Chicago Bulls News: D-Rose and Company Ready to Sweep First Round After Tough 2 OT Win Against Bucks
The timing for Derrick Rose's return to the Bulls' lineup has never been more perfect.
After being sidelined for most of the second part of the season, Rose was back in his former MVP self after dropping 34 points, eight assists, five rebounds, and three steals against the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday.
However, the most notable stat for D-Rose is not his production.
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For the first time in the Playoffs since 2012, the 26-year-old point guard registered 48 minutes of action in the 113-106 2OT win.
If guarding the aggressive Rose is already a burden for the Bucks, the emergence of Jimmy Butler as a second offensive threat makes things much worse.
Butler scored 24 points in Game 3 after two consecutive playoff career-highs in Games 1 and 2. Moreover, he played a whopping 53 minutes, guarding Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo the entire game.
The win puts Chicago in a position to sweep the Bucks in the first round, take a rest and prepare for probably the toughest matchup against the Cavs in the second round.
Cleveland also leads the Celtics, 3-0, and the LeBron James-led squad could sweep Boston on Saturday night as well.
But as for D-Rose, it's all about focus and not thinking ahead.
"Every game is going to be different. All I'm doing is preparing myself for every game and going out there and having confidence, believing in myself, believing in my craft. It's the playoffs. You have to love it," said Rose in an ESPN interview after the game.
