DeMar DeRozan, Bulls craft one more feel-good moment in this resurgent regular season
Published: March 31, 2022 US time
Publisher: the Athletic
Article author: Darnell Mebry
Article translated by de Gaulle
By the time they reached Game 77 of the regular season, the Bulls finally waited for them to foul them when they made three-point shots.
The Bulls played the Clippers at home, and with 3.5 seconds left in the fourth quarter, the Bulls, who trailed by two points, held the opportunity for the final attack. DeRozan, who held the ball in the top arc, did not borrow the cover of teammate Vucevic, took advantage of Paul George's slightly distracted opportunity, and pulled it up as a three-point shot. George hurriedly made a capped movement, but because he rushed forward too hard, he knocked down DeRozan. The referee did not hesitate to make a shot foul and a penalty of three blows.
Although DeRozan deflected the third free throw, the Bulls lost the chance to seal the win in regular time. But with 3.5 seconds left in the fourth quarter, the balance of victory has begun to tip in the direction of the bulls. In the end, the Bulls defended the home court to repel the Clippers with a score of 135-130. Whether it's the final score, or from the course of the game, the Bulls have a very hard time winning. And the reason it's so tough, like most of the games they've had after the All-Star break, is that they can't shoot enough goals.
After taking a 9-8 lead in the opening stage, the Bulls began their 46-minute game of play. Once behind in double digits, the Bulls' 2-3 run over the past five consecutive away runs once again shrouded the team. Before the start of the game, the Bulls' 44-32 record had been equalized by the Raptors, who were only one position ahead because of the win-loss relationship. If they lose the game against the Clippers, they will slip to 6th in the East and further down the playoffs.
However, the Bulls struggled to catch up in the final reading stage of the game. In addition to the aforementioned foul of George's three-point shot against DeRozan, before that ball, Clippers guard Terrance Mann fouled DeRozan early on the bulls' sideline ball, giving the Bulls a chance to "take a free throw" and allowing the Bulls to narrow the three-point deficit behind to two points. That's when DeRozan made a three-point shot later, george had to pounce on it. Because if George doesn't defend desperately and DeRozan shoots three points, the Bulls can take the victory straight away.
Although the process was full of twists and turns and an overtime game, the Bulls finally won. Moreover, the extra 5 minutes of game time also gave DeRozan more opportunities to perform, and also allowed him to score in this game, reaching the 50-point mark - which also refreshed DeRozan's single-game scoring record after joining the Bulls.
DeRozan's outstanding individual performance could not hide the many problems exposed by the Bulls team. The team, which once finished no. 1 in the East, has only a 7-11 record so far after the End of All-Star Weekend. Compared to the first 60 games of the season, their slippage is not serious. In a battle with the Clippers, the Bulls' defenses were often torn apart by opponents with a simple block. The Clippers shot 16 three-pointers with a 44 percent shooting percentage, in large part because of the Bulls' defense, which could not give the Clippers enough pressure and interference on the outside.
In attack, stagnation and stuttering are also everywhere. In the first three quarters, deRozan, Raven and Vucevic combined to score 52 points, accounting for more than 60% of the Bulls' total 82 points at the time, which also made it easier for the Clippers to target them defensively. "We played really hard tonight," Bulls coach Donovan summed it up.
It is in this context that the importance of DeRozan's 50-point performance in a single game is highlighted. Of DeRozan's 50 points, 36 came in the second half and extra time. Scoring at these key moments saved the Bulls hope of the game again and again, and ultimately left the victory in Chicago. The 50 points are the second-highest single-game score in DeRozan's career, after the 52 points he scored against the Bucks in 2018 while playing for the Raptors.
"This win is the more meaningful thing," DeRozan said, "and I really want to win this game." As you can see, the competition for the playoffs is fierce right now, every game is extremely important, and we don't have much room to lose more games. That's the mindset I have when I play the game. ”
For DeRozan, the 50-point performance against the Clippers is a continuation of his performance in the next two quarters of the previous game. Previously, in the last game of the Bulls' 5 consecutive away games, DeRozan only played in the first half of the game against the Wizards, only 2 of 12 shots. But in the second half of that game, DeRozan scored 23 points. In the end, DeRozan scored 32 points in a single game and led the team to victory, which was considered to stop the Bulls' decline. Now reversing the Clippers with another 50 points, DeRozan helped the Bulls win their first winning streak since March 13.
In addition to DeRozan, the Bulls' second-year striker Patrick Williams also had a good performance in this game. Previously, Williams underwent surgery for a wrist injury and had a 65-game truce. The game against the Clippers is Williams' 7th game back. He played very well in the second half after being put into the starting line-up by the coach. He played 37 minutes, and Williams had only 16 seconds off in the entire 17-minute game in the fourth quarter and overtime.
It's no exaggeration to say that Patrick Williams was also a key figure in the Bulls' win of the game. Although he scored only 10 points in the game, with the final 58 seconds left in the game, he threw a key three-pointer in the bottom right corner to give the Bulls a four-point lead and set the team up for the win. And the person who gave Williams the assist was DeRozan.
Williams, who scored the key goal, also appeared in the press room after the game to be interviewed by the media. DeRozan was also happy with the young man's performance, so he also entered the press room, and in the gap between interviews in Williams, DeRozan shouted at him: "That three-pointer is too good." ”
Williams smiled shyly, looked at DeRozan, and said softly, "Still a 50-point cow." ”
DeRozan immediately responded: "No, we can win this game because of your three points." ”
It seemed like a night when bulls came out of frustration and disappointment, and the whole of Chicago United Airlines Center was filled with a joyful atmosphere. In an interview, deRozan also congratulated him by splashing water. Next, the Bulls will have to fight the three eastern powerhouse teams of the Heat, Bucks and Celtics, and they need to let go of their burdens before this harsh schedule arrives.
"We need a moment like this," DeRozan said, "and we all need it." ”