That withstanding, it was almost the imposing fashion in which the 76ers were handled by the Bulls. So much so that after having a 20 pt lead the Bulls were not satisfied with walking away with the win, they demanded to leave with a dominant victory.This is why Rose was even on the court when the Bulls were cruising to a win.

After the game Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau defended the decision to sit his star to once the game was sealed.

“I don’t work backward like you guys do,” Thibodeau said. “The score was going the other way.”

The series and/or an Eastern Conference title could go the other way if the upcoming MRI on Rose’s knee is as bad as expected.

On the 76ers side, Elton Brand finished with 19 points, seven rebounds and four blocked shots. His performance was the lone bright spot for his team.

Be sure to check out other great articles at Players View.

Rose was fined for comments made to the media after the Bulls’ 104-99 win over the New York Knicks on March 12 at the United Center.

Rose led Chicago to a 4-0 week with averages of 28.8 points, 7.5 assists and 1.75 steals. Rose tallied 30-plus points twice, including a high of 35 to close the week on March 4 during a 96-91 win at Philadelphia. With three of their four wins coming away from the United Center, Rose’s Bulls own the NBA’s best mark on the road at 17-6 (.739).

Lawson led the Nuggets to a 3-0 week with averages of 20.7 points, a Western Conference-best 11.7 assists and 7.0 rebounds. Lawson posted two point-assist double-doubles, including a 22-point, 11-assist, nine-rebound effort on March 4 at San Antonio during a 99-94 Nuggets win. Lawson had just four turnovers on the week.

Academic and activist Lenford Kwesi Garrison is on the £1 note, Luol Deng is on the five pound note, David Bowie is on the £10 and second world war secret agent Violette Szabo is on the £20.

On Deng’s Foundation website he said “I am honored to be featured on the new Brixton Pound notes, I grew up as a young teenager player basketball for the Brixton Topcats which marked the beginning of my career. So it is with great pleasure that I am helping to support the local community that played a vital part in getting where I am today.”

For those who don’t know about the Brixton Pound (B£), it’s money that sticks to Brixton. It’s designed to support Brixton businesses and encourage local trade and production. It’s a complementary currency, working alongside (not replacing) pounds sterling, for use by independent local shops and traders.

Rose is the second Bulls player to win the award, as he joins five-time winner Michael Jordan as the only Bulls to be named league MVP in team history.

“Derrick had an outstanding season for us, and we would not be where we are today without him. Very few players have the work ethic and dedication that he has for the game of basketball,” said Chicago Bulls General Manager Gar Forman. “He is a terrific example for not only the Chicago Bulls, but also for the NBA. We are very pleased that Chicago’s MVP is the NBA’s MVP.”

Rose has helped the Bulls to an NBA-best record of 62-20, and to the most wins by a Bulls team since Chicago won 62 games in 1997-98 en route to the franchise’s sixth NBA championship.

In 81 games this season, he averaged 25.0 ppg (seventh in the NBA), 7.7 apg (10th), 4.1 rpg, 1.05 spg, 37.4 mpg, and he shot .445 from the field, .332 from behind the arc and .858 from the line. He has also posted career highs in scoring, assists, rebounds, steals, blocks, three-point shooting, free-throw shooting and minutes played.

The NBA MVP trophy is named in honor of the late Maurice Podoloff, the first commissioner of the NBA who served from 1946 until his retirement in 1963.

Team mate C.J. Watson tweeted a few days ago that Rose is to receive the award. But Rose laughed off the tweet, “I didn’t say anything to him about that, but I’m happy he’s doing that, it means a lot coming from him. C.J. knows a lot of people out here, a lot of famous people too. So watch that guy.”

As also reported in the Chicago Tribune, Rose said, “If I get it, it will be nice, unbelievable, a goal I said at the beginning of the year that I wanted to achieve, It would be huge, not only for me but for the city.”

Do you think Derrick Rose deserves the 2010-2011 MVP Award? Let us know?

This is the first time a Bulls coach has won the Coach of the Year award since Phil Jackson in 1996.

Chicago’s 62 wins ranks fourth in team annals for wins in a season, and it marks a 21-game improvement from the team’s 41-41 campaign in 2009-10 (the third-best single-season turnaround in franchise history). On the year, the Bulls went 16-4 (.800) following a loss, and were one of two teams in the NBA (Boston Celtics) that did not lose more than two games in a row.

“This is a well deserved honor for Tom. He is a terrific teacher, motivator, tactician and communicator. His work ethic, passion for the game and for our players is appreciated,” said Chicago Bulls General Manager Gar Forman. “We are thrilled that he is part of the Bulls organization and want to congratulate him on being named the NBA’s Coach of the Year.”

Firstly, here’s my official winners, with an almost-serious Bold Prediction for each:

East

Boston vs Miami

Miami in 5.

A wing-centric series, LeBron James will post a trip-dub. Rajon Rondo will come close to one but fall shy on rebounds by three or less.

Atlanta vs Chicago

Chicago in 6.

Carlos Boozer will return from his turf toe to post a near 20/20 with more than 15 points and rebounds.

West

Dallas vs Los Angeles

Los Angeles in 6.

Tyson Chandler has been a huge difference-maker for Dallas this season, but the difference here will be Andrew Bynum and his double-double average for the series.

Unless…

Memphis vs Oklahoma City

Oklahoma City in 5.

The Grizzlies are gritty and physical, and Kendrick Perkins can’t guard both Gasol the Greater and Z-Bo at the same time. However, this one will be decided on the perimeter. In one game Shane Battier will hold Kevin Durant to 20 points or less, and in another KD will drop 50.

___

How to flip the script

Boston

With a Zombie Jermaine O’Neal and an always-hobbled Other O’Neal anchoring the defense after Danny Ainge inexplicably decided to implode what may have been the best team in the league at the time by trading away Perkins, the Celtics would need 2008 DPoY Kevin Garnett to hop into the Hot Tub Time Machine to take this series.

Rondo and Garnett would need to own the paint against the league’s sixth-best paint defense team this season, the Heat, hooking up for alley oops as they did when only the Chris Paul-to-Tyson Chandler connection could compete in that rare air of yesteryear.

Atlanta

The Atlanta Hawks have never been out of the second round of the playoffs. Ever.

Pretty much the only way they’re doing so this season is if the Bulls suddenly decide they’re just too green make a move yet. This is the farthest the Derrick Rose-led Bulls have yet been in the postseason, but they’re extremely balanced and well coached.

This marks the second straight series that rookie head coach Tom Thibodeau goes head-to-head with another rookie head coach, this time Larry Drew. Thibs seemed a little lost a times versus Frank Vogel and the Indiana Pacers.

Dallas

…Andrew Bynum goes down, as he is apt to do. This would result in Lakers Fan dubbing him Brittle Bynum as they collectively dash their free samples of Lamar Odom’s “Unbreakable” all over the SoCal streets.

We’ve had the Lakers’ length pounded into our skulls for years now, and there’s some speculation that Mavs coach Rick Carlisle will be forced to counter with a large lineup of Chandler, Haywood, and Dirk in order to compete.

However, I believe Shawn Marion can make a huge impact in this series in regards to Lamar Odom.

Odom (left) and Marion's (right) impact when on the court together

Look what happens to Odom’s numbers when Marion goes to the bench.

Memphis

Ibaka will struggle with Zach Randolph. Consequently, coach Scott Brooks will have to switch the scowling Perk onto him at times. This has the unfortunate result of freeing up Marc Gasol who has picked up the slack in a big way when Z-Bo takes stretches off, as he inevitably will.

However, this one will be decided on the perimeter.

If Durant gets hot there’s no stopping him, but if anyone can force the ball into Russell Westbrook’s hands, making him fancy himself a hero, it’s Shane Battier and his opponent PER of 10.0.

If we get this Tony Allen defending Westbrook the Thunder could fizzle with a whimper.

_____

You can follow Clint on Twitter at @Clintonite33

Lucas III (5-11, 165) appeared in two games with Chicago earlier this season, and averaged 1.0 ppg and 0.5 apg in 5.0 mpg.

Pargo, a 6-1, 185-pound guard, joins the Bulls for his fourth stint having played for Chicago during the 2003-06, 2009-10 seasons. A seven-year NBA veteran, Pargo played overseas in 2008-09, where he split time between the MBC Dynamo Moscow (Russian Super League) and Olympiacos B.C. (Greek League/Euroleague).

In 379 regular season contests in the NBA, Pargo has averaged 6.6 ppg, 2.0 apg and 1.5 rpg in 15.7 mpg. A .349 career shooter from behind the arc, he also owns career shooting averages of .388 from the field and .861 from the line. He has played in 35 playoff games, and posted postseason averages of 6.2 ppg, 1.6 apg, 1.4 rpg, 14.2 mpg, .370 from the field, .371 from behind the arc and .711 from the line.

Chicago’s roster now stands at 15 players.

Deng (6-9, 220) started all 11 games for Chicago in February, and averaged 18.5 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 3.5 apg and 1.10 spg in 38.6 mpg. For the month, he shot .487 from the floor and .878 from the line. He scored in double figures 10 times, including four games with 20 or more points, and he led the team in scoring three times.

On the year, Deng leads the Bulls in minutes played at 38.6 mpg (fifth in the NBA). He is one of six players in the NBA who is currently averaging at least 17.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 2.5 apg and 0.90 spg. He also is one of two Bulls players who has started every game this year.