Ahead of the 2021-22 NBA season Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan didn’t exactly get good reviews. Countless media members claimed he wouldn’t fit with this Bulls team. Many others said that it was the worst move in free agency. Well here we are 24 games into the season and the Bulls are 16-8. Not only is this team the #2 seed in the East but DeRozan is playing at an elite level. DeMar is averaging 26.4 PPG, 49.8 %FG, 5.3 RPG, & 4.1 APG. He’s one of the main reasons the Bulls are where they are at so far this season. As the season has rolled on we’ve seen many people backtrack on their takes before the season. To make things even better for DeMar he was honored with an NBA award today.
DEMARVELOUS.
DeMar DeRozan has been named Eastern Conference Player of the Week! pic.twitter.com/X3Gfnlk9tr
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) December 6, 2021
DeRozan was named the Eastern Conference player of the week from his play the previous week. DeRozan played at a high level over those three games last week and the team went 3-0. He did something for this Bulls team that hasn’t been done in over 4 years.
Player of the week has been few and far between
The honor of player of the week hasn’t been something we have seen many Bulls players receive in recent years. The last time someone did receive it the team looked much different.
DeRozan is the first Bull to win Player of the Week since Jimmy Butler in April 2017 https://t.co/iajNA7LCQy
— Rob Schaefer (@rob_schaef) December 6, 2021
The last time a Bulls player received this award forward Jimmy Butler was still on the team. It’s not been a common occurrence for a Bulls player to be recognized in weekly awards. DeRozan honestly has deserved this award in other weeks this season but we will take what we can get. Either way, it’s a well-deserved honor and it likely won’t be the only time a Bulls player earns this honor. Regardless DeRozan deserves much more respect and attention than he is getting. His play in the fourth quarter alone is reason enough to have him high on NBA awards lists.
The 4th quarter assassin
DeMar has been a crucial piece to this Bulls roster so far this season. The biggest thing he is doing is showing up when it matters most. When the game is on the line DeMar has been there. He has ensured the team gets the win and keeps this team performing at a high level as the game comes to a close. His fourth-quarter stats are some of the best in the league.
DeMar DeRozan in the 4Q this season:
178 PTS (1st in NBA)
7.7 PPG (1st)
53/46/90%63 FGM (1st)
119 FGA (1st)
5-11 3P
52 FTA (3rd)The Bulls are +69 with DeRozan in 4Qs, the highest +/- by any player with 200+ minutes. pic.twitter.com/wXHAtsIMwv
— StatMuse (@statmuse) December 5, 2021
With DeMar on the floor in the fourth quarter, the Bulls are extremely hard to beat. He is making it incredibly tough for other teams to catch back up at the end of games and doesn’t appear to be slowing down. The stats show you that he’s the most clutch player in the NBA right now. When it’s time to take over and ensure the team wins DeRozan is there. In my opinion, being the best player in the league in the 4th quarter should put you higher on the MVP rankings. While that hasn’t been the case to this point DeMar is still in a position to battle for the MVP.
Darkhorse MVP candidate
Are there currently better players in the league so far this season than DeRozan? Yes. However, the main reason those players are held so much higher in the MVP rankings is due to exposure. The Bulls are certainly getting more media attention however they aren’t as prominent as some other teams. The Bulls don’t get as much national airtime so people can’t see just how good DeRozan is playing on a night-to-night basis. Updated MVP rankings came out over the weekend and DeRozan still finds himself on the list.
https://t.co/wWGNmWnCY9’s updated MVP Ladder:
1. Steph Curry
2. Kevin Durant
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo
4. Nikola Jokic
5. Chris Paul
6. Jimmy Butler
7. DeMar DeRozan
8. Zach LaVine
9. Trae Young
10. Rudy Gobert— NBA Central (@TheNBACentral) December 3, 2021
I believe that DeRozan should be ranked ahead of Jimmy Butler and Chris Paul so far this season. However, if you look at the national market the Suns and Heat are getting a ton of coverage. Even before the season, they were getting coverage and everyone kept a close eye on them as the season began. DeRozan should be ranked #5 on this list and I don’t think that should be up for debate. He’s proven thus far that he is reliable and consistent. If the Bulls were getting more coverage I believe things would look a little different on this list.
DeRozan is proving people wrong
Regardless of the rankings and accolades, it seems like DeRozan is on a mission this season. He wants to prove to everyone who doubted his fit coming into the season that they were wrong. He wants to show up and show that in his 13th season he can still be an impactful player. If the media did light a fire under him then I am happy about what was said ahead of the season.
There are still a lot of games left to be played but DeRozan is on track to keep his name in the MVP conversation. If his level of play in the fourth quarter continues I don’t see a way he can’t be talked about as one of the best players in the league this season. All we can do now is wait and see how DeRozan continues playing for the Bulls. Here’s to hoping this will be the first of many awards for DeRozan this season.
