Smooth Performance of the Night: Derrick Rose reminds the world what he's capable of

It's been a strange season for Derrick Rose, full of peaks and valleys and oceans of uncertainty.

Nearly every step of the way, there's been an eagerness among fans and pundits to proclaim that he's "back," to see vestiges of the guy we remember in every skip pass and hard crossover and acrobatic finish at the rim. 

There have been handfuls of those moments, but few complete games. Even before right meniscus surgery cost him six weeks after the All-Star break, the Chicago Bulls point guard looked uncomfortable and discombobulated more often than he looked like his old self. 

Rose's performance in Game 3 against the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday may prove to be another red herring, but it was vintage Rose, no sugarcoating or embellishment needed. It was the best game he's played in years. 

Rose was all over the court, driving and kicking, hitting floaters in the lane, finishing  twisting layups and drilling 3-balls off the bounce. On top of playing some hard-nosed defense, Rose dropped 34 points on 12-of-23 shooting, including 5-of-9 from downtown, adding five rebounds, eight assists and three steals in a 113-106 double-overtime win. 

Thursday's game represented a number of firsts for Rose since his initial ACL injury upended his ascendant career trajectory in the 2012 playoffs. 

"I'm still trying to catch a rhythm," Rose admitted after the game. "Sometimes I get winded. I catch a second wind and I come back good. But I can't think about that."