Beasley wins Round 1 against No. 1 pick Rose

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Michael Beasley gave just a casual shrug and sly smile at the suggestion, but it didn't take him long to prove he should have been the No. 1 pick in the recent NBA Draft.

Michael Beasley has no problems getting around Joakim Noah. (AP)

He was the dominant player Monday night. As the No. 2 pick, he tried harder, and he played better -- a lot better than No. 1.

Beasley opened his NBA career Monday night with an impressive Summer League performance, leading his Miami Heat to an embarrassingly easy 94-70 romp over the Chicago Bulls, the team that bypassed him to take Derrick Rose.

"Tonight, he (Beasley) was the best player on the floor," Heat coach Keith Askins said. "You can already see he's going to be a hell of a player."

Beasley, the 6-foot-8 forward from Kansas State, played just 23 minutes, but he took 21 shots, scored 28 points, grabbed nine rebounds and irritated the Bulls with his attitude.

Rose, the 6-3 point guard from Memphis, managed just 10 points, four assists and five turnovers, looking too mechanical and out of sync with his new teammates.

Although the Summer League game at Orlando's RDV Sportsplex was closed to the public, the gym was filled with coaches, scouts, players and a couple hundred fans who found their way inside, all curious to see the Rose/Beasley professional debut.

Almost everyone was nodding their heads toward Beasley, acknowledging him as the real deal. Beasley looked almost oblivious to the surroundings -- everyone coming to see him and Rose -- playing loose and free, humming what he called "a happy tune" on his way to the free-throw line.

Bulls forward Joakim Noah, who was trying unsuccessfully to guard him, scowled at Beasley's playful banter. They exchanged a few words.

Beasley laughed afterward, looking like a free spirit with a drive and determination to become a star in the NBA. Making the jump to the next level might take time for some players, but he looks as if he already has made it.

The game always looked easy for him in college, where he averaged 26.2 points and 12.4 rebounds, but it looked even easier in his pro debut.

"It's just basketball, same as college, high school, middle school, playground," Beasley said. "Same concept, same rules, same game. You just go out and have fun. I could have played better, had a couple more rebounds and assists, but I just played my game."

Beasley displayed a nice post-up game and hit a couple of face-up jumpers. He had the quickness and aggressiveness to reach the free-throw line, where he made 9 of 12 attempts.

It's hard to make a determination on one Summer League game, but Beasley sure looked like he will be a thorn in Rose's side throughout his career. As the No. 1 pick, Rose is the one expected to become a dominating player, even at point guard.

"I was a little tense out there today," Rose said. "In the first half, I was running plays instead of just reacting. I hope you see a better side of me tomorrow. We didn't win. I played horrible."

For much of the night, Rose was corralled easily by Heat rookie point guard Mario Chalmers, a second-round pick from Kansas. Chalmers had 11 points, six assists and four steals in his matchup with Rose.

"The comparison (with Beasley) will be there. It's natural," Rose said. "It's 1 and 2. The same thing always happens. I'm not worried about it. I just want to help my team win."

It was the Bulls who had the more experienced roster Monday with Noah, Tyrus Thomas and Rose in the lineup, three players who should figure prominently during the regular season. Yet it was Beasley who controlled the game with nondescript players around him.

The Bulls confidently made the decision to take Rose over Beasley in the draft. The Heat almost bypassed Beasley also, worried about his playful, almost casual attitude. They sure looked happy to have him Monday.

Thomas blocked his first shot, but Beasley took his second shot on the next possession, and he kept shooting and driving and shooting and driving, taking almost one shot per minute. He didn't look anything like a young player who missed most of the practice sessions leading up the game because of a slight sternum fracture.

"I was going to play him the whole second half, and we were going to go to him all game long," Askins said. "We want to see what he can do. At halftime, I looked at him, and it looked like he was in a daze. He's just so laid back. And so talented."