Derrick Rose might still be trying to find his stride in the regular season, but that doesn't mean he can't provide some clutch moments. With the Bulls struggling to close out the New York Knicks in their home opener tonight, Tyson Chandler split a pair of free throws to give the visitors a one-point lead with 10.8 seconds to go, setting the stage for Rose, who had a forgettable shooting night of 7-for-23.
On the subsequent possession, Rose hit a teardrop, knocking the clock down to 5.7 seconds and sending the United Center into a frenzy. Carmelo Anthony, who led all scorers with 22 points, missed a would-be game winner and Chandler failed on a tip, ending the game 82-81 in the Bulls' favor.
Four Bulls starters scored in double figures, led by Rose's 18 and Luol Deng's 17. Carlos Boozer had 14, but ceded his double-double card to Jimmy Butler, who finished with a nearly even line of 11 and 10. On offense, Joakim Noah continued to struggle coming off a rash of preseason injuries. He dropped just six points, but kept the team in it with 15 rebounds. He also dropped a "hell yeah" in a postgame interview on the Bulls' radio broadcast, much to the delight of the fans who stuck around to hear it.
There's a long season ahead, but Tom Thibodeau will emphasize those 19 turnovers and being outscored 20-11 in the fourth quarter during the next practice. We shouldn't expect the Bulls to be perfect in their victories. Easy contests will become tough ones and more often than we would like, many will come down to the final few seconds.
Still, every indication seems to be that this is the strongest Bulls team since the last championship. Rose is himself again, much of his supporting cast is in its prime, Thibodeau won't rest until his group has improved yesterday and the core has been together for a few years now. Tonight was just a small taste of things to come. Don't worry. Not all victories will be this stressful. It's merely something every NBA team, good or bad, has to go through. The Bulls are just better equipped than most, as evidenced by tonight's outcome.
As you down your Halloween candy, remember that the Bulls will be back at it Saturday in Philadelphia to take on the 76ers. Rose would have loved to play in that city with higher stakes a couple seasons back, but maybe he can make up for lost time with one of his best games of this young season. Of course, he'll need the rest of his team to help get a win.
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