Oklahoma City star says opponents of the Bulls better watch out this season.
Oklahoma City superstar Kevin Durant said despite copping his fair share of criticism, Derrick Rose did the right thing for himself and the Chicago Bull but not playing at all last season.
After winning the league MVP award and with a solid team around him most Bulls fans thought they had a chance to be a contender in the NBA’s Eastern Conference for at least the next three years.
But not before an ACL injury to Rose derailed their 2012 season before the point guard and leader of the Bulls elected to sit out all of last season.
The decision earned the ire of some fans saying that he needed to come back and help them try and knock off the Miami Heat and the emerging Indiana Pacers in last season’s playoffs, as he was cleared to play late in the year.
Despite his absence the Bulls still managed to win 45 regular season games and edged out the Brooklyn Nets in seven games before being overwhelmed 4-1 by eventual champions Miami.
In spite of everything that has happened in the past 18 months Durant, who spent the off-season working out with Rose, said he might the right choice.
“He’s been looking great,” Durant said.
“It was really good for him that he took the whole year off.
“A lot of people criticized him for it and really were upset about him not playing, but it was the best thing for him. I can tell because he looks better.”
Rose is expected back on the court in the Bulls October 5 pre-season opener against the Pacers.
Durant says the extra spark in offence that Chicago lacked in the past year will be off-set by Rose’s return and that the Bull will again be pushing for a top two seed at the end of the season.
“He’s the MVP,” he said.
“He’s a high-level player, and if you lose that, of course you’re not going to be as good as you were before. But I love Coach (Tom Thibodeau) and what he brings to the table. Their defense is one of the best I’ve ever seen, so that gets them by.
“But I think they need the extra push from the offense, and that’s what D-Rose brings to the table. He’s so explosive, so great. He’s such a great person all around, and I really enjoy watching him play. He’s one of the few players I would go pay to see play. He’s going to make them even better this year.”
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