There’s Buddy Rich and Ginger Baker, Keith Moon and John Bonham, Ringo Starr, those who bring the vibrations and maintain the rhythm, those who get a groove on.
Add the eponymous Andre to that list, another big time Drum, the Bulls leader of the band Tuesday as Andre Drummond had 24 points and 25 rebounds, two blocks and three steals making 11 of 13 shots and helping lead the Bulls to a 118-113 victory over the Atlanta Hawks.
Rat-a-tat-tat, clickety-clack, boom-bah-boom. That’s a Drum beat the Bulls could get accustomed to.
It’s the way you snare more than your share of rebounds as the Bulls dropped the Hawks into 11th place in the Eastern Conference and the Bulls stealthily moved ahead of them at 14-18.
“He’s amazing, amazing,” repeated DeMar DeRozan, who had some amazing himself with the Bulls decisive eight points late to hold off Atlanta, including an effectively clinching disco spin, reverse and step through basket with 25.6 seconds left that would have gotten him the lead in Saturday Night Fever. DeRozan led the Bulls with 25 points.
“First of all, he’s (Drummond) the ultimate pro,” marveled DeRozan about the reserve and reserved big man. “Second of all, it’s nothing new. My time in Toronto I’ve seen that countless times when he was in Detroit, an All-Star for those reasons you saw tonight. One of the best rebounders the game has seen. So it’s not surprising. Just fun to be out there and witness it and help him show what he can do.”
It was an awesome display that often made it look like a high schooler at the park with a second grade class. Hawks players kept ganging up and surrounding the 6-10, 280 pounder, leaping and tugging at him as he kept putting back Bulls misses—10 offensive rebounds staking the Bulls to a 48-40 rebounding edge without the injured Nikola Vučević—finishing on lobs and Drum rolls often from DeRozan.
There was no beating this Drum on this night even as the Bulls led by 11 points after the first quarter and then trailed by 12 in the second quarter. But with Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu each adding 19 points for the shorthanded Bulls without Vučević, Zach LaVine and Torrey Craig, and an aggressive nature that got them 31 free throws the Bulls with Drummond outrebounding the entire Hawks team in the fourth quarter—that’s your snare Drum—the Bulls edged into the edge of the play-in group and probably their floor for the season.
“Staying ready,” said Drummond, who isn’t much for excessive encomiums. “Each and every day being prepared, waiting until my number is called. Any opportunity: seize it. Can’t take the game for granted; never know when it will be your last time in the court. I respect the game and the opportunity I get.”
But he is sentimental as he went to hug his mother as the game ended.
She’s my biggest supporter,” he said. “She’s been there since day one. She’s always telling me I can do it.
“My mentality is I am not a backup,” Drummond said despite it being his first start as a Bull. “I still believe I’m a starter in this league. The position I am in, take it and play to the best of my ability. It’s not hard at all; being a good teammate is easy. It’s not hard to support your teammates. The opportunity was there (Tuesday). I go after each and every one of them (rebounds and loose balls). If I can’t get it I still make the attempt; sometimes they fall my way and sometimes they don’t. The more times I go, the more times I’ll get it. It’s a skill. It gets me going in a game when I get offensive rebounds. When I came into the NBA I wanted to be the best rebounder who ever played and I set out to do that.”
Drummond actually is the NBA all-time career leader in rebounding percentage just ahead of No. 2 Dennis Rodman. But after nine years of double-double season averages and a pair of All-Star appearance with mostly bad—not as bad as current—Detroit Pistons teams, the Bulls are Drummond’s sixth team in the past four years and off the bench for the 76ers and Nets before being a reserve for the Bulls last season. That’s when Vučević started all 82 games. But he apparently sustained a groin injury against the Cavaliers on Saturday. Donovan indicated Vučević could miss a few games.
Drummond got the start against the diving Hawks, who don’t look much like even a play-in team. Not that any of this is settled given the Bulls’ inconsistencies this season. But the Hawks play that gruesome modern style of seeking out threes (13 of 46 to seven of 25 for the Bulls) at the expense of basketball. They probably have more talented players than the Bulls, but they tend to mostly admire loose balls and second shots and seem to have perfected the lazy cross court and outlet pass.
So the Bulls won the hustle board by a lot with one crucial 50/50 ball after another down the stretch, Alex Caruso stealing a soft outlet pass off a Hawks defensive rebound, Dosunmu following that by swiping like a fox an offensive rebound amidst several Hawks for yet another Bulls attempt. The Bulls had 24 second chance points. Dosunmu, DeRozan and White had flying saves of balls bounding off the playing rectangle as Hawks players appeared to be discussing the merits of the post game spread. The Bulls secret weapon seems to be the rare delicacy of stuffed pizza as some teams can’t seem to wait to get at it.
“Credit to those guys’ IQ; that’s the game within the game a lot of people don’t see or understand unless you pay attention to the small things,” said DeRozan. “That becomes game changers. That was big when AC got the charge (on Dejounte Murray with 1:38 left and the Bulls leading 113-110). Those things go a long way to getting victories; not just making or missing shots. The other things that don’t necessarily look pretty on the stat sheet.”
The victory did look pretty for the Bulls after the Hawks jacking those threes led 64-52 early in the third quarter and then 85-83 after three quarters. The Bulls flipped the scoreboard to begin the fourth quarter attacking the rim, first Drummond on a finish from Caruso, then Dosunmu with a driving score and Drummond with a short hook in the lane. The teams then exchanged leads as Dosunmu and Atlanta’s Bogdan Bogdanovic each had 10 points in the quarter. DeRozan moved out of the shadows with the Bulls hanging on to a 109-108 lead with about three minutes left.
The Bulls put on a nuanced display of what they call making them work for their shots. Trae Young had 21 points and Murray had 17. Young was coming off an historic run of six straight games of at least 30 points and 10 assists. He also had 13 assists, but six turnovers as Caruso and Dosunmu took turns harassing his every move. Young was three of 13 on threes and Murray two of nine.
Even DeRozan, who had a Thor hammer sitting astride his locker.
It seems as one of those competitive motivational ploys teams employ, the Bulls recently started giving the hammer to the player with the best statistical mass in recent games, that little stuff like deflections, charges, forced misses. Caruso and Craig were previous winners; DeRozan proudly was displaying his hammer this week.
“I’ve been the best defensive player the last five games,” DeRozan said a bit cautiously with teammates chiming in, if not drumming. “I don’t know how they keep score. I know I got the hammer. I’m Thor for the week. I just know when you walk in the gym the numbers up there show deflections….Just another challenge to be better defensively. I’ve been bragging about it ever since I got it.”
DeRozan didn’t have to brag about that last part because that’s who he’s been in an impressive NBA career. He’s had some seismic closes with the Bulls, and this time matched everyone Atlanta had with a short jumper on an inbounds pass to make it 111-108 with 2:50 remaining. Then after a Murray runner, DeRozan made a 20 footer for a 113-110 Bulls lead with 1:42 left.
Caruso then drew that charge anticipating Murray turning into the paint on a drive, and then after Caruso missed twice after those two saves by Caruso and Dosunmu, DeRozan made that Dancing with the Stars spin, turn and scoop for a 115-111 Bulls lead with 25.6 seconds left. Young launched a wild we’re-giving-up 30 footer before DeRozan clinched it with a pair of free throws.
“Everybody stepped up,” said DeRozan. “Just coming together. It’s everything (still being able to close like that). I always remember being a kid pouring water on my head acting like I was sweating doing moves, falling back on the bed shooting imaginary jump shots. Just the kid in me. I love those moments. It’s a privilege to be trusted in those moments, so you try to take it all in. Those guys look to me to close out the game. Sometimes not necessarily scoring, but playmaking and trying to make the right decisions. I know when they give me the look, it's time for me to do my part."
It apparently even got to Bulls coach Billy Donovan, who embraced DeRozan as the two exited the court.
“I appreciate him,” explained Donovan. “He’s the consummate professional and he’ll do whatever he has to do to help the team and…he aways does whatever you ask him to do. He is an elite closer and has been that his career. But the unselfishness of him and the sacrifice of him trying to get to help us play fast, get guys involved, generate shots. And still keep his head in the game speaks to his greatness. I told him I appreciate all he does because not only is he closing out the game at the end, he’s also getting everyone else involved and playing stylistically a way that is best for those guys.”
With Vučević out and White slumping shooting (zero for 15 on threes the last two games), DeRozan was primarily on the ball the first three quarters making plays before scoring 11 points and making all his fourth quarter attempts.
“To his greatness, he can play a lot of ways,” said Donovan. “As a coach, you come across people who are unique and…can see the big picture of what he has to do. I appreciate everything he has done for the young guys and the team where he probably has given up…if you look at some of his scoring he’s not having big first halves. He’s all about how do I make these guys better. How do I make the game easier for them? For a guy his age thinking that way speaks to the level of understanding he has about winning. He knows we can’t win without everybody. The confidence he instills in those guys and how he utilizes those guys is really special and I appreciate what he does.”
Entering Tuesday’s game, White, DeRozan and Vučević were Nos. 1, 2 and 3 in the NBA in total minutes played. In part the Bulls have played a few more games than most teams, but also Bulls players don’t take off games. That will change for Vučević now that he’s likely out a bit. Donovan went basically with seven players against the Hawks. Drummond pounded almost 39 minutes after not playing 20 minutes in a game all season.
He’s yearned for more playing time, but the Bulls never have been comfortable with two centers together.
“I just work here,” said Drummond. “I don’t make those decisions. Yeah, I’ve played with other centers (in) my career, bunch of different guys. Would it work? Absolutely, but it’s not (a decision) for me to make.”
Strike up the band. Maybe not a Drum solo, but Andre’s going to be hitting some skins for a few games to come. Particularly those wearing other jerseys.
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