Chicago Bulls All-Star forward DeMar DeRozan continued his MVP level play heading into the All-Star break, scoring 38 points on 16-for-27 (59%) from the field Wednesday night, making him the first player in the 75 year history of the NBA to score 35 points while shooting better than 50% from the floor in seven consecutive games. DeRozan surpassed a record set by Hall of Fame center Wild Chamberlain, who put together two such streaks of six games in a row, during the 1960-61 and 1962-63 seasons.
DeRozan scored 38 points on 16-for-27 (59%) from the field Wednesday night, making him the first player in the 75 year history of the NBA to score 35 points while shooting better than 50% from the floor in seven consecutive games. DeRozan surpassed a record set by Hall of Fame center Wild Chamberlain, who put together two such streaks of six games in a row, during the 1960-61 and 1962-63 seasons.
“Just to be in the record books along with staples of basketball history — [I’m] speechless,” DeRozan said following Wednesday’s game. “As a kid, as a fan of the history of the game, being in the league as long as I’ve been in the league, things like that continue to make me even more humble.
“It’s something I’ll never take for granted. And the crazy thing is, I feel like I missed eight easy shots I normally would have made. I felt like I had a bad shooting night, honestly.”
During his streak, DeRozan is averaging 38.6 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.6 assists on 60.7% shooting in his past seven contests. He also has registered at least 30 points in eight straight games, the longest streak by a Bulls player since Michael Jordan in January 1996. DeRozan is tied with Philadelphia 76ers Joel Embiid for the longest stretch of 30 or more points by a player this season.
DeRozan’s showcases have helped carry the Bulls to five wins in a row, despite fellow All-Star Zach LaVine missing the past three games to see a specialist in Los Angeles about his left knee injury, and into a tie for first place in the Eastern Conference with the Miami Heat.
“I’m hopeful that we can get whole at some point, I think I’d like to see what this group can do whole,” Bulls coach Billy Donovan said. “I am very, very grateful and appreciative, up until this point in the All-Star break — we’ve had some really good moments and some not so great moments, which is typical — the way these guys have continued to fight, regardless if it’s been a win or a loss.”
DeRozan also received support from Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant. Durant’s tweet said: “Thank you for setting a great example and playing the game with supreme skill @DeMar_DeRozan”
DeRozan had difficulty describing just how locked in he is. And when it came to the record, he was “speechless.”
“As a kid, as a fan of the history of the game, being in the league as long as I’ve been in this league — things like that continue to make me even more humble,” he said. “Being an NBA player and being able to have the privilege to be able to play this long and have these opportunities, man, it’s something I never take for granted. And the crazy thing is I felt like I missed eight easy shots I normally would have made.”
The Bulls went on to beat the Sacramento Kings, 125-118.
