ESPN Article: Bulls record raises questions about Derrick Rose's 2011 MVP award

[knickswin]

It's interesting to me how virtually all the Bulls fans defend Rose. It's not necessarily a bad thing that the Bulls' success probably comes more from their excellent teamwork and defense than the domination of one single player. In fact, I'd say it's a good thing.

Not saying Rose shouldn't have gotten it. MVP is a screwed up award anyway. What does it even mean? Best player? To me, that was Dirk Nowitzki last year. Best player on best team? okay, then it was Rose or Parker or maybe Lebron. Most important player to a team winning 50+ games? Well, Dwight Howard probably would have deserved that considering how they run their offense around him and he anchors the defense.

I'm not a Rose hater by any stretch, but to me it's a fair question to ask whether the Bulls really need Rose. He is their most dynamic player on offense. He is also rather ball dominant and there was certainly a problem last year with how the team's offense would struggle because Rose had a hard time dealing with traps in the pick and roll. Maybe they wouldn't have been so easy to shut down if they had played more team oriented ball in those situations. He is fantastic at getting to the rim, but is also turnover prone because he passes with his feet in the air.

Anyway, I think Rose is a very good player. I just think for a team that plays as well as the Bulls, you might not be getting huge marginal returns out of the guy.

[Pointguard]

What player was the most influential against the elite in the league last year?

What player won more games than Rose in the 4th quarter last year?

What good team lost more games to injury of their 2nd and 3rd best players?

What great team had one explosive and creative player?

What team dominated the elite last year?

Who can you say was a better leader?

What good team finished as strong as Chicago despite all of their injuries/changes?

What coach spoke higher of their player than Thibes last year?

What player caused more havoc by getting to the rim from the perimeter?

What team won more than any other team despite key injuries, new team, new coach, new system, new starting lineups? And contrast that with Miami and the Lakers who have way more veterans, and team familiarity.

What player thoroughly outplayed the best at his position, which is the best position in the sport, while guarding them? Even DH didn't guard DMC in a critical game at the end of the year - and he was the only decent scoring center in the league.

And this is a Chicago team that couldn't break a trap in the playoffs. The offense is very different this year. The front line has been consistent and stable. Whereas, the team didn't have a player that stepped up in the playoffs and the offensive sets were stale - this year the team knows where the holes are and how to exploit overplays on the first option.

[Pointguard]

To suggest that the Bulls offensive schemes and execution are the same as last year is totally ludacris. Noah is a totally different player as is Boozer. Asik and Taj have just gotten better and Thibes isn't the control freak he was last year so the guards are given much more free reign and they score more. Same with Korver. Last year was all discipline from coach Thibes and this year its more about execution and playing freely.

[Tenchi Ryu]

To suggest that the Bulls offensive schemes and execution are the same as last year is totally ludacris. Noah is a totally different player as is Boozer. Asik and Taj have just gotten better and Thibes isn't the control freak he was last year so the guards are given much more free reign and they score more. Same with Korver. Last year was all discipline from coach Thibes and this year its more about execution and playing freely.

And we're done here folks, wrap it up, and don't forget the doggy bag.

[imdaman99]

i really dont like rose and hate the bulls, but he was the mvp. he was their closer. he doesnt shy away from the big moments. sure they can beat the celtics and heat for a game here a game there without him. but they would get annihilated in a series against a good team without him. with him, they have a shot.

[Chicago Brawls]

What does winning this season has to do with an award last season?



Besides:



"I'll give ya 4 points a game, and sometimes six, for the win buddy"

[All Net]

Maybe it was valid if Bulls were the same team and weren

[swi7ch]

This is news? No one outside of CHI thinks Rose should be MVP. No one.

[Derka]

So their record THIS season casts aspersions on his performance...LAST season.

Way to go, ESPN.

[Pointguard]

This is news? No one outside of CHI thinks Rose should be MVP. No one.

Where did you get that from?
The voting for MVP was a landslide, incredibly lopsided. Nobody else got five first place votes. We were saying it on these boards since the Allstar break last year and that was before the best record looked feasible. And I'm not from Chitown or in it.