In the closing minutes of Toronto’s 121-108 win over the Bulls on Friday, DeMar DeRozan completely lost it after Pascal Siakam threw up a late-game three-point attempt with his team up big. DeRozan, who was ejected from the game in a fit of rage, later explained his actions and called out the Raptors star for breaking the unwritten code.
“I don’t care about no in-season tournament points, none of that. Just respect for the game,” said DeRozan. “If the score was flipped-flopped and I had the ball, hold it. It is what it is. Just everybody was yelling at him, ‘score, score.’ Take the win. Get out of here. If roles were reversed, needing in-season tournament points or not, just for the respect I have for my opponents, I hold the ball.”
Siakam finished with just 18 points on the night, and went 1-6 from three, including his attempt that set off DeRozan at the end of the game. Since the Raptors were already eliminated from in-season play, there was no reason for Siakam to shoot at that moment and it raised more than a few objections across the NBA community. In the end, however, the whole event says more about the state of the Chicago Bulls than anything else.
NBA Fans React To DeMar’s Viral Outburst
While the game itself was already decided, it’s important to note that the Raptors only had five seconds to shoot the ball before losing possession and taking a turnover. As fans pointed out, it’s hard to get mad at the Raptors for that possession when the shot clock was still less than the game clock.
https://twitter.com/LucasArruda92/status/1728490875607749010
It’s also possible that that Siakam took the shot thinking it would help his team’s odds for the in-season tournament. Of course, the Raptors were already eliminated from the final stages but building their lead would have been a potential tie-breaker for them had they made the cut.
The rules of the tournament (no matter how stupid the whole thing is) dictate that you run up the score as much as possible. Blame the rules not the player
— FUZZY (@tylerscpln) November 25, 2023
Of course, a narrative is spreading that DeRozan is just salty and frustrated over his situation with the Bulls, who are now 5-12 on the season.
Bro mad his team stinks
— Herm (@MalikNabersMVP1) November 25, 2023
No matter where you stand on DeRozan and the Bulls, the franchise has seen better days. Amid another lost Lonzo Ball season, the Bulls are on the verge of collapse and DeRozan is feeling the pressure to keep it all together. Unfortunately, there’s just no saving this team anymore and last night’s blowout loss may have been the final nail in the coffin.
The Bulls Are Down Bad
Losers of three straight games, Chicago is now 13th in the East, behind the Charlotte Hornets, Brooklyn Nets, and Toronto Raptors. This situation is hardly unfamiliar ground for the franchise, who have struggled since their electric start in the 2021-22 season. It all started with the injuries to Lonzo Ball, and his declining health crippled the Bulls’ offensive system. Fast forward more than a year later, and there are still no signs of a return for Ball, and Zach LaVine has completely run out of patience. In the wake of his ongoing trade search, it’s created a toxic situation in the locker room and the tension is palpable on the court
For DeRozan, he’s been caught in the middle of it all and he’s been forced to carry the load as the Bulls rack up losses in the early going this season. It’s really no wonder that DeMar lost his cool, and the only real question is how long the other players can keep it together before crossing the point of no return…
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