The Chicago Bulls continued their strong start of the 2021-22 season with a dominant outing in a 121-103 win on Monday night against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Bulls were led by veteran forward DeMar DeRozan, who scored season-high 38 points to take down his hometown team.
DeRozan’s scoring performance came with high efficiency, as he went 15 out of his 23 attempts from the floor while being perfect at the free-throw line. He also added six assists and three rebounds in his 35 minutes on the floor.
DeRozan arrived to the Bulls during the offseason in a sign-and-trade deal with the San Antonio Spurs. Many people didn’t like the move at the time, considering his three-year, $85 million contract to be an overpay and doubting he is a good fit for Chicago. But this only made the 32-year-old more motivated to prove his doubters wrong.
“I can go down the list of just being counted out, being looked over,” DeRozan said after the Lakers game via ESPN. “So many chips that’s on my shoulder that I carry. And just wanting to be a winner and wanting to enjoy this ride. We can’t play this game forever, so I want to get as much as I can out of it.”
DeRozan is currently averaging 26.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game while shooting 51.0 percent from the field and 37.1 percent from the three-point line. His stellar performances have Chicago performing above all expectations and sitting at number two in the Eastern Conference with a 10-4 record.
