Rose leads Bulls to win as Deng returns

MILWAUKEE – NBA Most Valuable Player Derrick Rose scored 26 points with 13 assists Saturday, leading the Chicago Bulls to a 113-90 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks.

Rose’s performance helped ensure the Bulls celebrated the return of Britain’s Luol Deng with a victory.

Deng, who is expected to lead Britain’s basketball squad at this year’s London Olympics, missed seven games with a torn ligament in his left wrist.

He showed few ill effects upon his return, however, as he played 41 minutes and scored 21 points. That included making his first three three-point attempts.

“I feel great,” said Deng, who also grabbed nine rebounds.

“I can’t say enough about him,” Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said. “He stays in great shape. He got out there and did everything, played defense, rebounded, made shots, made us function well as a team. It was very encouraging.”

But it was Rose who impressed Bucks coach Scott Skiles. He finished with 26 points and 13 assists.

“He is truly a great player,” Skiles said.

Thibodeau acknowledged that Rose was the key to a game in which the Bulls matched a season high with 67 points in the first half. Their 14 three-pointers were also a season-high.

“Derrick set the tone,” Thibodeau said. “He played with a lot of energy in that first quarter. (The Bucks) had played last night, so we wanted to make sure we did that. Derrick did everything. He made the game simple. He got us easy baskets in transition. Obviously, I was very pleased with that.”