I understand this is a brash statement early in the season and the NBA is full of players who are contending for the award, but by the time the trophy has been molded to shape and the name plate inscripted, Rose will clarify himself as the best player in the league.

Rose led the Bulls to a 9-6 record in the first 15 games of the season and was on top of each box score in everything but rebounds and blocks, although he has those on his season stat board as well. Since then, Chicago is the third best team in the Eastern Conference with a 16-9 record, including a seven game win streak.

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Unlike Rajon Rondo of the Boston Celtics, Rose is ranked in the top 10 of the league’s assist men without having a team full of future hall of famers or pinpoint shooters. Rose isn’t working with historical 3-point shooter Ray Allen or Paul Pierce, who is one of the most physical offensive threats in the NBA, but with a roster full of defensive-minded players. Kyle Korver is the only true shooter the Bulls have and he doesn’t get more than 23 minutes per game because he doesn’t play defense coach Tom Thibodeau’s way.

Though Carlos Boozer is now back from injury and playing well, when the Bulls are running the court Rose has to either hope someone is under the basket or take it himself, because a spot shooter is not an option.

Rose is averaging 25 points a game which was fourth-highest in the league, but the efforts of the Dallas Maverick’s Dirk Nowitzki and the Golden State Warrior’s Manta Ellis have slid him to sixth. Ellis is doing nothing but scoring while his team is the third worst in the Western Conference with a 8-19 record. On the other hand, Nowitzki has been playing around the similar level of play he was when he won the MVP for the 2006-07 season.

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Chicago defeated the Mavericks 88-83 Nov. 19 even with Dirk scoring 36 points and beat the Warriors handily12-90 Nov. 11.

The other three ahead of him–Kobe Bryant, Amare Stoudemire and Kevin Durant–are all realistic MVP candidates and most likely on the watch list ahead of Rose. But Kobe will slow down as the season goes on similar to last year, Stoudemire’s defensive weakness will haunt him and Durant doesn’t do much more than shoot the ball and grab a few rebounds.

Against the Lakers Dec. 10, Rose out shined everyone under the LA sun including the king of all NBA stars, Kobe Bryant as Rose went for 29 points and nine assists while Bryant had 23 and seven. There isn’t much of a difference, but the extra six points Rose scored compared to Kobe gave the Bulls a 88-84 victory.

Every layup Rose attempted, whether it went through the twine or bounced off the rim could have made any highlight reel because of the show of talent and beauty each one of them possessed.

Rose is scoring high, assisting high and leading a team everyone wrote off or gave a small chance to be successful this season. If a game is tied in the late stages or a buzzer beater needs to be hit to win in overtime–see the Houston Rockets game Dec. 4–Rose steps up and gets the W.

The New York Knicks are in sixth place but would be out of the playoffs without Stoudemire, while the Oklahoma City Thunder are coasting only because of Durant.

Without Rose, the Bulls would be in the basement of the NBA and no one would be talking about them doing anything except firing one coach and hiring another.

Although the Thunder are in fifth place in the Western Conference with a 19-9 record, they fell to the Bulls December 6.

Rose and the Bulls are almost unbeatable at the United Center (10-3), which isn’t even the arena Rose has shined in the most. During the seven-games-in-11-days west coast road trip in mid-November, he played in six games and had 30 or more points in five of them.

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Since then he has continued to attack opposing defenses with the same tenacity, which has given him consistent numbers the entire season. The Los Angeles Clippers may have defeated the Bulls 100-99 Saturday, but it wasn’t due to lack of effort from Rose, who understands everyone has to step up their game since Joakim Noah is out of the lineup for 8-to-10 weeks to recover from a surgery he had to repair torn ligaments in his right thumb.

Without the big man in the middle, Rose realized he had to take the hoop to the basket more to get open looks for others or to simply bring the defense inside to give the outside some breathing room. He had game highs with 34 points and eight assists while also grabbing six rebounds.

I could write all-day about Rose’s great play and how he deserves more recognition then he receives around the league but I think it can all be summed up by stating…The All-Star who is soon to be labeled a superstar is putting up top NBA numbers and making his team, full of marginal role players, put up better numbers while earning victories against other MVP candidates.

This makes him a top MVP vote getter in my book.

Unfortunately, Carlos Boozer tripped over a bag and broke his hand in the preseason. The offensively gifted power forward hasn’t played a game with the Bulls and the team is 7-4, not bad, considering Chicago’s $80 million dollar man is in streets clothes on the sideline.

Well, guess what, Boozer is scheduled to suite up for practice Nov. 30 and could be on the Bulls starting lineup as soon as Dec. 1.

What does Boozer playing mean to a team which is already shocking the league without a player who will get 20 points and 10 rebounds every game?

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It means the Orlando Magic and the Boston Celtics have to watch their back from falling from the two top spots in the Eastern Conference. Right now, the 7-4 Chicago Bulls are in third place, but with Boozer returning, the Bulls could very quickly gain the game and a half they’re back and build a lead of their own.

Dec. 1 has Chicago scheduled to play Orlando and then two days later, Dec. 3, the Bulls play the Celtics; isn’t this convenient and great NBA entertainment? Yes, yes it is.

This makes the Boozer deal even bigger, because the Bulls need the added depth and inside scoring to play with the bigger more physical Celtics and Dwight Howard. Not the Magic, just Howard.

Plus, the pro Rajon Rando/ anti Derrick Rose people will find out Rose  can match Rando’s dishing skills when he has someone to give the ball to.

After failing to sign one of the three players now in Miami, the Bulls were all but out of making progress from last season’s 41-41 regular season record and early dismissal from the playoffs as James and the top seeded Cleveland Cavaliers whooped Chicago.

Although, he isn’t the best player in the league or even in the top 20, he adds to something the Bulls haven’t had in some time, a chance to be a dominant team. Since 1998 when the Bulls won their sixth and final championship, they haven’t been past the second round of the playoffs and they only got there once.

Friday’s win against the Dallas Mavericks made it the first time the Bulls went 2-1 in Texas, against the Mavericks, Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs, since, you guessed it, 1998.

The Bulls are on their way to becoming realistic title contenders and a few of the things they could use, inside depth and scoring, are sitting on their bench. I can’t wait until Boozer is cleared to play, so we can see what the Bulls can really do.

Luol Deng led the way with a double-double of 26 points and 11 rebounds, as all five starters scored in double-digits and had at least one steal and block. In general, the Bulls bone stomped the Warriors in every aspect of the game.

In other games around the NBA on Thursday, the Boston Celtics manhandled the Miami Heat once again. The final score was 112-107, but it only became close in the late minutes with a Heat run, but other than that, the Celtics owned the Heat from the time the ball was jumped. Boston’s Ray Allen scored 35 points including his gift to hit seven three-pointers , while Rajon Rondo dished out 16 assists as he continues to lead the league in assists per game with 14.9.

Boston’s record doesn’t matter, but the Heat who put together a superstar threesome in Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh fell to 5-4 to have all my co-workers, Facebook pals and other bloggers laughing at Miami.

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The good thing is, I picked the Celtics to win because I remembered how they dominated the Heat in the paint and there is no one on the Miami roster who can contain Rondo from setting up everyone on his team.

Also, the New Orleans Hornets are the only undefeated team in the NBA as the Los Angeles Lakers fell to the Denver Nuggets 118-112. Carmelo Anthony continues to dominate against any defensive player or team he wishes as he scored 32 points to led his team. Kobe Bryant also did his thing, scoring 34 points in the defeat.

Let’s see how my NBA picks worked out for Thursday and set some for Friday.

THURSDAY’S PICKS

Chicago Bulls beat Golden State Warriors 120-90…Right, the Bulls played almost a flawless game.

Boston Celtics beat Miami Heat 112-107…Right, the Heat have no answers for the Boston Celtics.

Denver Nuggets beat Los Angeles Lakers 118-112…Wrong, the Nuggets had been struggling while the Lakers were undefeated, but Melo showed he can tear up any defense.

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FRIDAY’S GAMES AND PICKS

Utah Jazz at Atlanta Hawks…Jazz, Deron Williams and Al Jefferson are becoming an unstoppable duo while the Hawks have fallen from their high level of play.

Houston Rockets at Indiana Pacers…Rockets, they have more skill.

Toronto Raptors at Orlando Magic…Magic, the Raptors are awful while the Magic have been playing above average, not great but good.

Charlotte Bobcats at Washington Wizards…Wizards, John Wall is making a statement.

New York Knicks at Minnesota Timberwolves…Knicks, Amare Stoudemire should get the win by himself, but they do have to D up Kevin Love.

Philadelphia 76ers at  Dallas Mavericks…Mavericks, the 76ers put up points, but Mavericks put up more.

Sacramento Kings at Phoenix Suns…Suns, although they’re a team on the decline, the Phoenix back court is still extremely talented with Steve Nash and Jason Richardson.

Portland Trailblazers at Oklahoma City Thunder…Blazers, LaMarcus Aldridge will have a field day offensively while Marcus Camby will control the glass.

Detroit Pistons at Los Angeles Clippers…Pistons, game of two lackluster teams, but the Pistons are healthy while the Clippers are banged up with Baron Davis, Eric Gordon, Chris Kaman and Randy Foye all suffering from injuries.

MAKE YOUR PICKS

1) COMMENT BOX

2) EMAIL:  BRANDON.LACHANCE@BULLSHOME.COM

The Huffington Post reported Bulls center Joakim Noah made the rivalry even bigger with his comments about Celtics forward Kevin Garnett on the ESPN Radio program “The Waddle and Sily Show”.

Noah called Garnett mean and said he wasn’t nice to young players or European players.

I don’t really care what Garnett says but here is why this rivalry gets better.

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First of all, Noah continues to show his character and lets people such as Garnett and LeBron James, in last season’s playoffs, know he is a force and isn’t going to let them walk on him or the Bulls.

I don’t like the comparisons he constantly gets with former Bull Dennis Rodman who had all kinds of crazy antics such as multi-colored hair and saying whatever he wanted, but Noah has become the face of toughness the Bulls need just like Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen needed Rodman.

In the 2009 playoffs the Bulls and the Celtics set NBA records with seven overtime periods in four overtime games. This summer Derrick Rose replaced Rajon Rondo as the starting point guard for Team USA in the FIBA World Basketball Tournament which led him to leaving the team. Nov. 1 the two teams went into overtime with all the makings of a great regular season game as Ray Allen and Kyle Korver exhanged three-point baskets, defenses made big stops and each rebound meant a win or loss, just like a Boston-Chicago game should.

Noah has thrown another branch into the endless burning bonfire known as the Bulls-Celtics series because Garnett and his teammates live for these type of comments. They’re going to try to knock every Bull on their ass while the Bulls are going to try backing up Noah by playing just as physical.

Paul Pierce will do his pump-fake then step into guys to get more fouls, Garnett will throw more elbows, Allen will attempt more three-pointers and Rondo will go even harder at Rose.

At the same time, Noah is going to yell and pump his chest after each rebound, Rose is going to attack Rondo with the same ruthlessness as Rondo is, Korver will come off the bench and answer Allen and the world will all be watching.

Maybe, Tom Thibodeau and Doc Rivers will start throwing chairs.

Even if it doesn’t happen, the Dec. 3 match up on ESPN should have the attention of every Bulls fan to see what will be the aftermath of Noah’s statements.

The Chicago Bulls are tying to extend Joakim Noah’s contract while trade offers to the Denver Nuggets for Carmelo Anthony seem dead in the water if Chicago will not part ways with Noah. In my opinion, this is a smart move by the Bulls. They need Noah’s inside defense, rebounding and hustle more than they need a scorer. Don’t get me wrong, I love Melo and want him to be a Bull, but Chicago shouldn’t give away their only pure big man for him. We know the saying, defense wins games.

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Other news in the NBA…

The Boston Celtic’s Rajon Rondo is saying he really didn’t want to play for the USA Basketball Team during the FBIA Championship and giving a bunch of reasons, or excuses,of why he didn’t try. If he felt this way, why did he wait until his starting job as point guard was given away? Why did he even try-out? The situation is over and done with, but Rondo keeps bringing it up, it’s a sign of him fabricating the truth. I hope his family the best, but don’t use them as an excuse for bad volunteer performances. The world championships is a volunteer game meaning he never had to be there in the first place.

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The Houston Rockets are reducing Yao Ming’s minutes to 24 a game in attempts to reduce bone stress. The 7’6 center has multiple injuries to his knees and feet during his eight year career, including, missing last season because of a surgery he had on his left foot in July of 2009, ESPN.com reports. Keith Jones, Rockets athletic trainer, said 24 is his lucky number. Ming will never play more than this set time even if it’s a crucial game or if he played less than 24 the night before, Jones said.

Limiting Ming’s injury potential is a good idea for Houston. The team is paying him $17.6 million this upcoming season, why not get their money worth? Ming will be a free agent after the up coming season, so maybe the Rockets are doing this to see if he is still worth keeping on the roster.

Spur’s center Tim Duncan is supposedly in better shape than he has been in the last few seasons, head coach Gregg Popovich said. The Spurs are as good and as boring as the 35-year old Duncan is. If the 14-year veteran is a lean mean basketball machine, the Spurs are championship contenders.

Miami Heat’s forward Udonis Haslem has survived drug charges he was accused of Aug. 15, shortly after he received another contract with the Heat. Haslem was facing a maximum prison sentence of five years and a $5,000 fine, but all charges were dropped due to them being unproven. The marijuana found in Haslem’s car during a traffic stop was claimed by the passenger.

This is another case of the NBA police catching a player slipping, he pays what they want and the charges get dropped.He is probably happy, because a prison term could have messed up his chance at another NBA championship. Haslem was part of the Heat’s 2006 title team.

Hopefully, the next around the league session will involve Anthony coming to the Bulls, Gary Payton signing an NBA contract and professional athletes go to narcotic anonymous meetings.

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Rose has brought it to every country in the world championship games. He is making his shots and is getting others open for them to add their own points. Kevin Durant, who is the dominant scorer for the USA team, would not get any open looks if it wasn’t for Rose and his drive and dish mind set. The point guard is making defenses think he is going straight to the hoop, then gets frustrated when he dumps it off to an open cutter.

This is something Rondo can do, but Rose just does it better. Rose has better court vision. Rose has a better jump shot. Rose plays better defense. I’ve been saying it for a year, Rose is better than Rondo.

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This is the official stamp of my statement. Obviously Coach K thinks Rose is his guy to start the USA team. He wasn’t even playing the Boston guard in exhibition games causing Rondo to drop from the team because he wasn’t going to play. After Kevin Durant, Rose is the best player on this team. He is by far the best point guard, besting Chauncey Billups and Russell Westbrook.If Rondo would have stayed on the team and made the final cut, Rose would continue to outplay him as well.

With this said, the Bulls should move up to the third best team in the eastern conference on every ones list. Some have Boston better than Chicago, moving them to fourth, no way. The Bulls have a better point guard, Rose over Rondo.  Also, a more productive power forward in Carlos Boozer over Kevin Garnett and a healthy athletic center in Joakim Noah compared to Kendrick Perkins or the extinct Shaquille O’Neal and Jermaine O’Neal.

Plus, the Bulls have one of the top five three point shooters in the NBA, Kyle Korver, to match up with Ray Allen and Ronnie Brewer is going to be a handful for Paul Pierce.

This is only the match up with the Boston Celtics, not the rest of the league.  There is no doubt in my mind the Bulls are in the top three eastern conference teams, Rose outplaying Rondo is a big reason why.

Today at 3 p.m. central, they see if they can match up with the reigning World Champions, Spain.

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This game will showcase one of the most intriguing match ups in international play, Spain’s Ricky Rubio VS Derrick Rose.

Rose is already one of the top NBA point guards in only two years of play. Rubio is a celebrated player in Spain who was drafted last year to the Minnesota Timberwolves but hasn’t made the trip to the states.

Both have great court vision and incredible speed. They also have the same problems, need a better jump shot.

Rubio will more than likely play most of the game while Rose will come off the bench and share minutes with Russel Westbrook, Chauncey Billups and Rajon Rondo. Still, this is the best match up in the game.

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According to the former NBA coach and current TV analyst, the Miami Heat with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh are going to not only take the eastern conference but possibly win the NBA championship, break the 1971-1972  Lakers record of a 33 game winning streak and the Bulls record of 72 regular season wins in the 1995-1996 season.

Van Gundy is known as a man who will say what is on his mind and has been good for the sport on the sideline and the mic. With this said, I respect his opinion.

The Heat have put together a championship team, no doubt. If the Boston Celtics can win a ring with Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and a young Rajon Rondo, who is blossoming into a great point guard, then the Heat can win with their big three, Mike Miller, Mario Chalmers and a stable of veterans ready to win a championship.

The Heat could win a title with the roster they created, no doubt. With all honesty, the only team standing in their way is the defending champs, the Los Angeles Lakers.

To say they can beat records, which seem unbeatable, is beyond crazy.

Call me crazy, because I think the Heat have the chance to do it. As a loyal Bulls fan, I definitely don’t want the record to be broken, but I think the Heat have the talent and ability to do it.

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James, Wade and Bosh are all in their prime. I can’t remember a big three in the history of the NBA who have put up the numbers these three have who are at their young ages. If you can, leave a comment.

Chalmers is a point guard who does all the little things and thinks pass first shoot later. This is the kind of guard the Heat need. In his two year career, he averages four assists a game.

Mike Miller is a guy who will come off the bench and produce in every possible statistic. He is a good shooter, including behind the three point line, a solid defender, rebounder and dish man. Miller, a 10 year veteran who has only played under 30 minutes a game three times, averages 14 points, five rebounds, three assists, 46% from the field and 40% from behind the arch for his career.

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Eddie House was picked up to add depth in their back court as well. He is a solid three point shooter who is not afraid to hit the dagger at the end of the fourth quarter after sitting for two and a half to three quarters. House, also a ten year veteran who has only played more than 20 minutes a game twice, averages eight points, two assists and rebounds, 84 % from the free throw line, 41% from the field and 40% from the three point line for his career.

The Heat also added some veteran big man to defend the post.

They brought back forward Udonis Haslem, who has been the defensive x-factor in Miami for the past seven seasons.  They then added three guys at the end of their career who will put up okay rebounding numbers but are big bodies who will make offenses work for their points: Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Jamaal Magloire and Juwan Howard.

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If the old men brake down the Heat have a rookie, Dexter Pittman, and three year player, Joel Anthony, who will use their minutes to prove they belong in the NBA. Well, maybe not belong, but at least be productive enough to win a championship.

The Heat have the roster. They also have the pressure to prove the forming of the super team was a good move.

Wade is being looked at as the leader of the team since he has never left Miami and recruited James and Bosh. If he doesn’t win, he will go down as a failure.

We all know the James story. If he doesn’t win a championship after leaving Cleveland high and dry, he will go down as the biggest superstar bust in history. Sure, he will win the MVP trophies, go to 15 all-star games and be on the All NBA First-Team for ten seasons, but he will not have a trophy. Which, whether you believe it or not, is the true ranking of great players. He would be put in the category of great players who never won a ring with Karl Malone, Charles Barkley, Reggie Miller, Patrick Ewing and the list goes on and on.

Bosh was coat tailing Wade and Bosh the entire free agency talk anyway, so it doesn’t matter if he wins or not.

The Heat have put together a solid supporting cast around two superstar and one all-star caliber players. There is also the pressure of proving the super team is a good idea that Wade and James want to rid.

If there was going to be a team to beat the record, it would be the Heat.

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The 38 year old is now on his sixth team during his 18 year career. I think it is safe to say, Boston is the last stop for the aging star. In a way, it is a perfect fit.

He is essentially going to a nursing home. The big three are past their prime; Paul Pierce, 32, Kevin Garnett, 34, and Ray Allen,35. Plus, they signed Jermaine O’Neal who is an old 31. This will be his last stop of his NBA career.

Kendrick Perkins injured his knee in the finals against the Lakers and will require knee surgery that will put him on the injured reserve list until February at the earliest. This means they needed to replace him.

Shaq, at 325 pounds, is still one of the biggest bodies in the league. He is still a force to be reckoned with in the paint on both sides of the ball. With Pierce, Allen, Garnett and Rajon Rondo, O’Neal doesn’t need to be a go to guy. Honestly, he doesn’t even need to play more than 15 to 20 minutes a game if you add Jermaine and “Big Baby” Glen Davis to the fold.

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There is no way in my mind, the Boston Celtics can compete with the Miami Heat or the Orlando Magic. Actually, if Carlos Boozer comes with his offensive “A” game, the Celtics will not be able to beat the very fast and athletic Chicago Bulls. But, there is still talk that the Celtics are going for another run at the NBA championship.

With the addition of the O’Neals, they are putting slow pieces on a roster that relies on running the court.

This, four super stars on one team, reminds me of the Houston Rocket team in the late 90′s early 2000′s. Hakeem Olajuwon, Charles Barkley and Clyde Drexler were on their last legs and Scottie Pippen was past his prime. Also, the Los Angeles Lakers with Shaq, Kobe Bryant, Gary Payton and Karl Malone. Payton and Malone were done and Shaq was on the decline then.

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It just never seems to work. General managers get this idea to put four hall of fame bound players together at the end of their career and see what happens. It all ends the same, they play well during the regular season until their body shuts down. By the time the playoffs come, three out of the four big name players are ready for rest and relaxation and can’t compete with the younger stars.

No one said the Celtics would get to the finals this past season. They shocked the world by beating the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Orlando Magic, I’ll give them that. But now, they have gotten older and slower while other teams have become quicker and more experienced.

O’Neal is going to retire what he is now, a 15-time all-star, four time NBA Champion and the fourth leading scorer in NBA history. His one or two year run in Boston will not change anything.

The teams head coach Mike Krzyzewski, who is also the ring leader of Duke’s basketball program, said Rose performed well in exhibition games against the rest of the players trying out for the team. Coach K told this to Bulls.com about Rose’s performance.

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“His ability to move the ball down the court and penetrate, he had eight assists, was very, very good,” Kryzewski said. “Defensively, he took it up a notch this week. Derrick really pressured the ball very, very well.”

This is great for all parties involved.

Team USA wins because they have one of the premier point guards in the NBA. They’re two point guards I think are better than Rose: Chris Paul and Deron Williams. Other than those two, I think Rose can take anybody else. Rose will prove Coach K made a great decision by putting him on the team.

The Bulls win because of the free marketing Rose and the USA Team are doing for them. Chicago fans and die hard NBA fans know if there is a listing of a Bulls game on the cable box, then turn it on to watch Rose play. Other people might not know this. International sports have a different audience, an audience the Bulls would like to advertise their best player in.

Rose wins because he has the chance to add to his resume as a basketball player. This isn’t the Olympics, but it is an international competition in which the world gives more than a round of applause to the champions. Who doesn’t want a gold medal sitting next to a rookie of the year award?

Rose’s teammates on the 2010 USA World Championship team will be:

• Chauncey Billups-Denver Nuggets
• Tyson Chandler-Dallas Mavericks
• Stephen Curry-Golden State Warriors
• Kevin Durant-Thunder
• Rudy Gay-Grizzlies
• Eric Gordon-Clippers
• Danny Granger-Pacers
• Jeff Green-Thunder
• Andre Iguodala-76ers
• Brook Lopez-Nets
• Kevin Love-Timberwolves
• Lamar Odom-Lakers
• Rajon Rondo-Celtics
• Russell Westbrook-Thunder