CHICAGO — As a sustained, deafening roar filled United Center late Friday night, Derrick Rose jogged the length of the court to the Chicago Bulls’ bench, did a 180-degree leap into the arms of Joakim Noah and rested in his teammate’s embrace for a moment, a blank expression on his face.
It seemed to be as much relief as swagger, as much fatigue as joy.
In a rough, unseemly game, with long stretches of ragged play interspersed with brief moments of individual brilliance, Rose had provided the final, devastating act, banking in a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Bulls a 99-96 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 3 of their second-round playoff series.