As a member of the 2020-21 San Antonio Spurs, DeMar DeRozan knows what it’s like to be the 10th seed and road team for the NBA play-in tournament.
“You want to make sure you make that luggage useful,” DeRozan said.
In other words, DeRozan wants the Chicago Bulls to become the first No. 10 seed to win a road game, which would then likely bring a flight directly to the city where the loser of the No. 7 vs. No. 8 matchup plays.
“I had the chance to play in one when it first started. Everything about the game will keep you on edge,” DeRozan said. “It’s an opportunity for us to make the playoffs. That’s how we have to look at it.”
DeRozan shot 5-for-21 when his Spurs lost to the Memphis Grizzlies, who went to defeat the eighth-seeded Golden State Warriors and earn a 2021 playoff berth.
There’s a reason why No. 10 seeds are 0-4 and have yet to vault from that spot to a playoff berth. Winning two straight road games after an inconsistent season landed you such a seed is hard.
“You’d obviously at this point like to be in a situation where you know you’re one of those top-six seeds where you’re not trying to get into the playoffs. But having a chance to get in would be the next thing you’d want to have,” coach Billy Donovan said. “There was a period of time after the All-Star break where we were out of that picture.”
Indeed, the Bulls are 12-9 since the All-Star break and Patrick Beverley’s arrival. But two straight deflating losses against shorthanded teams missing their best players with a chance to improve the Bulls’ seeding has staunched whatever small momentum had been created.
Donovan said it’s likely DeRozan, Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic won’t play on Friday night in Dallas.
“One of the mindsets we have to have is we have to treat the game like the last two minutes of the game for 48 minutes,” DeRozan said. “It’s no more talking about it, no more waiting until we get down 15, 20 points to try to make a run. We have to walk into the gym feeling anxious.”
DeRozan shot 3-for-12 on Wednesday night in Milwaukee, vowing that such an off night won’t happen again. So he’s looking to put his 5-for-21 performance from his previous play-in experience in the past.
And while it’s not official, it’s more likely than not that the Bulls’ opponent for the April 12 matchup will be the Toronto Raptors. DeRozan remains beloved in Toronto.
“Beautiful,” DeRozan said, when asked about the potential of playing in Toronto. “I think it will be fun. It will be very exciting. It will be real cool.”
Source: nbcsports.com
