Bulls All-Star DeMar DeRozan has scored only Wilt Chamberlain in NBA history

DeMar DeRozan is doing something we’ve never seen from a great player in NBA history.

Not Michael Jordan. Not Kobe Bryant. Not LeBron James.

After scoring 40 points while shooting 66.7 percent from the field in the Chicago Bulls’ win over the San Antonio Spurs on Monday, DeRozan scored his sixth straight game with 35 plus points while shooting at least 50. percent from the yard.

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That six-game streak ties him – you guessed it – to Wilt Chamberlain for the longest stretch in NBA history.

Players in NBA history with 35 or more points on a 50% shot in 6 consecutive games:

– DeMar DeRozan
– Wilt Chamberlain

If DeRozan had one more, he would set the record. pic.twitter.com/5Bfb60sFbN

– StatMuse (@statmuse) February 15, 2022

Chamberlain has achieved this feat twice, but both times, the record ended in six games.

There are few things more verifiable and astonishing than just joining Chamberlain in any statistical comparison in NBA history, which speaks to just how absurd DeRozan has been over the past week.

The record began when DeRozan scored 45 points from 60.0% shots from the field in a game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Feb. 6. Since then, he has racked up 38, 36, 35, 38 and 40 points, respectively. all while firing no lower than 50.0. percent from the field in any game.

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What could be even more impressive is that this time around, DeRozan has only hit a total of three (!) 3 points, all of which came in his 36-point opener against the Charlotte Hornets on Feb. 9. Apparently. : that means he has zero 3 pointers in any of the other five contests.

His shot chart on this passage screams “midrange conductor”.

DeRozan is averaging 27.9 points with only 1.8 times 3 points per game, according to StatMuseis the most by any defender with less than two 3-point attempts per game since Jordan in 1997-98.

Sporting News’ Micah Adams made that comparison, aligning DeRozan’s revival season in Chicago with Jordan’s ’98 MVP season.

DeMar DeRozan is basically Michael Jordan 1997-98.

Year 13 DeMar:
28.1 Points / 36
5.2 Ast / 36
5.3 Reb / 36
53% for 2 seconds
34% for 3 seconds
86% on FT
8.2 FTA / 36

Year 13 Jordan:
26.7 points / 36
3.2 Ast / 36
5.4 Reb / 36
48% for 2 seconds
24% for 3 seconds
78% on FT
8.2 FTA / 36

– Micah Adams (@ MicahAdams13) February 15, 2022

To bolster his résumé, DeRozan continues to serve as the NBA’s “Fourth Place King” this season, scoring 19 points in the top four of his career to help the Bulls beat the Spurs.

DeRozan there is a top league 431 points in the fourth quarter, nearly 70 (!) more than the next closest person, Giannis Antetokounmpo. DeRozan also finished second behind Joel Embiid in best clutch point in NBAbut his performance with a shooting split of .542 / .667 / .900 is unbeatable.

If you’re wondering where all this puts DeRozan on Vegas’ MVP win rate, the answer is a lot more favorable than you think.

DeMar DeRozan’s NBA MVP Odds 2022

According to FanDuelDeRozan has the ninth-highest MVP win rate – yes, ninth – highest in the NBA right now.

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The Bulls are only half a game away from first place in the Eastern Conference, having better records than both Embiid’s 76ers and Antetokounmpo’s Bucks.

If Chicago can become the top seed of the East, DeRozan will not be overlooked as an MVP candidate playing the way he is now.

He would match Chamberlain’s chance of breaking Chamberlain’s record as the only player in NBA history to have seven consecutive games hit 35 plus points when shooting from 50% or more of the field when the Bulls take on the Sacramento Kings in game final before the All-Star tournament break on Wednesday, February 16 at 8 p.m. ET.