Rose happy with progress in 2nd game back

[avf130]

ST. LOUIS -- After sitting out the past 17 months while recovering from reconstructive knee surgery, even Derrick Rose is a little surprised with how his well body is responding to NBA action. The former league MVP admitted as much after scoring 13 points in 23 minutes Monday in the Chicago Bulls’ 106-87 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.

"I wasn’t winded," Rose said. "That’s one of the reasons why when I got the ball just trying to push it every time, and I’m surprising myself. I guess I’m in a little bit of conditioning. And having to guard Mike [Conley], chasing him around the whole court all the time, I think I did all right."
Through two games, Rose has been more than all right considering the circumstances.

Both Rose and the Bulls were confident that the 25 year old would return to his old form, but it doesn't seem as though either side expected it to happen this quickly.

Rose obviously still has some rust to shake off -- as evidenced by his free throw shooting in the first half, during which he went 1-for-5 from the line -- but he has quickly turned back into the same explosive player he was before the injury.

When asked to compare Rose's most recent performances, Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau used a word that has defined Rose's career up to this point.

"Aggressive," he said.

Thibodeau pointed to several elements of Rose’s game that impressed him, even explaining improvement from the stripe.

"[He had] 10 free throws,” he said. “He slowed down; he’s calming himself down a little bit after the first couple and he started making [them], but you could tell he had a good rhythm going in the third quarter.

“He’s feeling great and you’re seeing those explosions to the basket and the burst of speed and attacking. I think he’s finding his rhythm. It’s also the rest of the team getting you used to the speed that he plays at."