I've read suggestions that Rose was going harder this season against top point guards, so I figured I would check it out. There were 8 point guards on this year's All-Star teams, and Rose certainly played a hell of a lot better in the 13 games against Wall, Teague, Irving, Lowry, Lillard, and Curry (he didn't face Paul and Westbrook) compared to the other 33: vs AllStars: 32:48, 23.1 pts, 4.7 ast, 3.8 reb, 19.7 fga, 44.9% fg, 4.2 fta, 87.0% ft, .536 TS%, .494 eFG% vs Non-AS: 30:22, 16.5 pts, 5.2 ast, 2.9 reb, 15.8 fga, 38.7% fg, 3.6 fta, 79.2% ft, .477 TS%, .434 eFG% He scored 30 or more 4 times in 13 games against AS, 0 times in the other 33 games. He scored 19 or less 4 times in 13 games (30.8%) against AS, 22 times in the other 33 games (66.7%). His per36 numbers against All-Stars aren't far off his MVP season: 2015: 25.4 pts, 5.2 ast, .536 TS% MVP: 24.1 pts, 7.4 ast, .550 TS% Does this bode well for the playoffs? If he can come close to giving the Bulls 23 points on .536 TS% in 33 minutes during the playoffs, how unstoppable would the offense be when there are 3 other Bulls easily capable of giving the team 20 points on any given night? There are no back-to-backs in the playoffs, and often 2 days between games. Does any of this matter?
I wondered the same thing not only abouut Derrick, but the entire team. For some reason we do not play well as a team against the 500 or below teams. The playoffs should be a different matter.
My take is the younger teams have younger players and tend to be more athletic. Philly is loaded with young talent that hasn't been realized, but the players are still a lot to handle. Anyhow, I don't think Rose has been sandbagging, but there's nothing wrong with getting psyched to face an elite opponent.
Obviously, you want your players to give a consistently high level of effort. After all, people are paying very serious money to watch these performances. This said, Rose has always been one to (successfully) "get up" for the premier PG matchups. Assuming Rose's health and conditioning ramp up nicely over the next few weeks, I think it does bode well for the playoffs. It tells you that Rose knows where to find his own personal switch for that "extra gear" everyone talks about in the postseason.
Yes, I think Rose has been sandbagging this season. I also think he's playing a less efficient (for him) brand of basketball in order to reduce collisions / contact / falls.
I like this take a lot, but I also think he's been trying to evolve his game to one that includes a lot more 3pt attempts and less having to drive to the hoop and absorb contact just to score points. His outside shooting can only get better with more attempts.
Yeah, I don't like the word "sandbagging" either. It conjures images of Hoosiers and winning one for the Gipper and all of that other nonsense. Veteran teams save something for the playoffs, because it's not possible to bring it every night and not get injured or burnt out.
If Rose didn't have such a massive, guaranteed contract he would not have the luxury of adjusting his game to a less efficient yet future meetings soreness friendly style and still get those fat checks every month. This has been a bad investment to this point for the Bulls. He's usually hurt and it seems that he isn't going to play the style he needs to play at in order to earn those checks. Of course, perhaps we'll see the balls-out, take it to the rack, won't be denied Rose in the playoffs. I don't want to see high usage, low efficiency outside shooting Rose.
