What an incredible performance of the former MVP: Derrick Rose did the Utah Jazz almost single-handed with 50 points. In the end, the Minnesota Timberwolves Guard even delivered the decisive block.
It was no wonder that Derrick Rose had to struggle with tears after this game. The 2011 MVP, which has been plagued by injuries ever since, had just played one of its best games ever against Utah – including Career High. It meant everything to him,” the Guard said afterwards. “I’ve worked my ass off. I’ll do anything to win, and it was an incredible night tonight.”
You could leave it like that. As you know, the Wolves are not in an easy situation at the moment, and Jimmy Butler missed out against Utah, which is why Rose was only in the Starting Five in the first place. Minnesota, however, wanted to make a statement against Jazz, a top team in the West. Thanks to Rose, who played 50 points (19/31 FG) and 6, but also thanks to the bear strong Karl-Anthony Towns (28 points, 16 rebounds) they managed this – although it was a hard piece of work.
The hosts got off to a better start, also because Donovan Mitchell had a weak start on Jazz’s side and Jazz hit only 43.5 percent of their throws in the first quarter. Afterwards, however, things got better thanks to Rudy Gobert (22 points, 9/12 FG, 13 rebounds) and after three quarters the game was really close again with 101:96 from the Wolves’ point of view. Now Rose was asked to bring the game home, and he succeeded in doing so in several ways.
As a scorer, Rose was unstoppable throughout the second half, playing 34 points (15 in the last quarter). The fans rewarded his show with “MVP, MVP”-calls and Rose made the decision: 30 seconds before the end he took the lead under the basket, 13.8 seconds before the end he increased his lead with two free throws to 3 points – and then he blocked Dante Exum with another 2.7 seconds on the clock while trying to equalize. The victory was certain and of course Rose was celebrated afterwards by the whole team and the whole arena.
In the Jazz, Mitchell was top scorer with 26 points in the end, but he had to go out in the last quarter due to injury and did not return. In addition to Gobert, Jae Crowder (18) and Exum (14) were also impressed by the bank. Meanwhile, the entire Starting Five scored double-digit points for the Wolves. The hero of the day, however, was Rose.
“He’s one of the mentally strongest people I’ve ever met,” coach Tom Thibodeau praised the 30-year-old, and Rose said at the end, “I still haven’t really realized it. Words can’t describe how I feel right now. It’s been a while.”