The NBA Youtube channel released a video showing the top 10 plays for the Chicago Bulls on Friday, and its a beautiful thing to watch for fans eagerly awaiting the 2012-13 season. It may also be heart wrenching for some, as seeing Derrick Rose with an in-tact ACL is something all fans are longing for.
The video kicks off with a surprise appearance from Carlos Boozer, who doesn’t usually have many highlight reel plays. The veteran power forward shows athleticism and quickness on the flush, something that Bulls fans would probably like to see more of. Chicago will depend on Boozer for more offense with Rose sidelined for the majority of the regular season.
After Boozer the list is dominated by two players. Naturally, Rose appears in 4 of the Bulls 10 highlights, despite missing several games over the course of the season. Each clip shows the burst and athleticism that Rose hopes to recover when returning from ACL surgery. The former MVP’s speed and power are the keys to his game, and hopefully he will be able to make a full recovery. However, many anticipate that it could take well into the 2013-14 season before Rose is completely up to speed.
The second player isn’t even in the starting rotation, yet was responsible for three of the highlights on the season. Taj Gibson threw down spectacular dunks throughout the season, and his high energy, hardworking nature is a perfect fit for this Chicago team. I wrote earlier that the Bulls need to extend his contract, because Gibson could emerge as one of the better power forwards in the game if given starter’s minutes.
With Rose out, I expect Gibson and newly added Nate Robinson to fill the highlight reel void. Robinson is a former dunk champion, and can produce some serious clips, though some of them may lead him right into Tom Thibodeau’s doghouse.
The video:
Know of any plays that you think should have made the list? Comment below with your clips and tell us why.
Zach Mink covers the Chicago Bulls for Rant Sports. Follow him on twitter @zachmink12 for more news and analysis.
