Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose has taken the blame for his team’s dramatic Game 4 92-90 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday.
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Rose had a nightmare ending to Game 4 as the Bucks denied Chicago a series sweep by taking the series to 3-1 after a thrilling end to the game.
The Bulls star had the chance to win it in regulation but was stripped by Khris Middleton without getting a shot off which gave the hosts possession for the final play.
Bucks coach Jason Kidd called for a timeout and formulated a play, and it worked to perfection with a little help from Rose who lost Jerryd Bayless under the basket who dropped in the easy lay-up from Jared Dudley’s in-bounds pass to claim the victory.
It was in stark contrast to Rose’s performance in Game 3 as he scored 34 points in 48 minutes of action, whereas this time round he lacked that killer instinct in driving to the basket and finishing with Jimmy Butler instead stealing the show.
“I put that all on me,” Rose said, according to ESPN.
“Just wasn’t paying attention to the ball. … But if anything, this is a learning experience. I don’t feel bad for myself; I feel bad for my teammates. Knowing that we could have forced the overtime and I messed things up. But I swear I’m built for it.”
Chicago turned the ball over a season-high 28 times in the game which arguably cost them more than Rose’s last second lapse in concentration, and so now they need to focus their minds on Game 5 in Chicago on Monday to wrap up the series at the second time of asking.
Coach Tom Thibodeau conceded that he was trying to call a timeout on the last play with the ball in Rose’s hands, but ultimately he didn’t mind allowing his star point guard the last possession.
Rose insisted that he will quickly put the defeat out of his mind and move on as the Bulls look to bounce back and put the disappointment of this loss behind them.
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