New York Knicks Ride Explosive Derrick Rose to Victory

In the New York Knicks home opener, the fans at Madison Square Garden saw glimpses of the old Derrick Rose in a winning effort.

On Saturday in the New York Knicks home opener, fans saw glimpses of the old Derrick Rose before knee injuries became the disruptive norm in his promising career.

The Knickerbockers earned an 111-104 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies, but Rose’s zigs, zags and penetration brought chilling flashbacks to spectators at Madison Square Garden.

The former league MVP took the highest-paid NBA player, in total contract value, and placed him in a medium-speed blender:

The fans filled the arena with ohs and ahs as the Knicks’ starting point guard drove to through lane possession after possession to ignite the offense in critical moments.

More from Empire Writes Back

• Caesars New York Promo Code: Win $250 Bonus GUARANTEED on ANY Bet!
• Last Chance Caesars Promo: Claim $1,250 Bonus for ANY MLB Bet!
• Caesars New York Promo Code Gives TWO Chances to Win Betting on Your Yankees!
• PointsBet New York Promo: FIVE $100 Bonus Bets to Back the Yankees or Mets!
• Caesars NY Promo: $1,250 Bonus to Celebrate the Return of Judge!

Rose finished with 13 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals in 32 minutes. When he’s efficient with his shooting percentages (46%) and collapsing the defense, the Knicks can find good shots for forward Kristaps Porzingis and guys like guard Justin Holiday coming off the bench.

In a postgame interview, Rose talked about battling jitters in his first appearance at Madison Square Garden. Nonetheless, he put his nerves aside and played with poise throughout the contest.

Free-Throw Line Highs and Lows

The Knicks struggled with free throws early in the first half but knocked down critical attempts to put the game away in the final 24 minutes. Head coach Jeff Hornacek will have to deal with center Joakim Noah’s less-than-stellar free-throwing shooting. For his career, he’s a 71 percent shooter from the charity stripe. He should at least break even to stay on the court in critical moments.

Justin Holiday in Rotation?

Based on the first two games, it’s clear Hornacek plans to utilize Justin Holiday in his rotation. In his fourth active year in the league, the 6’6”, 185-pound guard plays both ends of the court. He’s slight in build but shows length in contesting shots. He’s also scored eight points in both contests. The Knicks need scoring in the second unit; Holiday’s buckets certainly come in handy.

Carmelo Anthony Struggles, Attempts Most Shots

Forward Carmelo Anthony struggled with getting favorable calls and putting the ball in the hoop. He finished 5-of-15 from the field but took advantage at the free-throw line in the second half. Anthony will have some cold nights, but he shouldn’t lead the team in shooting attempts while struggling to score. When the star forward’s shots don’t fall, he should defer to Porzingis or Courtney Lee.

Courtney Lee Shoots with Confidence

Lee can’t fall into the background as a decoy when he’s shooting a good percentage from the field. In the season opener, Lee logged five attempts and faded. On Saturday, he came out shooting the ball with confidence. When Lee takes his jumpers as opposed to waiting for his opportunity to come at the end of the shot clock, he’s an effective threat.

Kristaps Porzingis Leads Team in Scoring

Porzingis didn’t finish the game on a strong note, but he kept the Knicks on top with some flashy moves to the hoop and efficient scoring through three quarters. At times, he’s lost between Anthony and Rose in the offense, but he made his overall presence felt against the Grizzlies and led the team with 21 points.

Next: 2016 NBA Power Rankings: New York Knicks Additions Ignite New Hype

The Knicks will go on the road to square off with the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. ET. Noah’s matchup inside against the center Andre Drummond will be a must-see matchup. The Pistons will continue to push forward without their starting point guard, Reggie Jackson. Detroit will play its third consecutive game at home against the Knicks.