The Timberwolves have had many legendary nights in franchise history, but Derrick Rose had one that remains iconic today, and it was something he expected.
Derrick Rose Knew He Was Scoring 50 Points For The Timberwolves originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Derrick Rose had a memorable season and a half playing for the Minnesota Timberwolves. He arrived in Minnesota after being waived by the Utah Jazz. It was a reunion for Rose and the Timberwolves' head coach at the time, Tom Thibodeau.
At this point, Rose was firmly away from his stardom, but he was still a solid contributor. The Timberwolves were in the Playoffs, where Rose had a solid performance against the Houston Rockets. However, his time in Minnesota is best known for his 50-point outburst in an October 31 game against the Jazz.
Rose suddenly scoring 50 points was one of the most memorable moments in Timberwolves history. A lot of people felt bad for Rose, as he kept suffering major injuries that kept him out of the spotlight and firmly away from superstardom.
This player holds the record for being the youngest regular-season MVP in history, at 22. He was set for an all-time great career, but injuries swiftly took that away from him.
In that late October night, Rose turned back the clock and returned to MVP form. Interestingly, Rose knew he would have a big game before tip-off.
Related: Derrick Rose Issues Strong Statement on Injury-Riddled Career
Rose Felt He Was Due For A Big Night Before His 50-Point Game
Before the game, the Timberwolves announced that All-Star Jimmy Butler would be sitting due to "general soreness," which was an interesting situation with his trade request. At the same time, point guards Jeff Teague and Tyus Jones were also sidelined for the game.
That meant Rose had the green light to take a lot of shots. Rose knew that he could have a big night, especially with the confidence instilled in him by his coach and teammates.
However, no one expected Rose to have a throwback performance, scoring 50 points to lead the Timberwolves in a close 128-125 win against the Jazz. No one expected it, except for the former MVP himself.
"That's a fact. I saw Jimmy wasn't playing, and I said it. Like I said, Jimmy wasn't playing, and Jeff wasn't playing. That's 20-something shots," Rose said on the Numbers on the Board podcast. "I'm going off field goal attempts. That's too many shots I could get up. If I do my thing and I make the majority of it, I can keep shooting."
An Emotional Night NBA Fans Will Never Forget
The NBA community has seen plenty of 50-point performances. Some get forgotten and lost in the shuffle, like Andre Miller's 52-point game for the Portland Trail Blazers or even Corey Brewer, who once scored 51 points for the Timberwolves in 2014.
Rose's 50-point night was not like that because it remains an iconic night in his career. Many people see Rose as a failed player due to his struggles with injuries and wasted potential. However, he still gave people fantastic moments, including this 50-point performance.
“I worked my ass off bro.”
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 31, 2020
Two years ago today, Derrick Rose scored a career-high 50 points and got emotional in the postgame interview. pic.twitter.com/QJlIopf9kS
Rose is not a failure as a player; he just faced a lot of unfortunate circumstances. The 2011 MVP deserves his flowers, and thankfully, his hometown team will honor him by retiring his #1 jersey. The Timberwolves only had one year with him, but he still has one of the most legendary nights in franchise history.
Related: Derrick Rose Reflects on ACL Injury in Emotional Retelling
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: Basketball
