March 2022 in the NBA closes out in very fitting fashion, with another player scoring 50 points.
DeMar DeRozan dropped 50 on the Los Angeles Clippers in a 135-130 overtime victory for the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night at the United Center. And it was a pretty wild comeback by the Bulls (who trailed by as many as 16 points), led of course by DeRozan.
The Clippers led by 11 points with under five minutes remaining in regulation and had a 97.3% win probability.
DeRozan scored five points in the final 9.3 seconds of regulation, with two of those points coming after being fouled by Paul George on a three-pointer with 3.5 seconds remaining.
In overtime, DeRozan — whose ultra-competitive self was likely even more motivated after missing one of those three free throws — scored 10 more points.
DeMar DeRozan on missing last free throw in regulation: "It felt like a bomb went off inside my head. Just frustrated with myself." https://t.co/dwuvQJG125
— Rob Schaefer (@rob_schaef) April 1, 2022
The “King of the Fourth” has scored 604 points in the fourth quarter this season- 104 points more than the next-highest fourth-quarter scorer. Insane.
DeRozan becomes the 14th different NBA player to score at least 50 points this season, and the seventh of March. Those are both records (there have never been seven different players to score 50 points in any month).
DeRozan is the 14th different player with a 50-point game this season, the most in NBA history.
There have been 7 different players with a 50-point game this month, ALSO an NBA record for a calendar month. https://t.co/oty2HHFLlI
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) April 1, 2022
It’s the ninth time there’s been a 50-plus point game this March, after there were nine total such games from October through February.
DeRozan's 50 points is the 9th game in the NBA this March in which a player scored 50+
There were 9 combined October thru February
— Kevin Anderson (@Kevin_NBCS) April 1, 2022
Here’s more reaction to DeRozan’s performance: