New Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan has proven to be a comforting presence on this Chicago roster thanks to his expert late-game play and overall leadership, writes Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times.
“I think having a guy like DeMar out there, he plays with a pace and a tempo and a poise,” Bulls head coach Billy Donovan said of DeRozan’s on-court contributions. ‘‘He’s a guy that has experienced a lot individually with the way his career has been and also has experienced a lot of winning, so he has been in a lot of different situations.’’
“I’ve been in a lot of games being down big on the road, seeing things happen that’s possible,’’ DeRozan said. ‘‘For me, it’s just keeping that calm, not getting rattled and sharing whatever experience I can to kind of keep us together, as well.’’
The 32-year-old DeRozan, who joined Chicago on a lucrative three-year, $81.9MM contract, is the team’s leading scorer at present, averaging 25.6 PPG, 5.7 RPG and 4.0 APG, with a fantastic shooting line of .493/.412/.870. The 41.2% three-point shooting percentage may not last forever: a career 28.3% shooter from deep, DeRozan has never finished an NBA season connecting on better than 33.8% of his three-point looks. Nevertheless, should he keep up this output and the Bulls keep winning thanks to the scoring of the small forward and his perimeter running mate Zach LaVine, DeRozan may be in line for his fifth All-Star appearance this season.
There’s more out of the Central Division:
- 2021 second-round Bulls draft selection Ayo Dosunmu, taken with the No. 38 pick out of the University of Illinois, is impressing his hometown team, writes Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. “He’s got a certain kind of makeup that I think is really special,” Chicago head coach Billy Donovan noted. “He just is fearless.” In Chicago’s latest outing Monday, the 6’5″ rookie shooting guard poured in 14 points on 6-of-6 shooting, and appears to have carved a legitimate spot in Chicago’s rotation with his energetic defense.
- Bucks swingman Khris Middleton has entered the NBA’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols after testing positive for the novel coronavirus, per Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Middleton also missed game action for Milwaukee over the weekend due to what appeared to be a non-COVID-19 illness, per Eric Nehm of The Athletic (Twitter link). “We thought he had a head cold or some type of non-COVID illness,” head coach Mike Budenholzer said. “And then (he) didn’t feel good again the next day. And got tested and has come back positive (for COVID-19).”
- Tomorrow, Pacers point guard Malcolm Brogdon and swingman Caris LeVert are scheduled to play together for the first time since an April 29 home loss to the Nets, writes David Woods of the Indianapolis Star. Brogdon is recovering from inflamed tissue around his hamstring while LeVert is recuperating from a stress fracture in his back. “There’s not going to be many backcourts as good as us,” Brogdon said.
Y’all were saying Bulls weren’t gonna even make the playoffs, look at us now, it incrediBULL
Dosunmu looks terriffic, energy, smart play, and decent shooter, what a 2nd round steal.
Ayo & Caruso are perfect glue guys
Morgan Park High School to U of I to the Bulls, Ayo is living so many of our dreams, happy to see him succeeding with his defense and will take any offense that comes with it, Chicago kids man
I think the reason Ayo was underrated was because he played a bit bored, which does not make your defense or 3pt% look good. He was better than college level, and got attention, and maybe assumed too much. Then he came out in a good year for PGs to rank against.
Kofi more or less is in the same boat as Lou Garza with his feet.
DeRozan’s clutch play has always been criminally underrated!
Finally getting the recognition that he deserves!
Sadly for malcolm neither can stay healthy
Been singing Ayo’s praise since pre-season. Coby White is no longer needed and should be PF trade bait with the defensive emergence of Green and Dosunmu. Imagine if the Bulls could score Kofi Cockburn next year. 7 foot 290 pound rebounding beast.
They coulda got him this year. Reason he withdrew from the draft is because nobody had interest in either round.
I agree that White should be gone and hopefully the Bulls get a much needed PF that just can rebound, block and play defense…