Pippen Backs Rose For MVP
Not that he does, but if Derrick Rose needed anyone else to speak out and convince the voters to give him the MVP award, he got that in the form of Chicago Bulls' legend Scottie Pippen.
"There are a lot of players in the NBA who have had exceptional years this season," Pippen said on Bulls.com. "But Chicago's Derrick Rose is clearly the MVP in my mind. I've had the opportunity to watch him play every night and I'm very high on the way he has developed as a leader. Now, his team is playing towards a 60-win season. He's been spectacular."
Rose averages 25 points and 7.9 assists per game this season, the only player in the league to rank in the top 10 in both categories.
Despite all of the individual accolades, Rose's focus remains squarely on his team.
"I'm sure Derrick wants the MVP just as badly as anyone, but he'd rather have a championship," Pippen says. "From Day One, he's made it clear—all he cares about is winning."
And winning is exactly what the Bulls have done. At 54-20, with eight games left in the season, the Bulls have a chance to reach the 60-win mark for the first time since the 1997-98 NBA Championship season.
