MINNEAPOLIS — Tears of joy rained down the face of Derrick Rose as his Minnesota Timberwolves teammates showered him with hugs and support at the Target Center.
Before he could even begin his post-game interview on the floor with Timberwolves sideline reporter Lea B. Olsen, the former MVP had to wipe his face with a towel then gather his emotions before speaking.
“I worked my a-- off, bro,” a red-eyed Rose said, before loud cheers. “I went out and did this for the franchise, the organization, the fans… everybody. I wouldn’t be able to play the way I play.”
Rose went off for a career-high 50 points, six assists and four rebounds in a 128-125 win against the Utah Jazz Wednesday, on a night the Timberwolves were without Jimmy Butler, Tyus Jones and Jeff Teague.
Just last season, Rose was waived by the Jazz48 hours after being included in a three-team deal with Jae Crowder from Cleveland before the February trade deadline.
Rose never reported to Salt Lake City and would ultimately reunite with his former Chicago Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau in Minnesota after becoming a free agent.
Without Butler (precautionary rest), Jones (foot soreness) and Teague(knee soreness), Rose entered the starting lineup versus Utah on Halloween night to go off for a career performance.
“Everything happens for a reason,” Rose said after the win. “That’s how I feel. I come in and I work my butt off every day and the last couple of years I’ve just been looking for an opportunity to go out there and play the way that I normally play and that’s a free and easy game and I’m just having the ball in my hands and the majority of the game, my teammates were running with me.
“I was talking throughout the entire game on the defensive end and on the offensive end and to tell you the truth this is the most I’ve ever talked to my teammates in my life because I’m kind of like a vet on this team,” he added. “Early on in my career I was figuring things out, too, but I had great vets so being in this position, it’s all about leading by example and staying in their ear because we have a young team.”
Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell posted 26 points and five assists on 10-for-24 shooting before exiting the game late in the fourth quarter with right hamstring tightness. He will be re-evaluated on Thursday.
Reigning Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert continued to shine offensively with 22 points, 13 rebounds, three assists and three blocks in 33 minutes but appreciated the vintage performance by Rose.
Gobert also had to overcome a couple of knee injuries last season but says he hasn’t come close to enduring the myriad of injuries Rose has had to face — including his left ACL tear and a right knee meniscus tear.
Although the Jazz gave up 128 points defensively in a road loss, Gobert respects Rose’s mental fortitude to fight back at 30 years old.
“I’ve been through some injuries but I’ve never had a knee surgery or any kind of stuff like that so I think it’s hard for me to put myself in his shoes but just keep believing,” Gobert said. “When you’ve got nothing to lose, you just keep working and keep believing.”
Prior to Rose’s 50-point night, he hadn’t posted more than 40 points since March 18, 2011, in the season during which he became the youngest MVP in league history.
“He had it going,” said Crowder, who posted 18 points and seven rebounds off five triples in the Minnesota loss. “He was confident in his pull-up jumpers, he was confident getting to the paint and we’ve just got to find a way. Good teams always find a way to win games like this and we’re building, we’re trying and we have a lot more games to go.
“We’ll watch film on it, get better but we have to find a way somehow even when a guy’s got it going like that.”
For Utah (4-3), the Minnesota loss snapped a three-game winning streak on a four-game road trip. On Friday, the Jazz will return home to host the Memphis Grizzlies.
Alec Burks also didn’t play in Minnesota with a left-hand sprain while Derrick Favors returned from missing the last game with left knee soreness to post 14 points and eight rebounds in 22 minutes.
Joe Ingles finished with 13 points, six rebounds and five assists while Dante Exum came off the bench to add 14 points, four rebounds and three assists.
But Rose was the undisputed star of the night. His pull-up jumpers, driving layups and freakish athleticism were once again on display as he turned back the clock at home against Utah at least for one night.
“It all just came together,” Rose said.