comment on his comeback

Can you recall a season going into it where we have a lot of wildcards? How is Cleveland going to come together and Rose in Chicago? It seems like there’s more so than in the last few years, things are up in the air trying to pinpoint who is going to do what and come playoff time?

VAN GUNDY:  I don’t see it as a big question mark in the East.  LeBron and [Kevin] Love and [Kyrie] Irving will be in the Eastern Conference Finals.  I think Chicago will find their way there if their two and three hold up and if Rose is Rose again.

But out West to me there are like five teams you could say I could see them advancing to the Finals.  So in the East, barring major injury, I can’t see Chicago or Cleveland not finding their way to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy

MARK JACKSON:  I think for the first time in a long time, Derrick Rose looked like himself and obviously everybody was aware it was going to take some time.  But he’s an explosive talent.  He is a tremendous weapon.  He makes them a totally different basketball team and he was in attack mode.

I think adding Pau Gasol makes a difference.  You have two big guys in Gasol and [Joakim] Noah, that can make plays at the pinch post area, read off of each other, tremendous size, tremendous skill and the underrated fact that they’ve added shooting.  And I just love Taj Gibson as that back-up big guy who can impact the game from the post, get to the line and defend at a high level.  That’s a team that’s extremely dangerous and as an NBA fan, it is refreshing to see Derrick Rose back to himself.  He’s a high-quality individual and tremendous for the game.

JEFF VAN GUNDY:  And for me, I think anybody who is expecting Rose to consistently be what he was the other night against Cleveland, I think doesn’t understand how hard it is in the NBA to regain your edge. I think when you are basically out two, two and a half years, it’s not easy, even when you’re as talented as Rose.  And so that consistency of play, of recreating great habits on the floor, that will be difficult and it will be challenging.  There will be some great moments and there will be some moments where he’s disappointed.

Derrick Rose - ESPN's Mark

Derrick Rose had by far his best game in over two years on Monday, putting up 30 points in 24 minutes in a 107-98 loss to Cleveland in the Bulls' penultimate presesaon game.

Rose was incredibly efficient, scoring his 30 on 12/18 from the field, including 4/5 from behind the arc. ESPN and ABC NBA analysts Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson discussed the start of the 2014-15 NBA season on a media conference call.

What do you guys make of the Bulls? Derrick Rose finally had a big game the other night. Where do you assess where he’s at and his recovery and what do you expect from the Bulls this year?