THE ROSE GARDEN
Derrick makes strong first impression with Knicks fans in home opener
WE’VE ALREADY seen what the Knicks look like with LeBron James on the court and when they get three days of rest. The latter is certainly more promising than the former.
The next challenge is dealing with the grind of the NBA schedule that has Jeff Hornacek’s team playing three games over four nights beginning Tuesday on the road against the Detroit Pistons. The following night the Knicks return home to face the Houston Rockets before going back on the road for what should be an emotional return to Chicago for both Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah.
Over the past two years the NBA responded to player concerns for more time off between games and thus there are fewer back-to-backs. They are, however, a necessary evil and this week is the first chance for Hornacek and Phil Jackson to see how the roster, featuring a 32-year-old Carmelo Anthony as well as two players in Rose and Noah who have missed substantial time in recent years due to injuries, holds up.
Both Rose and Noah gave the Knicks solid minutes in Saturday’s win over the depleted Memphis Grizzlies at the Garden. The home opener was far from a masterpiece. The Knicks nearly blew a 19-point lead and they still have plenty of defensive issues.
Rose, who after missing all the home preseason games was making his Garden debut as a Knick, finished with 13 points, four rebounds, three assists and a couple of killer crossovers that fooled Mike Conley and later Marc Gasol.
“Derrick looked good, man,” Conley said afterwards. “He looks healthy. He looks almost back to being himself. He was more aggressive in other years but he’s picking his spots and he can still finish.”
Rose admitted to being nervous coming into the game and that he wanted to make a positive impression. He also seemed genuinely moved by the crowd’s response during player introductions and during his postgame interview on the court. “It was just all love man,” Rose said. This is a critical season for Rose, who becomes a free agent on July 1. The player he faced on Saturday, Conley, signed the most lucrative contract in NBA history when the Grizzlies handed him a $153 million deal last July.
During the week, Rose said, “No sir, I’m not thinking about free agency” when asked about Conley’s deal and what the future might hold for him. However, if you go back to media day in 2015, Rose admitted that his focus was in fact on free agency, July 1, 2017.
Rose has all the incentive in the world to stay healthy and productive this season. That’s what the Knicks were counting on when they acquired him on draft night. The story for Noah is different. He got his money: $72 million over four years, which seems excessive for a player who has injury concerns and appears to be slowing down. That wasn’t the case on Saturday.
Noah had a bounce to his step and had the crowd chanting his name. It was a nice moment for Noah and the Knicks. But now the schedule really kicks in. And we’re about to find out if a few of the older Knicks can hold up.