On Dec. 27, in a thrilling game, Drummond made a splash in the Bulls' 118-113 home win over the Hawks. It was his first start in his Bulls career, replacing Vucevic, who was absent due to injury, but brought out the full potential of his peak form in this game.
In the face of the Hawks, the Bulls lineup is stretched, lacking many main players such as LaVine, Vucevic, and Brother Ball, which makes the outside world generally look down on their chances of winning. And in this game, the 30-year-old Drummond ushered in the first start of his Bulls career, showing the perseverance and determination of a veteran.
At the start of the game, the Bulls led the Hawks 28-17 and seemed to have the advantage. However, the 22-39 loss in the second quarter put the Bulls in passivity, and even outscored the Hawks by 12 points at one point. At this critical moment, Drummond stepped up and led the Bulls to catch up in two consecutive quarters, and finally narrowly defeated the Hawks 118-113.
Drummond played 39 minutes of playing time, hitting 11-of-13 from the field, blasting 24 points, 25 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals and 2 blocks, and his all-around dominance was breathtaking.
And he broke a number of records in this game, showing his strength as the heart of the team. Drummond topped the list of active players with at least 25 rebounds in eight games, becoming the new single-game rebounding record for Bulls players since 2006. His 45 20-20 performances are the pinnacle of active players, far surpassing the veteran Love. In addition, Drummond also set a record for the first player to rebound 25 rebounds in a single game this season, and became the first player since Barkley in 1986 to have at least 24 points, 25 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals and 2 blocks in a single game.
Drummond's performance not only brought victory to the team, but also wrote a new chapter in basketball history for him personally. In this game, he was like a replica of Zhuang Shen's peak, proving with practical actions that he is still a superstar on the basketball court, and also brought a unique visual feast to the fans. The rise of the veteran is rediscovering his charisma on the pitch.