The victory against the Bucks without DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine was not a simple (positive) accident for the Bulls. Since it was the first success in a series of four, still without Zach LaVine, injured and absent for several weeks.
If the schedule helped (New Orleans, Charlotte, San Antonio) to get back on track, Chicago is doing better, that's clear, and DeMar DeRozan is no stranger to this success, which is the franchise's best streak this season.
A simple and good reading of the game
The winger did not inflate his points average to compensate for the absence of his teammate. On the contrary, he decided to serve his teammates, with an average of 7.7 passes over the last three matches, with two outings with 10 passes.
“He has a lot of merit”estimates Billy Donovan for NBC Sports. “We talked about it in the offseason and, in a lot of ways, he's almost another playmaker, with his intelligence. He knows he gets attention and he can be fast and aggressive. in his decisions. He does an outstanding job of releasing the ball, of helping us play with good rhythm, of generating good shots. »
What is interesting about the twenty passes delivered by DeMar DeRozan against the Pelicans and the Spurs is precisely the nature of these offerings. The winger serves his teammates in the collective movement. He is not a scoring role that draws two or three defenders into the paint and releases the ball for open shots. The former Spurs player reads the game well, his teammates move and he gives good balls for good shots.
“He’s been like that since day one. He always did actions like that, but we didn’t put our shots like we are doing now,” Judge Patrick Williams. “He's a player who passes, whether you score or not, as long as you make the right choice. He will pass the next action. Right now, everyone knows how to play with each other. The alchemy is taking place and the backdoors show it well. »
A new balance in the absence of Zach LaVine
The Bulls take advantage of this new offensive balance, which has difficulty existing when Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan are together on the floor, to reap victories.
“I know the defense is going to target me when I have the ball in my hands. It's up to me to find my teammates and it's nice to do that, to give confidence to others. And my job becomes easier”, explains the former Raptors player in particular. “As defenses are focused on Nikola Vucevic, Cob White or Patrick Williams, I can get easy shots. You just have to read the game.”
Even if he hasn't been skillful for two matches (34% shooting success), DeMar DeRozan remains confident. He can rely on his teammates and they know that they can count on the former All-Star if needed. This relationship has worked for three matches.
“I think he's smart enough to understand that he can't do anything without us. He makes sure everyone is involved because he knows that, late in the game, if defenses are blocking him, and guys aren't involved in the play, it's going to be hard to make shots.” imagine Billy Donovan. “I never felt like I had to score 30 or 40 points to win,” adds DeMar DeRozan. “There are times when we need baskets and that’s when my teammates lean on me. They know that my goal is to move them forward, to put them at ease. And if the match is close, then I will do to the best of my ability. »
| DeMar DeRozan | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2009-10 | TOR | 77 | 22 | 49.8 | 25.0 | 76.3 | 0.9 | 2.0 | 2.9 | 0.7 | 2.3 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 8.6 |
| 2010-11 | TOR | 82 | 35 | 46.7 | 9.6 | 81.3 | 0.9 | 2.9 | 3.8 | 1.8 | 2.7 | 1.0 | 1.8 | 0.4 | 17.2 |
| 2011-12 | TOR | 63 | 35 | 42.2 | 26.1 | 81.0 | 0.6 | 2.7 | 3.4 | 2.0 | 2.6 | 0.8 | 2.0 | 0.3 | 16.7 |
| 2012-13 | TOR | 82 | 37 | 44.5 | 28.3 | 83.1 | 0.6 | 3.3 | 3.9 | 2.5 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 1.8 | 0.3 | 18.1 |
| 2013-14 | TOR | 79 | 38 | 42.9 | 30.5 | 82.4 | 0.7 | 3.7 | 4.3 | 4.0 | 2.5 | 1.1 | 2.2 | 0.4 | 22.7 |
| 2014-15 | TOR | 60 | 35 | 41.3 | 28.4 | 83.2 | 0.7 | 3.9 | 4.6 | 3.5 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 2.3 | 0.2 | 20.1 |
| 2015-16 | TOR | 78 | 36 | 44.6 | 33.8 | 85.0 | 0.8 | 3.7 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 2.1 | 1.0 | 2.2 | 0.3 | 23.5 |
| 2016-17 | TOR | 74 | 35 | 46.7 | 26.6 | 84.2 | 1.0 | 4.3 | 5.2 | 3.9 | 1.8 | 1.1 | 2.4 | 0.2 | 27.3 |
| 2017-18 | TOR | 80 | 34 | 45.6 | 31.0 | 82.5 | 0.7 | 3.2 | 3.9 | 5.2 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 2.2 | 0.3 | 23.0 |
| 2018-19 | SAN | 77 | 35 | 48.1 | 15.6 | 83.0 | 0.7 | 5.3 | 6.0 | 6.2 | 2.3 | 1.1 | 2.6 | 0.5 | 21.2 |
| 2019-20 | SAN | 68 | 34 | 53.1 | 25.7 | 84.5 | 0.7 | 4.9 | 5.5 | 5.6 | 2.7 | 1.0 | 2.4 | 0.3 | 22.1 |
| 2020-21 | SAN | 61 | 34 | 49.5 | 25.7 | 88.0 | 0.7 | 3.6 | 4.3 | 6.9 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 2.0 | 0.3 | 21.6 |
| 2021-22 | CHI | 76 | 36 | 50.4 | 35.2 | 87.7 | 0.7 | 4.4 | 5.2 | 4.9 | 2.3 | 0.9 | 2.4 | 0.3 | 27.9 |
| 2022-23 | CHI | 74 | 36 | 50.4 | 32.4 | 87.2 | 0.5 | 4.2 | 4.6 | 5.1 | 2.5 | 1.1 | 2.1 | 0.5 | 24.5 |
| 2023-24 | CHI | 21 | 36 | 44.2 | 35.8 | 80.3 | 0.9 | 2.7 | 3.6 | 5.1 | 2.1 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 21.8 |
| Total | 1052 | 34 | 46.7 | 29.3 | 83.9 | 0.7 | 3.7 | 4.4 | 4.0 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 2.1 | 0.3 | 21.1 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
