NBA: DeMar DeRozan extends scoring record as Bulls top Hawks
FILE–DeMar DeRozan #11 of the Chicago Bulls. Stacy Revere/Getty Images/AFP
DeMar DeRozan converted the go-ahead 3-point play with 15.1 seconds remaining as part of a 37-point scoring effort to give the Chicago Bulls a 112-108 victory over the visiting Atlanta Hawks on Thursday night.
DeRozan was 15 of 21 from the field to extend his NBA record of scoring at least 35 points and shooting 50 percent or better to eight consecutive games. He also scored at least 30 points for the ninth straight game to move within two of the franchise mark set by Michael Jordan during the 1986-87 season.
Zach LaVine scored 20 points as Chicago won its sixth straight game and moved a half-game ahead of the Miami Heat atop the Eastern Conference. Nikola Vucevic added 12 points and 10 rebounds, Ayo Dosunmu also scored 12 points and Tristan Thompson added 11 points.
Bogdan Bogdanovich scored a season-best 27 points and Danilo Gallinari scored a season-high 26 points and equaled his season best of nine rebounds for Atlanta. Trae Young had 14 points and 10 assists and Clint Capela added 14 points and 17 rebounds as the Hawks had a two-game winning streak snapped.
DeMar DeRozan has recorded 35+ points on 50% shooting from the field in 8 consecutive games, extending his record for the longest such streak in NBA History. https://t.co/oiYPu6jgT6
— NBA History (@NBAHistory) February 25, 2022
DeRozan knocked down a jumper to pull Chicago within one with 46.9 seconds before converting the go-ahead three-point play.
Bogdanovic missed the possible go-ahead 3-pointer and Javonte Green added two free throws with 4.5 seconds left to give the Bulls a four-point edge.
Chicago made 48.8 percent of its field-goal attempts, including 8 of 27 from 3-point range.
The Hawks shot 42.3 percent and were 8 of 28 from behind the arc.
"MVP, baby!"@RealTristan13 already knows. Instant fit. pic.twitter.com/3ZEct9JmlC
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) February 25, 2022
Atlanta’s John Collins (foot) sat out his fourth straight game, while teammate De’Andre Hunter (two points in 13 minutes) missed the second half with an illness.
Dosunmu made consecutive baskets and Coby White followed with a hoop to cap a 14-4 burst that saw Chicago take a 102-94 lead with 5:51 left.
A short time later, Atlanta rolled off nine straight points to take a 105-104 lead. Bogdanovic hit a 3-pointer and Gallinari scored the next six.
DeRozan split two free throws with 2:31 left to knot the score. But Capela scored on a dunk 16 seconds later and Gallinari split two free throws with 1:59 remaining to give the Hawks a 108-105 lead.
Bogdanovic and Huerter knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers to give Atlanta its first lead of the game at 67-65 with 6:30 left in the third quarter.
Bogdanovic drained his third 3-pointer of the quarter with 1.8 seconds left to knot the score at 82.
DeRozan had 16 first-quarter points and 22 in the half as Chicago led 52-50 at the break.
