Derrick Rose's MVP candidacy doesn't need a late rally. He's piloted the Bulls to 56 wins so far — more for first-year Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau than Phil Jackson had in his first year with the Bulls, which involved Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen — and made the right sorts of plays in nationally televised and narratively valuable games to be all but assured of his first NBA MVP at season's end. But ridiculous plays like Rose's chasedown block of Raptors forward James Johnson from Saturday night can't hurt.
Derrick Rose Blocks James Johnson, Burnishes MVP Credentials
Rose’s Bulls went on to win that game against the Raptors, 113-106, and the full Rose stats from that game are no less insane than his typical line: 36 points on 20 shots, 10 assists, three rebounds, three blocks, and a steal. Those are MVP numbers, and Rose’s game, which seems to mix the spindly athleticism of a young Tayshaun Prince, Kobe Bryant’s assassin mentality, and the creativity of Chris Paul off the dribble, is certainly MVP-caliber at this point.
Yeah, Rose doesn't shoot quite as well as he could — or, since the All-Star break, shoot as well as he did to open the year — nor does he provide as much value in multiple categories as, say, LeBron James or Dwight Howard. But his MVP case includes the rather flimsy line of reasoning that he's been the best player on the best team in the Eastern Conference, a team no one expected to be the best team — Rose isn't exactly doing Herculean work without help in that regard — and that line of reasoning is so calcified in narrative at this point that it's inarguable.
Congratulations to Derrick Rose, the 2010-11 MVP-to-be. And thanks for plays like this that make your case more amenable to the fan who wonders why you shoot so poorly.
Video from Docksquad Sports via Deadspin.
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