continued belief in his ability to reach his former heights.

Thursday night, with the entire league watching, he did just that, leading the Chicago Bulls to a convincing 113-98 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers at the United Center.

There wasn’t much that Rose didn’t do Thursday night. He scored at least 30 points for the fourth time this season, tacking on seven assists. He had just two turnovers, both in the fourth quarter when the game was already decided, on the heels of seven straight quarters with none.

He controlled the pace of the game. He got to the rim. He played solid defense on Kyrie Irving (who scored 17 points on 18 shots), while Tony Snell shouldered the bulk of the responsibility of guarding LeBron James. Rose played 41 minutes without any sign of difficulty or discomfort.

In other words, it was the platonic ideal of a Derrick Rose performance in an important game. The Cavs have beaten the Bulls handily twice this season, but with each team down one star (Chicago was missing Jimmy Butler, Cleveland was without Kevin Love), the Bulls made their statement. And they did it with their most important player performing the way he should.

“Derrick has found a very good rhythm,” Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said after the game. “He has a great pace going right now and great decision-making. He has a balance on attacks on the rim, attacks in the paint, his mid-range game and three-point shooting.”

A performance like this has been a long time coming for Rose. Throughout the season, he’s dealt with nagging injuries and minutes limits. He’s had other outstanding games, where he’s looked like the player he was before the knee injuries started. But since the comeback process, he’s never been as unencumbered as he is now.

“It’s a building process, just trying to condition my body to get up those shot attempts. It got me in the right direction, because I can be out there trying to do anything. I’m really out there trying to attack, push myself while I’m out there, and it’s been helping.”

Of all the numbers on Rose’s stat sheet Thursday night, the one that stands out isn’t the points. It’s the 41 minutes, the most he’s played this season in a non-overtime game. All of his restrictions have been lifted, and all that’s left is getting re-acclimated to everything that comes with being an NBA star.

“I just need to be on the floor,” Rose said. “Me playing in different scenarios, where it’s a close game, we’re up 10, down 10, those scenarios are all perfect for me. I haven’t played in two years. All of those situations are just going to help me grow into a better basketball player than I used to be.”

Jeff Haynes/Getty Images

Rose’s conditioning is still not all there. It likely won’t be until the playoffs. But he’s played in the Bulls’ last 16 games and 27 of their last 28. He doesn’t play every night like he played Thursday, but he does often enough to keep belief alive that by the time the playoffs roll around, it will be an every-night event.

“It’s very difficult to come back from one year [off], and you’re looking at two-and-a-half years for Derrick,” said Thibodeau. “That really is a long time. I think his confidence is coming back and the timing is coming back. He is getting back to where his strengths are. That is really big for us.”

To his teammates, he’s the same player he always was.

“People always want to talk about [Rose],” said Joakim Noah. “But at the end of the day, when it’s the big game, I’ll take him over anybody.”

When Rose is playing like this, it’s hard to argue with that.

Sean Highkin covers the Chicago Bulls for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @highkin