With Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Joel Embiid putting up monster numbers on a near-nightly basis and the Bulls struggling in recent weeks, DeMar DeRozan isn’t getting the same level of MVP buzz he was earlier in the season. However, his 50-point outburst on Thursday in a win over the Clippers was a reminder of how important he has been to the Bulls this season, writes Paul Sullivan of The Chicago Tribune.
DeRozan said after the game that he was more focused on getting the victory than on becoming the sixth player in team history to score 50 points in a game, since Chicago can’t afford to risk falling into play-in territory.
“The win is more meaningful,” DeRozan said, per Sullivan. “I just wanted to win this game, badly. You see how tight the (Eastern Conference) race is. Every game is extremely important. We have no more room to be dropping any more games.”
The Bulls’ 45-32 record puts them in fifth place in the East, 1.5 games behind the No. 4 Sixers and just a half-game ahead of the No. 6 Raptors. Chicago has a three-game lead on the No. 7 Cavs, so barring a disaster down the stretch, the team should secure a top-six seed and a guaranteed playoff spot.
Here’s more out of Chicago:
- Patrick Williams admitted to reporters on Thursday that he was fined by the Bulls after being late to the team’s morning shootaround, as Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports Chicago writes. Williams, who hadn’t made much of an impact since returning from a wrist injury on March 21, made up for his tardiness with his best game of the season on Thursday, putting up 10 points on 4-of-4 shooting to go along with 12 rebounds.
- After having his rehab process paused for 10 days, Lonzo Ball will resume the ramp-up process toward full-speed sprinting and cutting, head coach Billy Donovan said on Thursday (link via Schaefer at NBC Sports Chicago). Time is running out for Ball to return this season, but the Bulls haven’t considered shutting him down. “Certainly every day that goes by and time that passes by, you know, you’re moving closer and closer to the end of the season,” Donovan said. “But I have not gotten anything from the doctors that said to me, like, ‘Listen, there’s just not enough time, we can’t get him back.’ They’re gonna do everything they can to try to get him back. But a lot’s gonna be depending on how he responds to this.”
- In his latest mailbag, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago discussed several Bulls-related topics, including Williams’ development and ceiling and Nikola Vucevic‘s future in Chicago.
Man the Clippers really gave that game away last night. Derozan snatched the opportunity at the end of regulation & Vooch/PWilliams both made big plays in overtime but LAC definitely should won that game… If/when Zo returns this is a dangerous team. He’ll make things easier for the non-Derozan guys on the team as well as strengthening their team defense
Paul George did not help, at least like he thought he should be. Considering how long he was out, in his second game back, guarded by Caruso, could he not let Reggie Jackson be the star? RJ was flying past Ayo and it looked an easy win.
He did let Jackson star, Reggie had 30 points. Bulls steal games this way when they stay focused. DeMar willed them into this game, he has that MJ ‘f you, I am not gonna lose’ in him, a real leader for this team in a way Zach never has been.
That’s what George attempted, IMO. It seemed to throw the Clips off tho. Maybe DDR & PG were dueling… I had actually given up on the game…
Clips will soon have Norman Powell to integrate too.
Ball isn’t coming back this year. Nice improvement and roster retool this year for the Bulls. They need another shooter or two, and a defensive big. Next year is a possibility for contention.
Wonder if Patrick Williams aka Flowerchild is dealing with depression? Weird to be late, weirder to acknowledge it. It had to have ben tough to miss all that time. Hopefully he is doing okay…
I think it’s your meds that are way off. I keep thinking about what the inside of your mind looks like and all I see is spiderwebs.
That’s interesting because I think about spiders a lot.