DeRozan breaks Chamberlain's 60-year-old NBA record originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
DeMar DeRozan offered a simple answer when asked how to explain the historic streak he's on.
"I can't," he said.
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DeRozan became the first player in NBA history to post seven straight games with 35 or more points and 50 percent or better shooting, breaking Wilt Chamberlain's record of six games. Chamberlain achieved that twice, the last time coming in 1963.
That's a long time ago.
"Just to be in the record books along with staples in this basketball history is speechless," DeRozan said. "As a kid, as a fan of the history of the game, being in the league as long I've been in the league, things like that continue to make me even more humble."
DeRozan scored 38 points on 16-for-27 shooting to help power the Chicago Bulls to their fifth straight victory. They enter the All-Star break guaranteed of at least a share of the Eastern Conference lead.
DeRozan is averaging 38.6 points on 60.7 percent shooting and 86.2 percent from the free-throw line on 9.2 attempts over these seven games.
"The crazy thing is I feel like I missed eight easy shots that I normally would've made," DeRozan said. "I felt like I had a bad shooting night, honestly."
Do those even exist in DeRozan's world anymore? This stretch ties Michael Jordan for the second longest streak of 35-point games in franchise history, although Jordan never accomplished one with games of all 50 percent shooting or better. Jordan's franchise record is 10 straight 35-point games.
"Growing up idolizing Michael Jordan, me knowing everything about it, it's just funny because earlier in the season I was watching 'The Last Dance' again and my daughter walked in one me watching it. And she said, 'Why am (you) not in the game?'" DeRozan said, laughing. "I'm watching it and I'm like, 'This is from the 90s. I was a kid.' It was funny because it's the same arena.
"But it's things like that where you realize you're representing one of the greatest organizations to be in the league."
DeRozan was 8 when the Bulls won the last of their six championships. He said he vividly remembers the last two championships because his late father, Frank, made him watch "every single game."
"I used to hate Utah," DeRozan said.
And it's not like DeRozan is gunning his way to the record books. Beyond his ridiculously efficient shooting, he's averaging 5.6 assists during these seven games.
"He got the points. But the last 6 minutes, they just were not going to let him score," coach Billy Donovan said. "And just the decision-making to get the ball to (Nikola Vucevic) and spray it around, it opened up things for Coby (White) and Ayo (Dosunmu) and things at the basket. That part was great."
And the best part to DeRozan is that his history-making came during a winning streak. The Bulls went 5-2 in his torrid stretch, taking a five-game win streak into the break.
"It's one of those things where I'm just completely locked in as soon as I come to work, understanding I want to be able to leave work by any means necessary," DeRozan said. "I stand on that. I try to challenge myself every single day I come to work no matter how I feel, no matter if I'm having a personal good day or bad day."
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