The fifth-leading scorer in the NBA, DeMar DeRozan, has played three games in a row. Mr. Anti-analytics has been shooting the ball well all season, and has averaged 26.9 points per game. The Chicago Bulls defeated the Orlando Magic, 102-98, on Monday, thanks to 28 points and six assists from DeRosa. The Bulls have won eight in a row.
The Bulls had a winning streak that was preserved by clutch baskets from DeRozan. He scored 28 and 29 points against the Pacers and Wizards on Friday and Saturday. The majority of those points were accounted for by the pull-ups and midrange conversions, but a couple of 3-pointers that were on the internet won both of those games.
The Bulls were down 106-105 on their final possession when DeRozan pulled up off of one leg from the top of the key and buried a 3-pointer to give the Bulls a victory. The Bulls lost to the Wizards on their final possession. The inbound pass was caught by DeRozan, who dribbled into a coffin corner, faked a shot, and hit a three for the Bulls. He was the first player in NBA history to make game-winning buzzer-beaters in back-to-back days.
The Bulls are currently in a position to win the Eastern Conference title, and the reason is because of the play of DeMar DeRozan. He's shooting 49.4 percent from the field and has averaged the second-most points of his 13-season NBA career. The Bulls offense had been struggling over the previous six seasons. They finished the season with an offensive rating of 19th or worse. The Bulls finished in the bottom half of the offensive rating in both seasons.
The Bulls have the sixth-highest offensive rating in the NBA. The sign and trade for DeRozan was one of the Bulls' many moves this season and was questioned because it was the only one that was not praised. With LaVine coming off of the best season of his career, would he be able to coexist on the floor with the other two, and what about Coby White who the Bulls selected seventh-overall in the NBA draft in 2019?
White has settled into his new role after missing time with injury this season, while LaVine has the sixth-best scoring average in the NBA. It turns out that having two of the 10 best scorers in the league will help an offense out of the cellar.
It doesn't mean that he should win the NBA's Most Valuable Player award or even make the NBA All-First team, but it does mean that he is still one of the league's top scorers at his age.
The Raptors won their first NBA title because of a trade that brought DeMar DeRozan to Toronto and brought in Leonard. Raptors general manager Masai Ujiri made a great decision, but the trade didn't mean the end of DeRozan's career. He averaged 22.7 points per game in three seasons with the Spurs.
The Bulls have a chance at the best record in the Eastern Conference for the first time in 10 years, because they brought in DeMar DeRozan, who had plenty of gas in the tank.
