Beijing time on December 20, 2021, the NBA regular season ushered in a focus battle, bulls vs Lakers, this game Lakers side of the thick eyebrows due to injury absent, and Lavine because of the trigger league health and safety regulations, so continue to truce. As a result, the two teams became a clash between James and DeRozan. In the past, because of the lineup and psychological reasons, DeRozan has not been able to pass the barrier of James, but after 2 years of experience with the Spurs, DeRozan has become more and more mature, and the key moments have become more powerful.
In this game, James played 39 minutes, and finally 11 of 21 cut down 31 points, 14 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal and 2 blocks, and thought he could lead the team to win, but he was blocked by Azan. DeRozan played really well, playing 34 minutes, 11-of-24, scoring 38 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists and 1 steal, plus-minus +6. In the fourth quarter, when the team was behind, DeRozan stepped forward again and again, using his mid-range to complete the score, and throughout the fourth quarter, he only played 8 minutes, but scored 19 points on 7-of-11, including the key counter-attack against James, which was worth thousands of dollars, and finally helped the Bulls win 115:110.
This season's DeRozan is really strong!
Azan is strong, but how strong is it?
This season, he averaged 35.2 minutes per game and averaged 26.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 0.9 steals, shooting 49.6 percent from the field. Among them, the average score per game is the fifth highest in the league, the highest since the 16-17 season, and it is rare for DeRozan to play such data and efficiency when the league's penalty rules are tightened, players score points more difficult, and no one averages in double figures per game.
DeRozan is the league's top ball carrier, and his mid-range is a graveyard for killing, especially in the middle distance. This season, DeRozan has made a total of 136 shots from mid-range and close range, hitting 75 of them, or shooting 55.1 percent. In terms of offensive choices, DeRozan's main offensive method is to singles with the ball and initiate blocking, and this season he averaged 3.5 singles per game, 1.29 points per game, shooting 62.9% from the field, making him the most efficient player in the league. You know, even Durant, this season can only score 1.05 points per singles, while James is only 0.8 points, shooting only 37.3%. In terms of carrying the ball to initiate the blocking, DeRozan is also top-notch, this season he averaged 9.3 blocks per game, can rank 7th in the league, can get 0.96 points per round, the efficiency is similar to Paul.
King of the Last Quarter, Mr. Key of the Alliance
DeRozan was the league's final season king, averaging 8.2 points per game in the fourth quarter, the league's top spot. In the fourth quarter, DeRozan often turned on the killing mode, using the middle distance to defeat opponents again and again, the data shows that this season Azan shot a total of 130 times in the fourth quarter, can hit 70 of them, shooting as high as 53.8%, of which 45.5% of three-point shooting rate (5 of 11), free throw shooting rate of 91.2% (52 of 57). As head coach Donovan said, DeRozan is calm and he doesn't panic.
Speaking about taking over the game in the final quarter, DeRozan said: "It's an honor to be trusted by my teammates at a time like this, and I never take it for granted. It's an adrenaline rush that you can't replicate, so whenever you get the chance, you want to make the most of it. For me, I love key moments, and there's nothing more exciting than that.
DeRozan's takeover in the final quarter is not uncommon, and this season he played a total of 15 games with key moments, averaging 3.1 minutes per game, averaging 3.4 points, 0.9 rebounds and 0.5 assists, shooting 55.6% from the field and shooting 100% from the free throw line. In addition to this game against the Lakers, the previous game against the Nets, it was DeRozan's consecutive hits at key moments that allowed the Bulls to win the game.
DeRozan's help to the Bulls
DeRozan and Lavin are both shooting guards, and the two are 198cm tall and 196cm tall, and such a dual-core lineup is not common. When DeRozan arrived, the Bulls flanked an excellent attacker who could help Lavin unleash offensive pressure. At the same time, DeRozan's style of play is just complementary to Lavine, Who is good at shooting three-pointers and running without the ball, while DeRozan likes mid-range and individual singles, two different styles, making the Bulls offensive end more diverse and giving opponents more defensive pressure. With the arrival of DeRozan this season, the Bulls' offensive efficiency has climbed to 11th in the league, and the team's record has also risen to second place in the East.
DeRozan has given this Bulls a lot of help, the firepower output at key moments, the hard solution in the situation and the defense of the team's defender line and flanks, etc., but these are not the most important, the most important thing is that the Bulls really want to win this season, and DeRozan is undoubtedly the best of them.