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Why Rose, Thibodeau still connect years after Bulls tenures

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Derrick Rose didn't participate in Tuesday's morning shootaround, and his availability didn't get announced until just before tipoff, as the physicals and COVID-19 protocols for his trade from the Detroit Pistons to the New York Knicks had to be completed.

You think such little details are going to stop Tom Thibodeau from playing him 20 minutes?

Rose posted 14 points and 3 assists in 20 minutes in the debut of his second tour with the Knicks and third stint playing under Thibodeau, with whom he reached his greatest heights when they both worked for the Bulls. Rose looked so smooth in two impressive reserve spells that Thibodeau even fielded questions about why he didn't close with him as the Knicks lost a 98-96 heartbreaker to the Heat in Miami when RJ Barrett's driving layup over Jimmy Butler rimmed out at the buzzer.

Butler, by the way, stuffed the stat sheet with 26 points, 10 assists and 8 rebounds. But Rose's return to the Knicks and longstanding relationship with Thibodeau dominated postgame chatter.

"The synergy we got, I can’t explain it. We’re an odd couple. But for some reason, we understand the game. And the closest thing I can probably say is we’re students of the game," Rose said of a relationship that began in 2010. "We watch the game and try to understand the game and try to get better. It’s always room for improvement and it’s for the betterment of the team. Wherever I go, wherever he go, he’s always trying to win. And I want the same thing."

Rose said he agreed to the trade from the Pistons because of his relationship with Thibodeau and William Wesley, aka World Wide Wes, whom new Knicks president Leon Rose hired as a senior adviser.

"It’s family here. I got Wes here. I got Thibs here. I got everyone that I had success with basically here laying down the foundation," Rose said. "My job is to come in and do my job. I want to be a mentor to the younger guys and help develop them. But at the same time, show that I can hoop a bit."

After wearing No. 1 as he became the youngest most valuable player in NBA history with the Bulls and, later, No. 25 -- his high school number at Simeon to honor the late Ben Wilson -- Rose is wearing No. 4 for the Knicks. Austin Rivers, whom Rose supplanted at least on this night in the rotation, wears No. 25.

"The 4, my birthday is on the fourth. Me and my guys, my closest friends, there’s four of us. My Mom has four kids. My daughter’s birthday is on the fourth. If you look in the Bible on the fourth day -- I don’t know if get into all that -- but it was all about creation," Rose explained. "It’s the Emperor card, if you look that up. I don’t know if you’re deep into it. It just called my name and that’s what I rolled with."

Just like Thibodeau, of course, rolled with Rose on his first day in uniform following the trade. But anyone who thinks this strictly is a sentimental relationship at this point doesn't know Thibodeau.

"I'm always been partial to good players," Thibodeau cracked when asked about his bond with Rose.

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