SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- The numbers say Derrick Rose is driving to the rim at a higher rate now than he was at any other point this season. After a slow start to the season -- the former MVP was statistically one of the worst shooters in the league from October through December -- that's significant progress for Rose and the Bulls, who have been maddeningly inconsistent and are stuck in the middle of the pack in the East.

What the numbers don't show is that Rose is teaching himself how to be the Rose of old again. That's a process that can't happen quickly enough for a team that desperately needs him to find his groove.

"I think it's just me getting back to used to just playing," Rose recently told ESPN.com. "Seeing openings, training my mental to be prepared and training my body to be prepared so that if I see a gap or if I see an opening, I'm hitting openings and gaps within a couple of seconds to be able to get to the rim. So it's all about just reading the game, and I think I've been doing a better job with just making sure that I'm getting there and getting contact with whoever's there."

To understand why Rose is having to teach himself the instincts that once came so naturally, consider that he comes into Wednesday night's contest against the Sacramento Kings having played just 102 regular-season games in the past four seasons, since he tore the ACL in his left knee in April 2012. This season, Rose has missed only six regular-season games because of various injuries, but that number is progress, considering he played in only 51 regular-season contests in 2014-15.

Rose struggled to find a rhythm early this season, in large part because he fractured his left orbital bone during the Bulls' first official practice in late September and missed most of training camp. The rust in Rose's game was evident on the court and by the numbers.

ESPN

ESPN

Among 94 players to take 100 field goals from inside the restricted area through the end of December, Rose's 44.4 field goal percent ranked last, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Expanding to the entire paint area, Rose's 42.6 field goal percent ranked last among 87 players to take 150 shots in that span.

The aspect of Rose's game that took the biggest hit was finishing near the rim. Rose ranked second to last in the league on layups from October through December, as he shot just 45.6 percent. Orlando's Victor Oladipo was last, at 43.5 percent.

Rose shed the protective mask he had been wearing in late December, when he said he felt like he was "hiding behind something." In the time since, his game has been revitalized. Since January, Rose has taken 59.1 percent of his shots from inside the paint, which is up from 52.2 percent through December. He has made more than half his shots (50.4 percent) from that area since Jan. 1.

Rose has acknowledged that he has dealt with lingering conditioning issues as he tries to get his legs back under him after missing almost all of the preseason. But Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg believes Rose's stamina is close to where it needs to be.

"... me attacking opens up the game because it puts so much pressure on the defense. But it takes me actually going through it and experiencing it and learning it all over again for me to really understand it."

"I think a big thing [is] he's had a stretch now where he's gotten consistent minutes, as opposed to in for four games, out for a couple," Hoiberg said. "He's played games in succession. He feels good, his body feels good, and he's in attack mode. That's a great thing for our team. When he's attacking the rim, good things happen."

For months, Hoiberg and Rose have discussed how important it is for him to get to the basket. All along, Hoiberg wanted Rose to push the pace whenever possible, something he struggled to do through the first couple months of the season. As Rose finds his way on the floor, he has adhered more to Hoiberg's message.

"His biggest thing was just playing downhill," Rose said of Hoiberg. "He wanted me to play downhill, but I haven't played in so long or played consistent games in so long, where I didn't have a rhythm of getting downhill all the time. So it's coming back to me now. And just trying to dissect every game that we play in, for the team and individually, because I feel like I can get a lot better."

From a statistical standpoint, Rose definitely has gotten better. He is shooting 56.6 percent from the field since the calendar turned to 2016 and almost 37 percent of those shots have been layups. That's up from 33 percent from October through December. The other noticeable jump comes from Rose's shots inside the paint. From October through December, he was shooting just 42.6 percent from that area. That number has risen to 50.4 percent since Jan. 1.

Derrick Rose doesn't have the pressure to carry the offensive burden anymore, but the Bulls are still better when he's attacking the rim. Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

From a mental standpoint, Rose appears to be enjoying the game more than he has at any other point since the knee injuries started piling up. He is regaining confidence in his abilities, a feat that has taken years. Even after struggling through a 6-for-21 performance Monday in an overtime loss to the Utah Jazz, Rose flashed a rare show of emotion on the court. After draining a clutch 3-pointer with 18.9 seconds left in regulation, which should have helped the Bulls lock up a much-needed win, Rose walked to center court and bowed to his audience.

It was an uncharacteristic display from a player who is trying to find joy in his own game again. The 27-year-old Rose isn't just learning how to be his old self again, he is also learning how to become an updated version. Before the knee injuries, Rose bore the responsibility of dominating offensively every game for the Bulls to win. Almost four years later, with Jimmy Butler ascending into a perennial All-Star and Pau Gasol still churning out double-doubles, Rose has become more of a distributor than he was at any other point in his career.

"Fred, the whole coaching staff, teammates want me to play a certain way. They want me to attack," Rose said. "And me attacking opens up the game because it puts so much pressure on the defense. But it takes me actually going through it and experiencing it and learning it all over again for me to really understand it."

Although he might not feel the pressure to carry the scoring load any longer, the Bulls are still at their best when Rose digs into his memory bank and flashes his old game. Luckily for Chicago, those instances seem to be getting more frequent, but it is still a process for Rose.