Derrick Rose is the NBA MVP for many reasons, but chief among them is his offensive dynamism for a Bulls team that lacks other creators off the dribble. But Rose hasn’t been able to create at an MVP level against the Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals, thanks in part to the world-class athleticism of Dwyane Wade and LeBron James, and that’s been the difference in the series so far.
Heat Vs. Bulls, Game 5: Can Derrick Rose Beat The Miami Defense?
At his essential blog, NBA Playbook, SB Nation contributor Sebastian Pruiti detailed how the Bulls tried to remedy that in Game 4, moving him to the wing and running the pick and roll from there. And that worked, but then Chicago chose to run isolation plays for Rose at the top of the three-point arc late in the fourth quarter; as Pruiti explains at The Basketball Jones, those were not at all successful.
Chicago’s in a rough spot: either one of its role players must step up on the offensive end — as, say, Luol Deng has in these playoffs — or the Bulls need to get offensive rebounds and sink their threes, following the Game 1 blueprint that led to a rout of Miami. If those things don’t happen, the Bulls’ superb season will likely end tonight.
Be sure to check out our Heat vs. Bulls hub for full series coverage. For more on the Bulls, visit Blog a Bull and SB Nation Chicago. For more on the Heat, visit Peninsula Is Mightier.
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