Quietly, the Chicago Bulls have been playing their best ball of the season of late. Also flying under the radar, DeMar DeRozan has been one of the best clutch players in the league all season long.
All of that was on display Wednesday night. Chicago went into Indiana and pushed the Pacers in a game that was within single digits most of the night and was back and forth throughout the fourth quarter, until the Bulls found themselves down two with 2.4 seconds left in the game, when DeRozan did his thing.
DEMAR DEROZAN IS CLUTCH 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/3s7BXxO5eE
— Bulls Talk (@NBCSBulls) March 14, 2024
“I actually broke the play off,” DeRozan said, via the Associated Press. “The play was for me to come over top. But teams do a great job scouting and understanding what we’re going to run. As soon as they checked the ball in, I just found an opening, honestly.”
DeRozan kept it rolling in the fourth and went on to score nine in those five minutes, giving him 46 for the game and the Bulls a big win on the road.
DeMar DeRozan wouldn't be denied in the Bulls' overtime win in Indy!
— NBA (@NBA) March 14, 2024
🔥 46 PTS (Season-high)
🔥 9 REB
🔥 2 STL
🔥 Clutch shot to force overtime pic.twitter.com/VYo2hGDaA3
Alex Carso added 23 points in 37 minutes of action for Chicago, hitting 5-of-6 from 3, while Ayo Dosunmu pitched in 20 for the Bulls. Myles Turner scored 27 to lead the Pacers and had some critical 3-pointers late, while Tyrese Haliburton had 17 points and 14 assists.
The loss leaves the Pacers tied with the slumping 76ers for the 6/7 seeds in the East with the Heat just one game behind them in eighth (the Magic are fifth 1.5 games ahead of the Pacers). The Bulls are likely locked in as the nine seed, 3.5 games back of the Heat for the eight seed with 16 games to play.
