With the United Center surrendered and already calling him MVP, DeMar DeRozan offered a new basketball recital this Thursday and, with his 37 points endorsed by the Atlanta Hawks in the vibrant 112-108 victory, he extended his legendary streak of games with more than eight games. of 35 points and 50% shooting and extended the sweet moment of the Chicago Bulls who have six consecutive victories.
He opened the game with 20 points in ten minutes on the court and closed it with five key points to come back from the Hawks who, pushed by 27 points from Serbian Bogdan Bogdanovic and 26 from Danilo Gallinari, won 108-105 with less than a minute to go. the end.
After surpassing Wilt Chamberlain’s record for games with at least 35 points and at least 50% shooting, DeRozan posted his ninth game with 30-plus points.
His Bulls have the right to dream of a ring they’ve been waiting for since 1998, at Michael Jordan’s “last dance.” They are the sole leaders of the Eastern Conference (39-21), with one game more than the Miami Heat who play this Friday against the New York Knicks.
DEROZAN, 20 POINTS IN 10 MINUTES
He picked up where he left off before the All-Star and wowed the United Center with a performance that bordered on perfection. With ten minutes to play in the second quarter he already had 20 points, with a tremendous 8 of 11 shooting.
He scored six points in the bulls’ 10-0 convincing win over the Hawks and was a warning of his intentions on his return to the United Center after the All-Star break in Cleveland.
The shooting guard finished the first half with a 9 of 13 shots and 22 points, confirming success percentages that support his candidacy for MVP.
Chicago, in which Zack LaVine returned after missing the last three games due to knee discomfort, had an 11-point lead, 38-27 in the light of the second quarter, although the Hawks had the merit of not collapsing.
BOGDANOVIC ENCOURAGES THE HAWKS…
With a Trae Young in trouble (3 of 17 and 14 points in total), the Serbian Bogdan Bogdanovic supported the Georgia team with 11 points in the first half, together with the ten of a Clint Capela, and the Hawks managed to stay in the game . They went into the break with an adverse 50-52, but with the feeling of being able to protect their rivals.
The Bulls sought to give another blow to the table with an aggressive start in the third quarter and converted three consecutive triples, two from LaVine and one from DeRozan, to escape to more eight (61-53), but once again, in the Hawks it was Bogdanovic in leading his own.
The Serbian scored nine points, with a 3 of 5 in triples, which maintained the maximum equality. His third 3-point shot converted it at the third-quarter buzzer and sent both teams into the fourth quarter perfectly even (82-82).
… AND DEROZAN BITE AGAIN
DeRozan, who physiologically needed to manage energy after his brutal start, bit again in the fourth, with the first six points for the Bulls.
Supported by Dosunmu and Coby White, Chicago forced the Hawks timeout with the plus 8 (102-94), but an excellent Gallinari raised his voice and, with his 26 points and 10 of 17 shooting, led a comeback that led the Hawks to a three-point lead at 108-105.
That’s when DeRozan finished off the game, with two difficult mid-range jump shots, his specialty, that extended his personal streak and that of a Bulls that remain the leaders of the East.
