After winning the NBA MVP award in 2011, Derrick Rose appeared in just 49 games over the next three seasons, raising questions about whether “vintage” Rose would even return. Although he has been healthier in recent years, the veteran point guard acknowledges that his so-called “vintage” self is probably a thing of the past.
“That vintage is gone, man,” Rose said on Tuesday, per Ian Begley of ESPN.com. “I told you the question should be: Can I hoop? It shouldn’t be like, ‘He’s playing like his old self.’ Like, if I can hoop, I can hoop. No matter if I did that when I was younger or now, I can play the game of basketball.”
While he may not vie for MVP awards again, Rose is happy with where he’s at now, telling Begley that he used to be “reckless” and that he’s picking his spots more carefully now. Rather than looking to “recreate past glory,” the Knicks’ starting point guard wants to make life easier for the team’s top scorers, Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis.
Here’s more out of New York:
- After missing a pair of games with a flu-like illness, Joakim Noah appears set to return for Friday’s game against Charlotte. Mike Vorkunov of The New York Times writes that Noah is still finding his way with the Knicks after signing a four-year deal with the team this offseason, while Marc Berman of The New York Post takes a blunter approach, suggesting that it remains “open for debate” whether or not the Knicks even need Noah.
- Most Knicks fans probably hadn’t heard of Mindaugas Kuzminskas until the club used its room exception to sign him over the summer, but the Lithuanian rookie has fought his way into New York’s rotation, as Berman details in a piece for the Post.
- In another article for the Post, Berman takes a closer look at Porzingis’ continued development as he continues on a path toward stardom.
Joakim Noah is probably going to end up Phils worst move ever. Even if a miracle happens and he becomes a good player, he still doesn’t actually fit.