We had almost forgotten that one. A majestic winter but a bad trip of a few weeks coupled with complicated results for the Bulls, and now DeMar DeRozan had fallen from the MVP podium much faster than the way he had climbed there. We are not saying that he has just come back up there, not at all, but we are saying that, on the other hand, that night, DMDR’s performance reminded us of why he was a starter for the All-Star Game and, in part, why the Bulls were preparing to play their first Playoffs in five years.
The Clippers DeRozanization home stats are right here!
In the category of elusive NBA players when they have the hot paw, DeMar DeRozan arises among the leaders. This kind of guys whose outcome is known when they inherit the swell, this kind of guys whose moves are as predictable as they are indefensible, this kind of superstar capable of doing absolutely anything on the court. And tonight DeMar DeRozan did everything on the Clippers defense who, while she may be to blame for some of her picks, some of her switches, did only what any defense would have done in her place. : bow down. Bow to this majestic footwork that dances with your souls, bow to that cannibal who will choose to mount your entire defense if you leave him four centimeters too tall. A king of the mid-range who recently passed the Top 50 of the most prolific scorers in history and who will trudge very quickly in this ranking if he lets go of this kind of match too often, a king of money time, too , even if a failure to throw came to tarnish the sheet a little at the end of regulation time, failure very quickly forgotten in front of the monstrosity of the type in overtime. A firecracker in the traffic, a stamped mid-distance shot, the throws which this time go in and this last possession where he plays Terance Mann like an elf to go and slam the 50, almost embarrassed.
A new demo therefore, in the vein of those he offered us between December and February, and at the best of times since, no kidding, the Bulls REALLY needed this victory. A victory won against Clippers who are still just as playful, a little too much in the end, who will have been able to count tonight on a Reggie Jackson who definitely never lets go of the steak, on a Paul George less sparkling than the day before the day before and who will have been left on the bench in overtime but which obviously revolutionizes the game of his team, and on a Morris / Batum duo still as high level in the ranking of veteran role players who relieve you. Clippers who, unlike the Bulls, already know more or less their dish of the month of April, namely a play-in tournament (against the Wolves, then, perhaps the Lakers?) and a potential first round against the Suns or the Grizzlies, bon appetit. The Bulls? Return of Pat Williams, author of a very big match and a devilish clutch shot in OT, DeMar DeRozan in MVP mode and the cushy LaVine and Vucevic who do the job, back to fifth place and we therefore breathe a little before an end of regular which promises to be wild with duels against the Heat, the Bucks, the Celtics, argh, the Hornets and the Wolves. To validate the fifth place in front of hungry Raptors it will be necessary to be very strong but, with such a bleeding DMDR we say to ourselves that nobody is safe, the timing is perfect.
50 points at 17/26 including 2/2 from his Forbidden Zone and 14/15 in throws, 5 rebounds, 6 assists and 1 steal. Monstrous game by DeMar DeRozan and season record, at the best of times, and the Bulls who instinctively put themselves back in the lead. In ten days the regular season will have revealed all its secrets, and in Chicago we really want to surprise a little more before the Playoffs.
