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The Chicago Bulls are heading to Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday to face off against the Toronto Raptors in the 2023 NBA Play-In Tournament. Another underperforming season for the Bulls, they now have the opportunity to reset and start the postseason on the right foot. Unfortunately as the 10th seed, the Bulls can't afford a loss, as the season will be over with one. Not only can they not lose, but they will have to win another game against the loser of the Atlanta Hawks and the Miami Heat in order to advance to the NBA Playoffs as the eighth and final seed in the Eastern Conference.
While the odds are stacked against them, it is never safe to assume anyone is out when the NBA Playoffs arrive. Albeit the underwhelming season, the Bulls have given themselves a chance, and they certainly have a talented enough roster to do some damage.
Led by Zach Lavine and DeMar DeRozan, the 15th and 17th highest scorers this season, and anchored by Nikola Vucevic down low, the Bulls have shown stretches of dynamic basketball on both ends in between the inconsistency. Key guys like Patrick Beverley, Alex Caruso, Patrick Williams, Ayo Dosunmu and Coby White round out the rotation with the aforementioned three. Two of these guys are why the Bulls are actually going to beat the Raptors in Tuesday's showdown. So, who are those two guys?
*Clutch stats via Inpredictable
DeMar DeRozan
DeMar DeRozan was drafted to the Toronto Raptors and played the first nine years of his career at Scotiabank arena. He became beloved in the city of Toronto, and formed a life-lasting friendship with backcourt mate Kyle Lowry. When he was traded to the San Antonio Spurs in 2018, it came as a shock to him and the rest of the city. He has moved on with grace, but has been public about how much the city of Toronto means to him. Now, he is coming for revenge.
DeRozan will lead the Bulls to a win against Toronto not just because of what this game means to him, but because of the most likely outcome of this game. These two teams are pretty evenly matched, and the game is expected to be close. It should come down to the last few possessions, and the ball will end up in DeRozan's hands much like it has most of his career. Fortunately for the Bulls, DeRozan has proven to be an elite clutch time performer this year.
The Bulls shooting guard is ranked 2nd in all of the NBA in clutch time performance. He has taken the most shots this season that have fallen in the top 1% in potential impact to win probability, shooting 56.1% from the field on those shots. In general, he is shooting a staggering 58.5% on shots that have elevated win probability in clutch-time scenarios. Overall, DeRozan has proven to perform when the brights are light, and he will do the same in the 2023 NBA Play-In Tournament. The Raptors will be kicking themselves when DeRozan hits a clutch shot to destroy their NBA Playoff dreams.
Patrick Beverley
Almost a year ago to the day, Patrick Beverley forever cemented himself in Minnesota Timberwolves history. He helped lead the Timberwolves in an upset win over the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2022 NBA Play-In Tournament, and celebrated like there was no tomorrow afterwards. Although many scrutinized the celebration for being a bit exaggerated for just a play-in victory on social media afterwards, no one could argue the heart and intensity that Beverley brought to the floor. He will do the exact same thing this year for the Chicago Bulls.
The mid-season signing of Beverley by the Bulls has paid dividends. He is 13-9 with the Bulls, which isn't the sexiest of records, but the effort and grit he brings in night in and night out is something the Bulls were missing beforehand. Beverley has shown that he has the ability to inspire a team in big moments, i.e. the Minnesota Timberwolves last season. From tip-off Tuesday, Beverley will be the heart beat that pumps Chicago forward, and there is no doubt he will give 110% every play.
If the Bulls are going to win, Beverley is going to play a major factor. Besides his actual production, the energy and charisma he plays with will keep the Bulls afloat all game long. When it comes down to crunch time, his tenacity and DeRozan's ability to pour in clutch buckets should propel Chicago into the next round of the 2023 NBA Play-In Tournament. They will look to ride that momentum all the way to a first-round matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2023 NBA Playoffs.
