Chicago Bulls players insist they owe a measure of their latest surge to Derrick Rose.
With Rose sidelined since early in the year with what's thought to be yet another season-ending knee injury, that seems as improbable as the sudden run to the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference the Bulls now find themselves on.
But the truth is the way Rose has faced his latest setback head-on and has embraced yet another comeback (reportedly he's ahead of schedule) has given his teammates strength.
"Me and Joakim Noah talk about it all the time," forward Taj Gibson told ESPN. "He's working hard, man.' He's like, 'That kid's over there working hard, man. He's trying to get back as soon as possible. Just keep playing, man.' One day when we get him back, it's going to be wonderful. We've just got to keep building, keep your eyes on the prize and just keep getting better each and every day. Because he's getting better, and when he comes back we can just keep rolling and just keep building."
Considered by many to be among the hardest working teams in all the league, the Bulls are finding added motivation in simply seeing the youngest MVP in league history labor as he has just to get back on the floor.
"Of course. I think Derrick's a worker," Noah told ESPN. "He works hard every day. When you see your top player giving everything he has every day, it makes you want to do the same."
Even now, Rose is proving willing to give all he can to his teammates.
"Derrick, he's like a coach," added Gibson. He's at the end of the bench, he just keeps telling you to shoot no matter what. You could probably miss 100 times, he's going to tell you, 'Shoot the ball!' So that's what I did."
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