Celtics, Rondo to get a look at No. 1 pick Rose

When the Celtics hit the floor for their second regular season game, they'll do so against the Chicago Bulls.

The Bulls were a huge disappointment last season but there is reason to believe this year. That reason: No. 1 pick Derrick Rose.

Rose, the 6-foot-3 point guard is fresh off an NCAA title game run as a freshman at Memphis. A top recruit heading into last season, Rose became a lottery contender with a phenomenal run through the NCAA tournament with the Tigers.

Things have changed, though and Rose is back home in Chicago --- as the future savior for the Bulls.

Some could argue that it's way too early to put "savior" pressure on a 20-year old rookie point guard. With his raw physical skills, however, some would argue that it's only a matter of time.

Chicago Tribune columnist Rick Morrissey is among the "some". In a piece this week, he wrote:

Let's be clear: This is going to take a while. Not a long while. But there will be good nights and bad nights and blah nights for the kid. But eventually, sooner rather than later, there will be mostly good nights. He will take over games, the way the great ones do.

I'll admit that I haven't seen too much of Rose. After seeing him throughout his freshman year at Memphis and in the tournament, in particular, however, I think Morrissey is right on. It's only a matter of time before Rose becomes exactly what Chicago is hoping for.

He'll face a tall task in Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo Friday. Rondo is coming into his own as one of the league's best all-around point guards and is one of the few to match Rose's speed up and down the floor.

In his NBA debut on Tuesday, Rose had 11 points and nine assists, facing Luke Ridnour of the Milwaukee Bucks primarily. Friday, he'll get a much tougher matchup in the athletic Rondo.

This is a matchup I'll definitely be tuning in to see.

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