Chicago Bulls’ six-time All-Star, DeMar DeRozan goes off for a season-high and moves up on the NBA’s all-time scorers list in an overtime win against the Pacers.
Chicago Bulls Star Moves Up On The NBA’s All-time Scorers List In Overtime Win
The Bulls pulled off a 132-129 victory in overtime at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse. It represents a return to winning ways for the Bulls. They have struggled for consistency all year interchanging win streaks with loss streaks. They will need to win games down the stretch of the season so that they have a chance at a home advantage for the play-in tournament.
Those plans could be derailed by a negative injury report on Coby White. He had to leave the game in the final minutes of regulation with a hip injury and didn’t return. White has been incredibly important for Chicago this season.
Alex Caruso stepped up from the bench, scoring 23 points on 9-for-13 shot attempts. He added on seven rebounds and assists. Ayo Dosunmu added 20 points, four rebounds, and two blocks. Six players finished in double-digits in the points column.
The Pacers had chances to put away the game but fell short. With this result, they have lost some ground in the tight race for playoff seeding.
Myles Turner led the Pacers in scoring with 27 points. He scored five three-pointers and finished the game with seven boards. Tyrese Haliburton had a 17-point, 14-assist double-double. Pascal Siakam chipped in with 17 points, nine rebounds, three assists, two steals, and two blocks.
The Pacers opted for an egalitarian offense, sharing shot attempts across the team evenly. As many as seven players finished with double-digit points. The Pacers’ bench outscored their Bulls’ counterparts 47-16.
Not exactly a sterling display of execution for the @Pacers tonight. Great effort, but wasted by questionable decisions at times. All five starters took between 12 and 15 shots, which looks good on paper, but that tells me Siakam didn’t get the ball often enough.
— Mark Montieth (@MarkMontieth) March 14, 2024
DeMar DeRozan Comes In Clutch
DeRozan continues to build an impressive case for the Clutch Player of the Year award.
The last 1:30 minutes of regulation provided some late drama, notably when Pacers center Myles Turner made two 3-pointers on consecutive possessions at 1:12 and 56.7 seconds, resulting in a 3-point advantage. However, DeRozan’s successful free throw and subsequent baseline fadeaway jumper with 0.3 seconds left forced the game into overtime. This overtime is their NBA-leading 10th of the season. They are now 7-3 in these games.
Throughout the fourth quarter, the lead changed hands 12 times between the two teams. In overtime, DeRozan scored nine points to help the Bulls assert control of the game.
At the 2:17 mark of overtime, the Bulls surged ahead 127-123 courtesy of the sole 3-pointer made by their standout forward. Moments before the final buzzer, Haliburton attempted a 3-pointer but was unsuccessful.
A Historic Night For DeMar DeRozan
DeRozan has now passed Adrian Dantley for 32nd on the NBA’s all-time scoring list. He has a season-high 45 points and has passed Elgin Baylor, Dwyane Wade and Dantley in the same game.
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) March 14, 2024
During the game, DeRozan passed three players on the NBA’s all-time scoring list. His 16th point propelled him past Elgin Baylor for 34th place on the list, his 32nd point surpassed his close friend Dwyane Wade, and his 42nd point moved him past Adrian Dantley for 32nd place on the all-time list. Additionally, DeRozan notched his 10th 30-point game of the season.
