Bucks/Bulls: Michael Carter-Williams vs. Derrick Rose

Typically, a team’s point guard is the mastermind of the offense. Everything flows through the point guard, and guys like Chris Paul and Steph Curry look like skilled maestros running their offenses. Guys like Michael Carter-Williams and Derrick Rose…not so much.

More from Bucks News

Rose is a former NBA Most Valuable Player and at least was one of the most dynamic inside scorers in the entire association. Rose’s injury problems have been well-documented and it’s true that he has not been as explosive lately as he was in his MVP season. Even when he was at his best though, Rose was more of a scoring threat than a pass-first point guard.

MCW has a pass-first reputation, but that was more true in Philadelphia than with Milwaukee. In his time as a Buck he’s been much more apt at scoring than passing.

Carter-Williams has four games scoring at least 20 points, no games tallying double-digit assist numbers and just two games with nine assists with Milwaukee thus far. He’s been more likely to drop points than assists in his time as a Buck. This may not be entirely his fault, however.

The Bucks’ manic passing plays a role in it to be sure. Milwaukee dishes the ball all over the court, which has led to the Bucks’ starting five all scoring somewhere between 8.3 points per game (Zaza Pachulia) and 14.1 points per game (MCW). That’s a pretty remarkable balance, and it goes to show the unselfish nature of Jason Kidd’s Bucks.

Basically, this matchup is not between two experts at running their offense. It’s still important though, and definitely a key matchup in determining who will win this series. After all, Carter-Williams leads the Bucks in scoring and Rose is third on the Bulls despite missing over 30 games this season and thus being rusty in a portion of his games.

Basically the winner of this matchup will be whoever can figure out how to score on the other point guard, without giving up boatloads of points in the process. And that’s where things get interesting.

Derrick Rose has been a sieve this season defensively, allowing 108 points per 100 possessions and posting a negative 2.4 Defensive Box Plus/Minus.

Michael Carter-Williams has had the best defensive statistics of his career in his time with Milwaukee, allowing just 101 points per 100 possessions and posted a solid 1.4 Defensive Box Plus/Minus.

So neither point guard is a lockdown defender this season, but MCW clearly has an edge. He’ll need to be on top of his game defensively though, because even this hobbled version of Derrick Rose is better than Carter-Williams offensively.

Rk	Player	Season	GS	FGA	FG%	3PA	3P%	2P%	FTA	FT%	TRB	AST	STL	BLK	TOV	PF	PTS
1	Michael Carter-Williams	2014-15	63	15.4	.396	2.6	.235	.428	4.9	.694	5.9	7.4	1.9	0.5	4.2	2.8	16.2
2	Derrick Rose	2014-15	51	19.6	.405	6.4	.280	.465	4.4	.813	3.8	5.9	0.8	0.4	3.8	1.5	21.3

Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 4/17/2015.

As you can see in the table above, which showcases Carter-Williams’ and Rose’s per 36 statistics, Rose wins in essentially every offensive category. More points per 36, better percentages from the field, from three-point territory, from two-point territory and from the free-throw line.

MCW has dished more assists per 36 minutes and does rebound, steal and block more than Rose, but he also turns the ball over more and fouls more. While his defense may be stronger than Rose’s, Carter-Williams leaves a lot to be desired on the offensive side of the ball.

In the battle of defense versus offense, who wins? It usually depends on a variety of factors, but in this particular case we can look at Rose and Carter-Williams’ head to head matchup and see who prevailed in the one game they played against each other.

Player	Date	Tm		MP	FG	FGA	FG%	3P	3PA	3P%	FT	FTA	FT%	TRB	AST	STL	TOV	PF	PTS
Michael Carter-Williams	2013-11-02	PHI	W	37:09	10	22	.455	2	5	.400	4	5	.800	4	10	3	4	1	26
Derrick Rose	2013-11-02	CHI	L	32:28	4	14	.286	1	3	.333	4	4	1.000	4	6	0	8	2	13

Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 4/17/2015.

If MCW can destroy Rose in the upcoming playoff series the way he did the only time these two matched up, the Bucks might have better odds than you think. This game from last season is not indicative of Rose’s real ceiling though. He only played ten games that season and had the worst statistical season of his career, which shows in his sub-30 field goal percentage, eight turnover performance.

Carter-Williams, on the other hand, had one of the best games he’s ever had in his short career. He shot 45.5 percent from the field, 40 percent from three and posted a nice 26/10 points/assists double-double along with three steals and four rebounds.

This key matchup is going to be a very interesting one to watch. I doubt MCW goes off and Rose flounders like the last time these two met, but I do think this is a battle that could go either way. We’ll find out what’s stronger, Michael Carter-Williams’ defense or Derrick Rose’s scoring. The winner of that battle could end up the winner of this series.

Next: Milwaukee Bucks - Chicago Bulls: A History Lesson

More from Behind the Buck Pass

Home/Bucks News

Bucks/Bulls Key Matchup: Michael Carter-Williams vs. Derrick Rose

By Ti Windisch | Apr 17, 2015

More from Behind the Buck Pass