The Chicago Bulls have managed to stay in the mix of the Eastern Conference playoff race despite the absence of former MVP Derrick Rose, and with questions surrounding his return, a new video of some one-on-one play with some teammates may give light to how much Rose has progressed.
The clips show an excited and smiling Rose enjoying himself playing on the court. As Rose dribbles the ball his crossover still seems smooth, and has he shoots his jumpshot looks a little cleaner.
However, there's only one thing that's bothering me with the video and that's Rose's lack of drive when he's attacking the basket. Now this may be just practice and he may not want to overdo it, but if he plans to make a return this season he's got to add a little more of that speed and burst that he's known for.
Back in February Rose talked about being 100 percent in an interview with USA Today, but last week after a Thursday shootaround he didn't want to discuss the percentage of his health.
"I really don't know right now," Rose said. "I don't want to place no percentage on it, but I just know that I'm close and I'm taking every day serious and just becoming a professional.
"...I feel like when I'm ready to come back I'll be ready no matter what it is. ... Whenever I'm ready, I'm going to be out there."
As far as I'm concerned based off of the video, Rose shouldn't even bother coming back this season and focus on exploding back on the scene next season.
No matter how much of a better shooter he's become, or how strong he's gotten, if he can't slash and cut on his knee not even a little how he used too, he shouldn't risk making a return to early again.
Stay in the gym, build that knee to 100 percent and come back rejuvenated and focused on starting over. It's 13 games left in the season for Chicago, and they've managed a fifth seed in the playoffs.
As much as fans would like to see him return before and by the playoffs, him coming back now is not going to improve the Bulls chances of winning a championship this year. Coming back now at such a critical time in the season won't give him much time to get accumulated to playing at game speed, and being that it gets a little more physical around this time, you can risk him going down again.
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