DeMar DeRozan’s emotional outburst costs Bulls big game

On a Thursday night in March, the aura in Houston was unusually tense as the Chicago Bulls prepared for a big game against the Rockets. Owners of a 34-35 disk, a victory would boost the Bulls return to a .500 record for the first time since the start of the season and help them catch up with a few struggling teams ahead of them in the standings.

It wouldn’t be an easy task, however, as the Rockets entered winning six straight and eight of their last nine games. Despite having a similarly mediocre 33-35 record as Chicago, the Rockets are a team that gets hot at the right time. The Bulls would have to be in top form if they wanted to escape with a road victory.

Unfortunately, this will ultimately not be the case. Generally a stoic leader for Chicago, DeMar DeRozan let his emotions get the best of him last night. Shooting a poor 4 of 15 from the field, he was very clearly irritated by the lack of calls coming his way on the offensive end.

Tensions finally boiled over when DeRozan nearly hit Houston’s Jalen Green — or as Stacey King would call it, “committing a bad foul” — with six minutes left in the third quarter. Green’s teammate, Dillon Brooks, quickly rushed to his aid and the ensuing scuffle resulted in both players being ejected from the competition.

Sacrifice Dillon Brooks to take DeMar DeRozan out of the game? This is a trade the Rockets will take every time.

Already trailing 76-84 after play resumed following the ejection, things didn’t go smoothly from there. Houston would continue to increase its lead in the third quarter before Chicago’s half-court offense completely collapsed in the fourth. The Bulls would lose 117-127, leaving yet another opportunity to get back to .500 on the board.

This is a particularly unusual performance from DeRozan, as he can usually be counted on to be the level-headed leader of this team. We have witnessed this as he has managed to stay calm and collected in the clutch time and time again this season. It was clear that this Bulls team simply wasn’t ready to compete without his presence down the stretch.

“I don’t play walking on someone when their back is turned. No, that’s just not something we do. DeRozan told reporters“I just felt like it was a problem to walk in on any man from behind.”

With all the burden DeRozan has been forced to carry — currently leading the NBA in total minutes played — alongside a weak turnover, I understand if the stress of dragging the depleted Bulls to the playoffs is getting to him. But if Chicago has any hope of returning to the playoffs, DeMar needs to get his act together, and he needs to do it quickly.

The Bulls only have 12 games left on the schedule from here. Their next chance to get back to .500 will be against the Celtics on Saturday. Boston has posted an incredible 26-1 record against teams with a winning percentage below .500 this season, so the Bulls’ chances don’t look great, to say the least.

Nonetheless, Chicago’s next three games will take place at the United Center, and they will now be forced to approach every game from here on out as a potential make-or-die scenario. If there was ever a time for this team to show what they’re really made of, it would be now.