The Chicago Bulls lost an overtime battle but they’re reliving the glory days. DeMar DeRozan came through for the injury-riddled team and posted a night that was beyond impressive. Almost as much as championship-era Michael Jordan three decades ago. It may have not been enough to close that 133-129 score gap, but it deserved to be lauded.
Deebo was the highest scorer on the team, tallying 41 points across 42 minutes. He also led with 11 assists and 2 rebounds. It’s the first 40-10 assists game for the franchise since Michael Jordan on December 23, 1992. “Bulls PR said DeRozan is first Bull to post at least 40 pts and 10 assists since MJ on 12/23/92,” reported KC Johnson, the Bulls insider.
The Bulls played against the Washington Bullets (now, Wizards) on December 23, 1992. No.23 put more than half the points on the scoreboard, scoring 57 of the 107 points for Chicago. Washington scored 98 that night. In this same game, MJ dished out 10 assists too. To put it in perspective, Horace Grant was the next high scorer with 11 points.
It was also coach Phil Jackson’s 200th win but no one noticed because of Jordan’s 57-point night. The Zen Master famously remarked about it with a sentence, “Quite a game,” which christened this game in history. While DeRozan didn’t quite put up the same numbers, becoming the first Bull with a 40-10 game since MJ is shocking, to say the least.
At this time, the trade rumor mill is rife with speculation that the Bulls want to move DeRozan on. This comes when the 34-year-old has been instrumental in filling any void on the rotation, with the likes of Zach LaVine and Alex Caruso missing out.
Michael Jordan overshadowed the Bulls in one night
It’s just another night for the Black Cat, who accomplished this record nine times in his career. Jordan displayed outstanding offensive prowess in one game, scoring 29 in the first half, 18 in the 3rd quarter, and 10 in the final and made six 3-pointers. As MJ told the crowd after that game, “I got into that mode and can’t get out,” DeMar DeRozan got in that mode too.
He replaced injured Zach Lavine and is packing the scoreboard. He is only the second Bulls player to come close to this MJ record. He responded after the game, “Anything with Michael Jordan in it is a helluva accomplishment.” Though it proves he’s got a lot to offer, this game is not factored into trade talks as insiders claim Deebo and the Bulls are not making headway in negotiations.
With LaVine and Caruso’s situation uncertain, DeRozan trade seems very likely in the February deadline. The Bulls are still struggling as a whole though. It remains to be seen that an MJ 2.0 would be worth keeping.
