NBA schedule and results: Derrick Rose lifts Bulls over Thunder, Blazers crush Grizzlies

So, when Rose led Chicago with 29 points and seven assists to a 104-98 win against Oklahoma City -- who have now lost three in a row -- let’s just appreciate that at face value, not within the context of Rose’s seemingly inevitable superstardom that was thrust upon him prior to the horrific knee injuries. On Thursday, Rose truly was excellent. He started slow, missing six of his first seven shots, but turned it around for a 12-of-25 shooting night. He went on a personal 10-point run, turning a two-point lead with three minutes to play into a six-point one with 1:07 left. The final jump was classic Derrick, just toying with a big man who had tragically switched onto him before pounding the ball once, hopping back and burying the dagger.

Coming from three-straight outings of scoring in the single digits, this was the sort of game Rose needed. Chicago needed it too, fresh off of a 25-point blowout on the hands on a suddenly surging Charlotte. Rose showed he can still be the guy who takes the reins for the Bulls -- maybe not every night, but certainly a few times a season when they really need him to.

You may have seen yesterday’s sports story about LeBron James ripping his sleeved jerseys and immediately shooting better. That’s a good sports story! Turns out, it was also good for making jokes!

On the halftime show, Kenny Smith tried to duplicate LeBron. Turns out it’s harder than it looks!

That Wade kid. He’s good.

Golden State has looked utterly unstoppable opening this season as the defending champion. The Clippers represented their toughest test yet, though. Both teams entered the game unbeaten and have a lengthy history of disliking each other. Rarely does a game in early November have as much brewing behind the scenes as this one did.

The basketball lived up to all that talk, too, with both teams putting forward stellar performances to keep each other at bay. The Warriors have often overwhelmed their opponents this season and set records with a 50-point win over Memphis in their last game. It’s a testament to the Clippers’ talent and composure that they were able to take Golden State’s biggest punches and respond in kind to make it a close game in the second half.