NBA

DeMar DeRozan First In NBA History to Hit Back-to-Back Game Winners

Chicago Bulls have been doing very well this season and the team has been pretty consistent and near the top of the standings since the start. But thanks to DeMar DeRozan and his two consecutive buzzer beaters, the Bulls are now the first seed in the Eastern Conference.

DeRozan Writes History

Never in the history of the NBA league did we see one player hit two buzzer beaters in two days since the start of the play-by-play era (1997-1998), but DeRozan treated us to this fantastic moment just as we entered the New Year. Even if DeRozan wished for something else from Santa Claus, we are sure that he is more than happy with his present for the holidays.

The first game against the Pacers seemed more than lost with Bulls being three points down and failing to make a shot with 36 seconds to go, but DeRozan first caught the offensive rebound and scored to bring the Bulls within one point before nailing a one-legged circus shot in the next possession to secure the win for his team. It was the first buzzer beater for the Bulls since 2016 and only the second buzzer beater for DeRozan in his career.

The Bulls entered their game against the Wizards next night looking for their seventh straight win, but things didn’t go according to their plans in this match. Still, the Bulls hanged in the game until the very end when DeRozan took things in his own hands once again and hit a game-winning three as the time expired.

Is It Time to Include DeRozan In the MVP Conversation?

While these two nights are certainly ones to remember for DeRozan and the Bulls, it’s important to note how great the experienced guard has been the entire season. His addition to the Bulls roster last summer was a logical one from the beginning, but DeRozan has exceeded all expectations this season and many experts consider him to be a dark horse in the MVP race.

DeRozan is averaging 26.8 points per game this season on nearly 50% from the field, along with 5.1 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game. While his three-point shooting is still not up to par with the league’s modern standards, his leadership and efficiency in the fourth quarters this season has been amazing. After all, he is the current leader in the NBA in points per game in the final quarter.

DeRozan

On top of all this, the Bulls are winning. As we already said, Chicago overtook Brooklyn to get to the top spot in the Eastern Conference and if they and DeRozan can keep it up, we might see DeRozan in the MVP conversation come the end of the season.

Changing the Narrative

Regardless of how this season goes for the Bulls, both the team and DeRozan are changing their narratives. The Bulls are finally a winning team once again and DeRozan is proving time and time again that he can be a leader on a winning team.

Of course, doing the same in the playoffs would come a long way to further change the narrative from his days as a Raptor, but for now, DeMar DeRozan is proving all the haters wrong.


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