2013 NBA Preseason – Chicago Bulls vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Game Preview
Derrick Rose is back being Derrick Rose. At least in the preseason games where he has led the Chicago Bulls to a perfect 6-0 win-loss record. Rose and the Bulls visited Oklahoma City on Tuesday and took on the Thunder, which are still missing the services of their own star point guard in Russell Westbrook.
It’s just exhibition games but Rose is making up for lost time and showing that he has his game and explosiveness back—a fair warning to the rest of the league roughly a week away before the 2013-2014 NBA regular season begins.
Rose missed the entire 2012-2013 regular season and postseason because of a torn ACL in his left knee during the 2012 NBA Playoffs. Many NBA fans criticised Rose for not suiting up for the Bulls in the 2013 NBA Playoffs despite getting clearances from the Bulls' medical team.
However, those same fans are probably forgetting about those criticisms now as Rose has shown—with extended recovery on that knee—that he’s back to his old self and is looking healthy as before.
The 25-year-old superstar has logged in scary-good numbers the last three games, scoring a combined 78 points in 80 minutes of play. This includes a 32-point, 9-assist performance versus rival Indiana Pacers last Friday.
Four of the six Bulls preseason wins have been via blowouts.
Meanwhile, the Thunder are still waiting for the return of Westbrook. Like his Bulls counterpart, he also suffered a knee injury in the 2013 NBA Playoffs.
For the meantime, Oklahoma City is expected to put more load on the shoulders of their other superstar, Kevin Durant. Although they opted to rest him in their previous game that led to an 88-to-76 loss versus the Phoenix Suns. The Thunder are 4-2 in the preseason.
Aside from giving the rest to Durant, the Thunder are looking for players which will be part of their rotation since Westbrook is out for at least a month or two in the 2013-2014 NBA regular season.
Against Phoenix, Reggie Jackson, OKC's temporary starting point guard, finished with 18 points and 4 assists, while shooting guard Jeremy Lamb added 13 points and 9 rebounds. Also contributing were forward Perry Jones (12 points) and center Steven Adams (10 points and 8 rebounds).
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