The Knicks looked dead in the water after the first quarter against the Bucks on Friday night, trailing by 19 and looking like they were headed towards a third straight defeat.
Then, as he's done so many times since arriving for his second tenure with New York, Derrick Rose came off the bench and breathed new life into a previously lifeless group.
Rose, continuing a remarkable second wind of his playing career, poured in a season-high 23 points in 30 minutes of action, leading the Knicks to an improbable blowout win over the defending champions, flexing his new-look style of play by burying a dizzying array of floaters and pull-up jumpers to continue to cement his claim as one of the most important players on the Knicks roster.
"They were giving me my shot," Rose said. "Giving me a lot of room going under screens, and that's something I've been working on the whole time, pulling up and just trusting my shot. I put a lot of work into my shot. This is my 14th year, so trying to adapt my game to how the younger guys are playing and whatever presents itself. Today it was the pull-up."
The 33-year-old Rose pushed the offense in transition to get New York on quick runs and turn a 21-point deficit into seven by the end of the half, and a tie game at the end of the third quarter.
"My job is to push the ball as much as I can, try to get guys lost in the offense," Rose said. "When we're pushing the ball, if the other team isn't communicating or pointing to their guys, RJ and Quick and even AB, they're shooters. It opens up the game, and it's easy basketball after that."
With Rose on the floor, the Knicks outscored Milwaukee by 31 points, and were outscored by 16 when Rose was on the bench. That +31 was easily the best mark on the team on Friday night, leading NBA Twitter to load up on the "Vintage D-Rose!" responses to his big night.
Of course, Rose still doesn't care for that label. "Vintage" would suggest that Rose is back to his old self, the self that became the youngest MVP winner in league history by gashing opposing defenses and getting to the rim at a relentless pace. This version of Rose gets it done in a different way.
"What's vintage about it?" Rose said. "I wasn't shooting threes. I wasn't pulling off the shots like I am not. But if you want to say it, you can say it, it's whatever."
Rose particularly enjoys this newer version of himself, which gives him the freedom to operate without the expectation that he has to carry the offense. But he certainly carried the team out of the gutter on Friday.
"I'm playing with joy…I've been through a lot, I'm in a great place, and I'm on a very talented team," Rose said. "I don't have to score. It's not on me every night to score 30 points. I don't have a burden on me like that. I can go out there and play the game, try to affect the game by passing or just pushing the ball. I'm in a great place."
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