Derrick Rose is 31 years old and his body has taken a beating, but the 2011 NBA Most Valuable Player showed once again that he can still take over a game and knock down the decisive shot.
Rose on Monday hit a 14-foot jumper in the lane with 0.3 seconds left and scored 17 of his team-high 21 points in the fourth quarter to lift the Detroit Pistons over the skidding New Orleans Pelicans 105-103.
It was Rose’s second consecutive strong fourth-quarter performance for the Pistons, who have won four of five. The Pelicans lost their ninth straight game.
“I don’t talk or boast or brag about it, but I still have goals,” said Rose, who has endured a series of physical setbacks, including an ACL tear, that have resulted in him playing for five teams over the past five years. “I know overall where I’m at as a player and as a person, and I believe in myself. That’s where it all starts — with me believing in myself — and going to an organization and playing for a team that believes in me, too. I believe this is the start.”
With the game tied at 103, the Pistons worked an isolation play for Rose, who dribbled the ball out top against Jrue Holiday, one of the best defenders in the league.
Rose drove into the lane, spun to the right and hit his jumper over Holiday’s outstretched arms.
“He has everything,” Holiday said. “I think it was a good play on his part. I’m not going to take anything from him. He’s a great player and the shot that he made was a tough shot. There was nothing I could do about it.”
Pistons coach Dwane Casey said that Rose has not completely recovered from a strained right hamstring that forced him to miss five games last month.
However, his leg must be improving. In a 108-101 victory over Indiana on Saturday, Rose had 10 fourth-quarter points — including four in the final 1 minute, 14 seconds and a floater in the lane with 18.4 seconds left that iced the game.
“This man has done it,” Casey said. “His timing and his rhythm — I still don’t think he’s back 100 percent, but it’s coming. We’ve just got to make sure we play high IQ basketball.”
Rose went seven-for-eight from the field and drained both three-point attempts during his fourth-quarter flurry.
The Pistons had three players in double figures besides Rose: Langston Galloway (16 points), Luke Kennard (14) and Andre Drummond (13).
The Pelicans missed their first 10 three-point attempts in the third quarter, and the Pistons took a 67-61 lead.
Also on Monday, it was:
‧ Celtics 110, Cavaliers 88
‧ Kings 119, Rockets 118
‧ Bucks 110, Magic 101
‧ Raptors 93, Bulls 92
‧ Clippers 110, Pacers 99
‧ Thunder 104, Jazz 90
‧ Suns 125, Timberwolves 109
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