Derrick Rose finally hitting stride as Bulls steal Game 1

CLEVELAND — Spend a significant amount of time around Derrick Rose, and it eventually becomes apparent that he has a much different perspective on postseason basketball in the wake of his career-altering knee injuries.

Now in the Eastern Conference semifinals for the first time since 2011, Rose's words are more measured, his thoughts more crafted.

Fresh off a 25-point, 39-minute performance as the Bulls stole Game 1 over the Cleveland Cavaliers 99-92, Rose used words like "appreciative" and "honored" when considering where he's at, both in his career, and specifically in this series.

His words carried even more weight after suffering a momentary scare, later described as a stinger, while fighting through a screen late in the game.

"I just felt something, felt my nerves, like, tingling going all the way from my shoulder to my finger tips, it was just something I'd never felt before," he said. "It went away in five or ten minutes. It's something that I'm not that worried about."

That's fortunate for the Bulls, who are all-too familiar with his laundry list of injuries. After Rose helped his team orchestrate a 50% shooting night with just two turnovers to his name, the Bulls are at a distinct advantage over the vaunted Cavaliers.

The pick-and-roll well never dried up for Rose, who consistently used high screens from Pau Gasol (21 points) or Joakim Noah to gain a step against Kyrie Irving. The Bulls leaned heavily on their guard, particularly during a third quarter run that gave them a 74-59 lead with 3:51 left in the period.

Rose hit several jumpers during that spurt, including a fadeaway 3-pointer after LeBron James had rotated onto him to make it 61-53. And once the Cavs had clawed back to a two-point deficit in the fourth following a put-back dunk from James, Rose was there yet again with a steady jumper to ease the tension.

Make no mistake. Even though the Bulls withstood a near-triple-double from James and several electrifying finishes from Irving en route to his 30 points, there's no resting on a Game 1 win.

Back in 2011, they were up 1-0 in the Eastern Conference finals before James' Miami Heat reeled off four consecutive victories, souring Rose's MVP campaign. Rose, who insists he's a much different player since then, won't dwell on that.

"I can't think about the past like that or even put that in my head," Rose said when reminded of James' previous history vs. Chicago. "I only think about positive thoughts. Can't think about how many times he beat us in the past. It's over. We're in the present now."

While the Bulls are very much in the moment, having wrested home-court advantage from the Cavaliers, Jimmy Butler saw a different angle of Rose's precision against the Cavaliers on Monday night.

"He was making the right play every time," said Butler, who finished with 20 points and drilled a pivotal bank shot to extend the Bulls lead to 96-90 with just 30 seconds left. "Shooting when he was open, passing when he wasn't. That's vintage him."

Rose correctly noted that there wasn't much for the Bulls to go off of in terms of defensive preparations given that the Cavs were without two starters. But in that vein, he adjusted and improvised within the offense tremendously.

"When you're playing in the playoffs, it's the first game, you got to see what they're going to do with the pick-and-roll, what they're going to do with post-ups, who they're double-teaming off of, who aren't they double-teaming off of," Rose noted. "You're reading the first game."

Perhaps the reason why Rose adjusted so well when several Cavs crowded him or when James was matched onto him was because in the aftermath of his three serious knee injuries, Rose has put in the requisite work.

"I owe so much to the sport. I don't look at it as a sport anymore. I look at it as art. With how many hours I stay in the gym, how many hours I stay with just recovery, just helping my body on off days, getting rest. ... It's just an honor to be here. Just trying to roll with it."

Follow Michael Singer on Twitter @RealMikeSinger.

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