The Chicago Bulls are being carried right now by the heroics of DeMar DeRozan. DeRozan is on a stretch we’ve never before seen in the NBA, as he has scored at least 35 points while making at least half of his shot attempts in seven consecutive games.
That broke a record held by Wilt Chamberlain, who reached those plateaus six consecutive games twice in 1963. In addition, DeRozan has scored at least 30 points in eight straight games, something that hasn’t been done by a Bull since Michael Jordan in 1996.
The otherworldly performances could not have come at a better time for DeRozan. The Bulls have been without Lonzo Ball since January 14th because of an MCL injury and Alex Caruso since January 21st because of a wrist injury. Both are key contributors, but other players have stepped up in their absence to keep things afloat.
It would have been difficult to compensate for those two and Zach LaVine had he been given a similar diagnosis. Luckily for the Chicago Bulls, Zach LaVine’s meeting with a knee specialist in Los Angeles on Wednesday went well.
LATEST NBA NEWS: Can DeMar DeRozan Keep Bulls Afloat Amid Injury Concerns?
“Right now the doctors feel totally fine with him resuming playing,” Donovan said prior to Wednesday’s game against the Sacramento Kings. “Zach felt very, very good about the meeting. … He’s probably going to be about 48 hours before he can do any activity really, but he should be able to resume any activity after that.”
LaVine has been dealing with knee soreness for a few weeks now. He underwent an MRI in January but no structural damage was revealed. He gutted it out for as long as he could until he was shut down for the last three games ahead of the break.
LATEST NBA NEWS: Can DeMar DeRozan Keep Bulls Afloat Amid Injury Concerns?
LaVine was cleared to play in the All-Star game over the weekend, which means he should be able to return to the court when the Chicago Bulls pick things back up on February 24th against the Atlanta Hawks. The team hasn’t lost since he has been sidelined, but will certainly be relieved to get him back in the lineup.
In addition to the good news about Zach LaVine, it was revealed that Caruso is progressing well, too. He should be able to resume shooting and dribbling in the next seven to 10 days. That would put him well ahead of the 6-8 week timetable he was originally given.
