This time the short runner from DeMar DeRozan with about three seconds left in overtime rolled agonizingly off the rim and into the hands of the Knicks’ Jalen Brunson, and the Bulls 2023-24 regular season was finished just one DeRozan spectacular short.
So it was a 120-119 Knicks win in the most entertaining and meaningless game of the season, at least for the Bulls long locked into 8:30 p.m. CT Wednesday to host the Atlanta Hawks in the NBA’s post season play-in tournament. It was somewhat more significant for the Knicks, who rode yet another 40-point masterpiece from Brunson to their 50th win and surprise second seeding in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
With 27 lead changes and ties overall and a dozen in a frantic and frenzied fourth quarter during which both teams never were separated by more than one score the last seven minutes and in the last four minutes the Bulls led four separate times, DeRozan, Coby White, Nikola Vučević and Alex Caruso took turns making bold shots and fanciful plays, and Javonte Green offensive rebounds before a fifth Caruso steal with about 30 seconds left in a tie game gave the Bulls a chance to win in regulation. DeRozan missed, and Brunson under duress from Caruso spun one out at the buzzer from the deep left corner.
The Bulls in their league-most 11th overtime game (7-4), had an chance after a Caruso driving score with 14.4 seconds left cut the New York lead to one. And then again flummoxing the Knicks in denying multiple inbounds passes, the Bulls got the ball back, Tom Thibodeau agonized, and then with a last chance so did DeRozan and the Bulls.
DeRozan finished with 30 points, five rebounds, five assists and four steals, Vučević had 29 points and 11 rebounds, White looking back to pre-All-Star form had 26 points and Caruso made 3-of-5 threes with the five steals and eight assists.
And so the Bulls now get back to really keeping score as they host Atlanta and with a win, then visit the loser of the Philadelphia/Miami play-in game for a chance to win the No. 8 spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs and an opening series with the league leading Boston Celtics.
The Bulls finished the regular season one place higher than last season’s 10th, but one win fewer than last season at 39-43.
“I’m proud of this group,” said DeRozan. “Even the way we competed going into the play-in game shows you with the amount of things we went through us being ready for what’s next. This year has been a lot to build up a lot of resiliency in us all, and it’s brought us a lot closer. And with that it’s going to be a lot positives that can carry over.”
One big question for the Bulls this summer, though perhaps too soon for now to consider, is whether DeRozan will be carrying that over with the Bulls again.
He’s an unrestricted free agent, which means he can leave the Bulls without the team getting anything in return. DeRozan has reiterated he’d like to resign with the Bulls after this season. Though a potential pause would be the price, and if his return matches a plan going forward with the young players, like White, Ayo Dosunmu and Patrick Williams.
DeRozan, who turns 35 in August as he concludes his 15th NBA season, is not likely to have a big market as an elite free agent considering his age, though he’d be in demand with championship level teams for his experience and clutch shot-making ability. He’s one of the highest scoring fourth quarter players and a leader in clutch performance even this many seasons later.
Which, of course, is vital for all teams.
And perhaps remarkably, for the first time in his career with another 44 minutes tacked on Sunday, DeRozan finished as the NBA season leader in both minutes played per game and total minutes, a rarity for a player not only his age but with so much team responsibility.
He’s truly been a wunderkind.
“I feel great,” DeRozan emphasized after the game. “I always take care of myself to the fullest on and off the court, try to eat the best I can eat. I don’t do anything. I don’t go out. I don’t drink. I don’t do much of anything. So with that I try to take care of myself so I can be out there for those guys, and at the end of the day I just love playing. I don’t look at it like it’s an age thing. I just want to play. I just love playing basketball.”
It’s becoming some kind of remarkable saga that like wine, jeans and pickles, DeRozan seemingly gets better with age. The longer the season goes the more he plays, which also makes it a pickle for the Bulls.
DeRozan is a troubadour for ongoing excellence.
It didn’t look so promising for DeRozan as this Bulls season began badly, 5-14, with not so many of his big fourth quarter moments. DeRozan averaged 23.3 points in the few October games, but then just 20.8 as the Bulls lost their way in November. Yeah, we knew it, were the murmurs. A step slower, predictable. DeRozan recovered some to almost 24 points per game in December, but then back to about 21 in January. The dog days and all that.
When DeMar DeRozan began to take a big bite out of NBA defenses.
DeRozan averaged 27 per game in February, almost 26 in March and 30.8 this month with his shooting averages the highest for the season these last few weeks. It’s truly a remarkable feat for the 6-foot-6, six-time All-Star. Despite the slow start, he still averaged 24 points per game for the season, fourth-highest of his career
On a personal note, he is the media favorite on the team.
It’s basically a nice group of players, accommodating and friendly. But despite being asked to speak for the group more than anyone in post-game sessions obviously not always after wins, DeRozan never says no. In fact, I recently heard him say, “I never says no to you guys.”
That’s Magic Johnson stuff, Ray Allen, Elton Brand, the people who have come through the NBA who best understand their role and the media’s, that the media is there not to celebrate themselves — most, anyway, I still believe — but to act as a conduit for the fans. DeRozan is one of those players who understands his responsibility to the game and the community and one of the most fan friendly stars in the game.
It’s a little thing, but if you watch Bulls pregame warmups they’re all serious. DeRozan unique among his teammates when he finishes his workouts and shooting, throws a ball a few rows back in the stands to a young fan so he or she can throw it back to DeRozan, who catches it near the stands and throws a lob for a dunk to Andre Drummond. Not so much lately with Drummond out with an ankle sprain. Ayo Dosunmu also missed the New York game, but is expected to practice this week.
But even with DeRozan playing at such a high level, the Bulls have been just a play-in team the last two seasons. And if they make a big financial commitment to him, it’s uncertain what else they could do to improve. The conundrum is some guys just mean so much to a team, and certainly for his teammates and the coaching staff it’s DeRozan.
“That guy is one of the most special people I’ve ever been around, all the way around, player, person, teammate,” Bulls coach Billy Donovan said post game in discussing the regular season. “Just the ability to communicate with him. Every day who he is. Never ever, ever seen him have a bad day. Never seen him in a bad mood, never had an attitude. Certainly puts a lot into it and gets frustrated like they all do, but he was major part of keeping the group together, a major part.
“I appreciate the investment he’s made in Dalen (Terry); that’s the thing I love about him,” said Donovan. “He invests in people, he invests in others. You can see what he’s done. He’s given Coby a lot of confidence. He’s passing the ball to guys not like he has to shoot every shot for us. So maybe we’re little better this year coming down the stretch that maybe we had a few more threats than him having to carry the load every time. Just the minutes load and being professional and rising to the challenge and not afraid of the moment, he’s as good as anyone I’ve ever been around.”
Vučević was around DeRozan first as a teammate in college at USC. He knows, also.
“The way he carries himself as a pro every day, the way he cares for all his teammates, the belief he has in all of us,” said Vučević. “Obviously, you (media) guys see him when he takes over the court and makes big shots and make big plays; that’s something everyone sees. But for us it’s more important how he is around us off the court, and even on the court if somebody is struggling or whatever he always has the belief in guys and always supports them. Which is very important, especially coming from the best player and your leader. It goes a long way, especially for the young guys.
“Very simple guy, easygoing, doesn’t ask for anything special because he’s the best player or he has 15 years in the NBA,” Vučević explained. “He’s like everyone else and I think that’s one thing the guys respect about him. He enjoys playing, loves being on the court, loves competing. He plays a lot of minutes, which is not always easy to do. But I think it’s just he enjoys playing and being out there. That’s what he thinks about and not all these minutes on my body. He does what he needs to do to be ready.”
Which has been one very big bright spots during this Bulls season.
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