Let me first just say that the 20 year old that we have on the Bulls is a man!!  I'm going to call him Mr. Rose.  Nothing fazes this man who just two years ago was winning a second straight IHSA championship.  Not only did he tie the record for most points (36) in a player's first playoff game, he also had a double double.  There's more though ... he was perfect from the free throw line!  This is a man who shot 79% at the line during the regular season. 

Mr. Rose clearly stepped up his game now that it is playoff time.  Usually it is veterans whose games improve in the playoffs because they are already proven and don't need to be stellar during the regular season if their team is a for sure playoff team.  That was not the case with Mr. Rose who had to prove himself and fight to secure a playoff spot for the Bulls.  Yet he still managed to show us another level of his game come playoff time.  Heck, even Paul Pierce missed a big free throw.  

Defensively is where the 20 year old side of Derrick Rose may come out.  Rondo also had a terrific day.  Nevertheless, with Ben Gordon and John Salmons not having their best games, Mr. Rose came through when needed.

I knew that Mr. Rose would be a stud.  But after watching the game this afternoon, Mr. Rose may be more than just a Hall of Famer, but also the second best player to ever play for the Bulls (no disrespect to Pippen), and if he is the second best to ever play for the Bulls, then he will probably be one of the 50 greatest NBA players ever.

I don't think anyone would have expected this from Mr. Rose.  Yet he still acts like it's nothing.  All of us Bulls fans are so incredibly lucky to have won that lottery with a 2.4% chance if I remember correctly.  With Mr. Rose being from Chicago, all of his accomplishments are that much sweeter.  

Nobody could reasonably expect Mr. Rose to be so mature and poised, I don't even know if MJ was as poised when he was a rookie.  When Mr. Rose went to the free throw line for the last time during regulation, I was reminded of the 1989 Bulls Cavs series where Jordan missed a free throw which lost us the game and then the next game he had that famous shot over Ehlo.  I envisioned that situation with Mr. Rose, and was sure he would miss one free throw.  But he didn't and guess what Bulls fans, Mr. Rose is not as talented or athletic as MJ, but he may have that same champions attitude that MJ had.

I would say that this is a game that Bulls fans should never forget.  But the thing with Rose is that, you think he can't play any better, but he does.  So who knows?  In Game 2, he may just have a triple double.