Power: Derrick Rose and Kanye West

No two men should have all this power.

Since Derrick Rose and Kanye West are both from Chicago, I thought it would be cool to find some Rose highlights with some West music.

And I so happened to find a really good one.

It starts kind of slow, but if you wait 50 seconds it will be worth your while.

For those of you who can't get enough Derrick Rose, here is a story Steve Aschburner wrote about him last month.

He tracks Rose's roots all the way back to elementary school and Murray Park, where Rose used to play basketball growing up, and follows him to high school and college and the NBA.

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Rose Is The MVP? Who Cares?

This isn't meant to pick on Derrick Rose.

I actually happen to be a big fan.

But when I hear him say he wants to be the MVP and hear others say he is the MVP, the only thing I can think is, who cares?

Or to quote Derrick Coleman, "Whoop de damn doo!"

You play basketball for one reason and one reason only, and it's not to win the MVP.

Herman Edwards best described why you play.

At the end of the day, the only thing which counts is whether or not this is happening in Chicago at the end of the season because it is the only thing that matters.

Do you think the city of Chicago will throw Derrick Rose a parade for winning the MVP?

I don't either.

Rose didn't grow up in Chicago rooting for the Bulls because Michael Jordan won six MVPs.

The six other things Jordan and the Bulls won probably had a little more to do with it.

I couldn't tell you who won the MVP in 1989 or most other years. But I can tell you who won every championship from 1957-2010.

And I don't know and don't care how many MVPs Bill Russell won. But I know he won 11 championships.

Robert Horry won 7, Jordan and Scottie Pippen 6, Magic, Dennis Rodman and Kobe Bryant 5; Tim Duncan and Shaquille O'Neal 4, Larry Bird 3, Isiah Thomas and Hakeem Olajuwon 2 and Doctor J, Moses Malone, Ben Wallace, Dwyane Wade, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo 1.

Derrick Rose has 0, along with LeBron James, Grant Hill, Jason Kidd, Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Nash, Allen Iverson, Chris Webber, Vince Carter, Dwight Howard, Carmelo Anthony, Amar'e Stoudemire, Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Yao Ming, Tracy McGrady, Kevin Love, Kevin Durant, Blake Griffin, Monta Ellis, Stephen Curry, Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, Reggie Miller, Dominique Wilkins, Karl Malone and John Stockton.

Everyone has somehow gotten off track and lost sight of what is really important.

You establish your legacy in the NBA by winning championships, not MVPs or anything else.

MVPs, All-Star appearances, scoring titles, rebounding titles, assist titles, double-double streaks and all of those other things are nice; but to tell you the truth, they really don't matter.

Winning is the only thing that matters.

So Derrick Rose wants to be MVP, and he may win it.

Ten years from now, some people will remember.

When he brings a championship home to Chicago, no one will ever forget (:55).

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Hoops

Not very much was gained from the two meetings between Boston and Los Angeles this year.

Boston won the first game in Los Angeles, and Los Angeles won the second game in Boston.

On the positive side for Boston, they were able to beat the Lakers when the Lakers had all of their key players available.

On the negative side, they were able to trim only one point off of a four-point deficit while Kobe Bryant sat on the bench for the first half of the fourth quarter in their defeat on Thursday night.

And Boston is 5-5 in its last 10 games and no longer the top team in the East.

It's hard to cover the Jerry Sloan resignation without getting into the whole Sloan-Deron Williams feud. And I don't work for TMZ, so I really don't want to get into it.

From a basketball perspective, it's hard to imagine Tyrone Corbin being the equal of or an upgrade over Jerry Sloan.

But you never know. Stranger things have happened.


FAST DON'T LIE

When I wrote about the best point guards in the NBA earlier this season, Derrick Rose wasn't included with the top point guards in the game.

He was quickly becoming one of the best but wasn't there yet because he hadn't shown the court vision and didn't execute Chicago's offense to perfection in his first two years in the league.

But fast don't lie.

Without question, Derrick Rose has elevated his game and is one of the best point guards in the NBA. I can't say which one is best, but no one is better than Rose.

There may not be a player at any position better than Rose.

He makes passes now that remind me of Chris Paul and Andre Miller. A defender has to be only one step out of position for Rose to zip a pass to his man and make him pay for slipping.

And his silly handles and ridiculous athleticism make his all-around game so sensational that even his toughest critics turn into adoring fans.

Rose does something awe-inspiring almost every night and makes the Bulls appointment viewing when he plays with Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer.

And behind all of the crossovers, shakes and hanging, double-clutch, reverse layups and three-pointers is a will to win matched by few in the NBA.

Using a little trick I learned from reading Zach Lowe, I was able to use Basketball Reference to provide the list of others who averaged at least 24 points and eight assists in a season, starting in 1960.

Hint: It is very exclusive company.

Derrick Rose is almost beyond description.

Note: Marc Stein did a similar comparison of Rose through the first 10 games, when he was averaging 25 points and eight assists.


HOME IMPROVEMENT

David Aldridge came up with one of the stories of the season when he wrote about how Richard Jefferson worked with Gregg Popovich and other San Antonio coaches to improve his game.

Because I am a big Jason Kidd fan, I've been watching Richard Jefferson since he came into the league as a rookie with the New Jersey Nets in 2001.

And all the way back then, he still couldn't shoot.

But it really didn't matter because all you wanted to see was him catch an alley-hoop off of the backboard anyway.

But by the time the 2010 playoffs rolled around, Jefferson, with his absentee jump-shot, was getting old.

I mean, damn.

How many years is he going to miss these shots?

It was getting ridiculous.

That's where Aldridge and his story pick up, one of the greatest stories in the NBA this season.

There is nothing greater than a player who gets better, and the home improvement by Richard Jefferson and the San Antonio coaching staff has helped lead San Antonio to the best record in the NBA.

It shows that you don't always have to get a lottery pick, make a big trade or sign a big-money free agent to improve your team.

Sometimes you can take what you already have and make it better.


THE RACE FOR 8TH

The race for the final playoff seeds looks like it is going to be a dog-fight from now until the end of the season.

In the West, only five games separate the No. 5 New Orleans from the No. 10 Phoenix, with Phoenix and Memphis coming on strong.

In the East, six games separate No. 6 New York from No. 10 Milwaukee.

Frank Vogel has Indiana playing inspired ball, and Doug Collins has had Philadelphia balling (small-balling) for months now.

Current playoff teams Utah and New York are struggling.

The dark horses in the West are Houston and Golden State, and in the East it is Detroit. The teams in the East seem to change places daily.

Players possibly returning from injury who could lead their teams into the playoffs are Emeka Okafor, Brandon Roy, Marcus Camby, Michael Redd and Drew Gooden.

These races will be closely monitored and updated until the last day of the season, which is how long it may take for all of this to be settled.

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The NBA's Best Point Guards

Everything in basketball begins and ends with the point guard position. The NBA has seen a resurgence at the position over the last several years thanks to an influx of young talent.

At the same time, some trusty veterans have kept their games, making the point guard position today what the power forward position used to be several years ago.

Point guards mainly fall into three types, depending on their skills, mentalities and roles on their teams.

Here are the best point guards in the NBA.


THE CONDUCTORS

Conductors execute their teams' offenses to perfection. They make sure everyone is where they are supposed to be and always make the right pass or decision. They also improvise and make plays outside of the set offense to help their teams win.

Due to various factors like age, mentality, team role or limited skill in some areas, conductors can't consistently dominate games by scoring.

Still, they have high basketball IQs, amazing court vision, dribbling and passing skills and the ability to control a game from start to finish.

Mike Bibby (Hawks). Mike Bibby isn't the explosive scorer he once was at Sacramento but hasn't lost his touch. He has settled into running the Atlanta offense and getting the ball to his offensive weapons.

Going all the way back to his college days as an Arizona Wildcat, Bibby also has a well-earned reputation as a deadly clutch shooter.

Jose Calderon (Raptors). The biggest problem for Calderon is that he plays for the Toronto Raptors. It is no fun watching him play with that miserable cast of scrubs, losers, cast-offs and wannabes. Put him on a team surrounded by some exciting talent, and his team and career will no doubt take off.

TJ Ford (Pacers). Ford was injured and missed half of last season. Now that he is back, he is starting to show his value again. He controls the tempo of the game with the best of them and has been playing aggressive, tough defense. His jumper is far more consistent than it was when he came into the league.

Jason Kidd (Mavericks). There may never be another Jason Kidd. He is known as a player who can dominate a basketball game without taking a shot. Kidd's court vision and passing skills are second to none maybe in the history of the game and continue to create wonder even though we've seen it for years. He will definitely go down as one of the best ever.

Andre Miller (Trail Blazers). He might be the most underrated player in sports. But when it comes to making an offense run like a well-oiled machine, absolutely no one does it better than Andre Miller.

Miller is a crafty veteran who makes plays and defeats opponents with his mind and his skills, and playing in Nate McMillan's well-designed offense and with Portland's explosive supporting cast only makes him that much better.

Rajon Rondo (Celtics). Rajon Rondo has grown up before our very eyes. It wasn't long ago that people were questioning whether or not Boston could win a title with him as a starter.

Now he may be the best player on the team.

Doc Rivers is another coach with a well-designed offense, with more plays, bluffs, counters and deceptions than defenses know what to do with. And Rondo executes them all to perfection.

Together, Rivers and Rondo are like Bill Walsh and Joe Montana.


THE SCORERS

NBA point guards come in all types. One of those is the scoring or "shoot-first" point guard. Shoot-first point guards typically would rather score than pass or don't have great passing ability or don't have the ability to run an offense.

They can be clutch, or they can be out of control. But whatever the case may be, they have a passion for putting the ball in the basket.

Chauncey Billups (Nuggets). Known as "Mr. Big Shot," Chauncey Billups is one of the most clutch shooters in the NBA. He led Detroit to a title in 2004 and led Denver to the conference finals a few years later. When the game is on the line, there is no one you would rather have shooting the basketball.

Baron Davis (Clippers). Everybody knows Baron Davis has a tendency to fall in love with the three-pointer. He also has a tendency to fall in love with many other shots as well, despite his great passing skills. He can take over and dominate a basketball game with his offense or his defense, and when he is on his game, there is no one better.

Brandon Jennings (Bucks). His unique and colorful hairstyles and his shimmies bring new flavor to the game. And his skills have helped bring passion for basketball back to Milwaukee. Jennings is a tough competitor who plays the game to win. He took Milwaukee to the playoffs last year and will fight to take them even further this time around.

Jameer Nelson (Magic). Jameer Nelson is the Reggie Jackson of the Orlando Magic: He is the straw that stirs the drink. When he plays well, Orlando is usually unbeatable. He overcame his early lack of aggression in the conference finals last year against Boston but wasn't able to bring the team all the way back from a 0-3 deficit. The results could be different this season.

Tony Parker (Spurs). He has won three NBA titles in San Antonio. His speed and ball-handling create all kinds of problems for teams, and he's added a reliable jumper to go with it, making him nearly unstoppable at times. On an aging team, Parker is still in his prime.

Derrick Rose (Bulls). There aren't enough words in this article to fully describe Derrick Rose. He went toe-to-toe with LeBron James in the playoffs last year, and I couldn't tell who the better player was.

His lefts and scoops and floaters and teardrops keep defenders guessing, and now he is starting to read defenses and lower his FGA:A ratio.

He appears to be well on his way to becoming a complete point guard.

Russell Westbrook (Thunder). Along with Kevin Durant and Jeff Green, Russell Westbrook is one of the faces of the new darlings of the NBA. He exploded onto the scene with his performance against Los Angeles in the playoffs last year.

Westbrook is one of the most exciting players in the NBA, and he plays the point guard position with speed and fury. He is too much for defenses in the open court and can either dish off a pass or bring down the house with a monster dunk.


THE DOMINATORS

The dominators are the most complete point guards in the game. They can score at will or pick defenses apart with their precision passing and perfect play-calling or improvisation.

When they bring the ball up the court, the defense is at their mercy due to the wide range of skills that they bring to the table.

They often leave defenses frustrated and helpless because, as the saying goes, you can't stop them ... you can only hope to contain them.

Stephen Curry (Warriors). In just his second season, Stephen Curry has clearly established himself as one of the best point guards in the game. His jumper is as pure as mountain snow, and his court vision and spectacular passing skills are a delight to basketball fans everywhere.

He combines that with slick, streetball dribble moves to make himself an elite and highly-skilled competitor. Curry established himself as a big-game player in college, taking tiny Davidson against some Goliaths of college basketball and giving them a real run for their money.

He is more of an improviser than a play-caller at this point but still executes Golden State's offense like an old-school veteran.

Steve Nash (Suns). Steve Nash also is more of an improviser than a play-caller. But he makes it up as he goes along better than most players think it out ahead of time.

Nash has turned Phoenix into one of the highest-scoring teams in the league during his time there and led them to the conference finals last season.

He keeps opponents off balance and his team ahead with an unlimited variety of trick shots, dribble moves, no-looks and fake-outs.

Even with his advancing age, Steve Nash continues to maintain his status as one of the game's finest point guards.

Chris Paul (Hornets). Let the debate begin. The question of who is the best point guard in the NBA is one of the most heated debates going. And all parties involved are doing their part to keep the debate going for many years to come.

It's a pleasure to see Chris Paul surrounded by some exciting talent again. With a better supporting cast, he can now put more of his skills on display.

Paul is back to crossing opponents up, controlling the tempo, picking teams apart, throwing silly passes and getting takeaways. It was painful to watch him play on such bad and boring teams.

He can execute set plays or improvise just as well.

And of all the point guards in this category, Chris Paul is far and away the best defensive player.

Deron Williams (Jazz). His play against Denver in the playoffs last year kicked the point guard debate into high-gear. All of a sudden, people were and still are saying that Deron Williams is the best point guard in the NBA.

It's hard to argue with them.

Williams runs Utah's offense like no other. His quick thinking and precise passing constantly catch defenses napping, and he can drop 30 at any given moment and make it look easy.

He can take the ball out of the net and execute a fast break off of a made basket or walk the ball up the court and grind out two points with a set play.

Deron Williams is truly one of the game's very best. The only thing he can't seem to do is find a way to defeat his nemesis, the Los Angeles Lakers.

But the other point guards on the list couldn't do it either.

Note: Even though I talked about Chris Paul under a prior section titled "THE BEST POINT GUARD IN THE NBA," I don't believe there is a such thing as the best point guard or anything else in the NBA other than the best team, and that is the Los Angeles Lakers.

I only did that to take a shot at Charles Barkley and others who have been saying Deron Williams is the best point guard in the NBA.

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