Rose’s late heroics leads Tuesday’s S&Ds

Reigning MVP Derrick Rose prepared for his game against the Spurs by rescuing Chicago to a tougher-than-expected victory over struggling New Orleans.

Rose hit the go-ahead jumper with 19.4 seconds left, blocked a potential tying shot and added to clinching free throws to lead the Bulls’ 99-95 victory over the Hornets.

It capped a 32-point performance for Rose, rescuing the struggling Bulls after they had allowed the Hornets to score 13 straight to take a late four-point lead.

“We definitely held it together. Other teams I guess would have folded,” Rose told the Associated Press. “We played toward the end I think the best defense we played throughout the whole game. We rebounded the ball, made great plays on the ball. … We gave ourselves a chance.”

Providing the key shot in game-winning situations befits an All-Star player like Rose.

Rose relishes taking the game-turning shots.

“I always think about my legacy here, taking those shots,” he said. “I want to be where I want to be at the end of my career.”

And on Wednesday night, Rose Studs Duds effort helped the Bulls pulls within percentage points of Miami for the best record in the Eastern Conference.

STUDS

Chicago G Derrick Rose: Hit the final four points of the game, sandwiched around a blocked shot in the Bulls’ victory over New Orleans. Rose finished with 32 points, nine assists, three steals, two blocked shots and was a team-best plus-16.

New Jersey C Brook Lopez: Erupted for 38 points, six rebounds and was plus-5 in the Nets’ upset victory at Dallas.

Minnesota F Derrick Williams: Came off the bench to score 27 points in 27 minutes, including 13 points in the fourth quarter, and was plus-xxx in the Timberwolves’ victory at the Los Angeles Clippers.

Milwaukee F Mike Dunleavy: Sliced through Washington for a team-high 28 points on only 17 shots off the bench in the Bucks’ triumph.

Sacramento C DeMarcus Cousins: Muscled for 22 points, 18 rebounds and was plus-3 in the Kings’ victory over Utah.

Chicago C Joakim Noah: Went for 15 points, 16 rebounds, five assists, two steals and two blocked shots and was plus-11 in the Bulls’ victory over New Orleans.

DUDS

Toronto G Jerryd Bayless: Went for four points on 2-for-6 shooting, had five turnovers and was minus-2 in the Raptors’ loss at Houston.

Boston F Paul Pierce: Clanked through a 4-for-11 shooting night with six turnovers and was minus-11 in the Celtics’ victory over Cleveland.

Boston G Rajon Rondo: Was shut out on 0-for-6 shooting with five turnovers in the Celtics’ triumph over Cleveland.

Golden State G Monta Ellis: Went 7 of 19 from the field with five turnovers and was minus-23 in the Warriors’ loss at Indiana.

Dallas G Jason Terry: Hit only 4 of 14 from the field with four turnovers and was minus-1 in the Mavericks’ loss to New Jersey.

Los Angeles Clippers F Caron Butler: Went 1 for 10 from the field in the Clippers’ loss to Minnesota.

Holt in middle, players in trouble

Peter Holt has been in a shouting match with Chris Paul, and he’s been called “unrelenting.”

“You haven’t felt enough pain yet,” Holt told player representatives, according to one report.

Holt, the most prominent owner in the NBA’s labor dispute, is carrying on a Spurs tradition. The late Angelo Drossos was known for a few fights, too.

But this isn’t Holt’s nature, and this isn’t an accurate portrayal of what has happened, either. He has strong views because of his franchise’s small-market status. Yet he’s mostly been by David Stern’s side as a consensus builder, and the result has gotten a new bloc of hard-line owners to agree to a deal that is now in front of the players.

This should scare the players.

Holt is a reasonable one.

If Drossos is looking down on these negotiations, he’s applauding. He was a creative and tough Spurs CEO, and he would admire Stern for what he has done. The players are now stuck in a half-court trap in which their best option is a painful one.

Drossos would have done the same. He once argued for a system that would allow only one-year contracts, and he long ago came up with an idea that is the basis of nearly every discussion going on today. Drossos was the father of the salary cap.

“The influence and power he had,” Stan Albeck said a few years ago, “absolutely dominated meetings. Spurs meetings, league meetings.”

Albeck felt that firsthand. When Albeck wanted to leave the Spurs to sign with New Jersey, Drossos squeezed players out of the Nets in return.

Hill Country Holt hasn’t been the same. He had the qualities needed to make a franchise work in a small market, such as money, patience and politics. But he’s been tie-less and pretension-less, delegating to those he trusted.

Holt isn’t built for meetings. With the Spurs, his attention often fades when talk turns to details. But now, at Stern’s side, more active than any owner, Holt has been working through marathon meeting after marathon meeting.

The spat with Paul was a fluke; Stern wasn’t there then, out with an illness. Holt has probably been “unrelenting,” but that isn’t a negotiating negative. And the “pain” quote was secondhand.

Holt’s role, instead, has been as a facilitator, trying to keep his peers in line. He’s doing what Jerry Colangelo once did for Stern, and Stern likely chose Holt because he wanted the perception Holt provided.

Holt’s Spurs have been successful winning games, yet continue to struggle making a profit. So the large-market owners understand, and the small-market ones believe he’s looking out for them.

Stern needed such a partner. Whereas he once was a one-man consensus, Stern now faces more than a dozen new owners, many of whom have wanted an even more radical economic model. Stern needed someone to engage them and pull them along.

Stern got that from Holt. While the players bristle at a 50-50 split, there was an undercurrent among owners such as Phoenix’s Robert Sarver who wanted even more. Now, if the players reject the current offer this week, Sarver will get his wish. The owners’ next proposal will go lower.

Drossos would have been ready to do the same. Holt, instead, waits to continue a process that has been both exhausting and exhilarating. The way this often goes, Holt will likely have to fly to New York a few more times; the owners’ ultimatum doesn’t necessarily mean the negotiations are over.

Still, the owners’ stance is one that could be seen coming a year ago. And as they force the players into a corner, a sign of their resolve has stood next to Stern throughout.

Holt, a symbol of small-market angst, is working the middle.

bharvey@express-news.net

Spurs 2011 games that have been canceled

The following Spurs games scheduled for November 2011 have been cancelled:

Wed 02 – VS. MILWAUKEE
Fri 04 – VS. DALLAS
Mon 07 – at Golden State
Wed 09 – at L.A. Lakers
Thu 10 – at Portland
Sat 12 – VS. NEW ORLEANS
Wed 16 – VS. CLIPPERS
Fri 18 – at Minnesota
Sat 19 – VS. KINGS
Mon 21 – VS. OKLAHOMA CITY
Wed 23 – VS. ORLANDO
Fri 25 – VS. CLEVELAND
Sat 26 – at Houston
Tue 29 – at New Jersey
Wed 30 – at Chicago

– HOME GAMES IN CAPS