Knicks' Rose: We're going to bring fans back
Things are looking up for the New York Knicks.
Support for the team has dipped over a 17-year stretch that's seen it win just one playoff series. But that's all about to change, according to new starting point guard Derrick Rose.
"We're going to get to the point where we're going to bring some Knick fans back to us," he told Ian Begley of ESPN on Wednesday. "Like the fans who gave up on the team probably a while ago, just off the strength of the direction the team was going. We're going to bring them back."
The club made several moves over the offseason in an effort to return to playoff contention, including signing the former league MVP. While they're not yet the "superteam" Rose envisioned, those gambles seem to be paying off, with New York (15-13) ranking fifth in an East playoff race that's wide open below the top two seeds.
The 28-year-old has been integral to the squad's change of fortunes. He's averaging 16.7 pointing while shooting 45.8 from the field to go along with 4.5 assists and four boards per night. He's enjoying playing in front of the MSG crowd, too, and noted how it differs from that of the Chicago Bulls, with whom he spent his first seven NBA seasons.
"(Bulls fans) saw me in my MVP form, so anything less than that, they're not trying to see it, they're not trying to hear about it," Rose said. "It's not even expectations. It's just feeling appreciated for just going out here and playing hard."
The former No. 1 has regressed since those All-NBA days, mostly due to injuries, but he's contributing, and the Knicks have picked up some impressive victories. They're a talented bunch, and one of the most exciting teams to watch in their barn.
All aboard the bandwagon.