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Chicago Bulls fans had the chance to see one of their heroes in action — after far too much inaction in their estimation– Wednesday at the United Center.
Lariyah Daniels will be on the Oct. 24 “Sports & Torts.” Sadly, not in this outfit.
The team had its first UC exhibition game of the preseason. And the crowd could tell any concern about health issues appeared unwarranted. He ran the court easily and moved about the way the fans remembered. He made only one turnover and showed no ill effects after missing the Bulls’ game Saturday in Rio de Janeiro.
So what if he went 0-for-3 from the field.
But enough about center Joakim Noah(who –after missing the team’s first three games because of a groin injury — had eight rebounds and three blocked shots in 19:45 of game action).
Derrick Rose played, too.
And that was the story of the Bulls’ 96-81 victory over the Detroit Pistons. As meaningless as preseason records might be, the Bulls are 4-0 and the Pistons 2-2.
Much more meaningful was Rose’s performance, his first at the United Center since suffering a season-ending knee injury in the 2012 playoffs. He subsequently had surgery and sat out the 2012-13 season. Rose returned with 22 points in 22 minutes and pretty much looking like the Rose of old rather than an old Rose.
“I thought Derrick was affressiuve from the start and that is what we have been seeing in practice,” Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said. “The moves, the explosion, the power, the change in directions … that’s been there all along. Now he has better balance and playing in rhythm.”
“He looked like the old Rose,” Pistons coach Maurice Cheeks said. “In front of our bench, he got a handoff and in two or three dribbles, he was at the basket. He was as fast as he ever was.”
Rose also appears more muscular.
“I think I’m way more explosive now,” he said. “Like getting to the rim. I think I can take contact a little bit better. And as far as jumping-wise, I think I can jump even higher. They tested my vertical — I increased it by fve inches. I just didn’t show it yet because there’s no need to.”
His performance seemed uplifting enough to please the crowd that gave him a loud ovation during pregame player introductions and when he touched the ball for the first time in the first quarter.
“The biggest thing is after you have an ACL or any injury, it’s the mental part,” he said. “And for me not to think about anything no more and actually be reacting to the defense and the offense, it feels great knowing that I’m safe. I don’t have to worry about anything at all, even if I go to the hole and get contact and fall any type of way, that I could easily get up and bounce right back and play the way that I normally know how to play.”
And, for those concerned about such things, the new-look Luvabulls appeared in midseason form for their dance routines (and, yes, we do have video evidence to prove the point).
If today is Thursday (and the likelihood is that it is — provided that you are reading this on Oct. 17, 2013, or a subsequent Thursday — mainly because yesterday was Wednesday), then it is time once again for your (or at least my) weekly installment of “Sports & Torts” on Talkzone.com at noon Central time.
Co-hosts David Spada and Elliott Harris interview former players, coaches, etc. — among others — on the highly acclaimed (well, certainly in the Spada and Harris households, as well as reportedly elsewhere) program. The Oct. 17 show features two Pro Football Hall of Fame tackles in Bob St. Clair (formerly of the San Francisco 49ers) and Ron Yary (former Minnesota Viking and Los Angeles Ram).
For those wondering where a female presence is on this week’s program, please accept my forgiveness. We will try to make it up to you next week when one of the scheduled guests is lovely Lariyah (rhymes with Mariah) Daniels. In anticipation of all that, we figure perhaps running a video of her — performing as part of the music group Hessler — might serve as some sort of consolation.
Here is where to go for a daily dose of non-gratuitous video (thanks to the exquisite efforts of the editorial and video departments at elliottharris.com — you won’t find many folks working much harder than that):
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