Chicago Bulls fans chanted “M-V-P” on Sunday afternoon for DeMar DeRozan, a familiar refrain this season at the United Center, as the All-Star guard went off again during a season-high 45-point effort against the Philadelphia 76ers.
But the MVP of the game — and perhaps the frontrunner for the 2021-22 award — was 76ers center Joel Embiid, who scored 40 points and hauled in 10 rebounds in a 119-108 win over the undermanned Bulls.
Embiid’s dominance in the fourth quarter prevented the Bulls from completing a comeback after they cut a 17-point deficit to four, and he led the 76ers to their third straight win against the Bulls in the season series.
The loss denied Bulls coach Billy Donovan and his staff the task of coaching in the NBA All-Star Game, an honor that goes to the coaching staff of the team in each conference with the best winning percentage through Sunday’s games. The Miami Heat’s Eric Spoelstra will coach Team Durant on Feb. 20 in Cleveland after the Bulls fell a half-game behind the Heat in the Eastern Conference race.
“I brought it up to the guys, thought extra motivation would’ve been special,” DeRozan said. “Those guys deserve it. It would’ve been great to get those guys in there. It was on my mind. I told Billy at the end of the game I was going to try my best to get this game for them.
“Would have loved to see those guys get the opportunity. The opportunity doesn’t come around often. ... We just fell short of it.”
With Zach LaVine and Coby White out again and Nikola Vučević having the tall task of trying to defend Embiid, the onus was on DeRozan to carry the load on offense. He did it for the first three quarters and played 41 minutes overall, but he couldn’t get the Bulls over the hump.
Trailing by four at 100-96 with less than 7½ minutes left, the Bulls watched Embiid score eight of the 76ers’ next 11 points to take back the momentum.
DeRozan and Vučević couldn’t do it all, though they tried. They combined to take 59% of the Bulls’ shots (48 of 81) and made 67% of their field goals (26 of 39).
LaVine, an All-Star reserve, missed his second straight game with back tightness and obviously was missed. While Donovan said LaVine has “progressed,” he couldn’t say whether LaVine would be available Monday night against the Phoenix Suns, who have the league’s best record at 42-10.
White, out with a groin injury, also is questionable. The Bulls lacked backcourt depth even with those two healthy, and their absences were evident Sunday with Matt Thomas getting starter’s minutes off the bench (34-plus) and scoring five points on 2-for-10 shooting.
Ayo Dosunmu has stepped up of late, but the rookie from Illinois scored only eight points Sunday while attempting only eight shots. Javonte Green added 17 points on 5-for-6 shooting.
Donovan said White’s injury isn’t a major concern, but he couldn’t commit to him playing Monday either.
“It’s not ideal with the number of backcourt players we have,” Donovan said.
The Bulls have a chance to make a significant move this week and improve the roster for the stretch run. The NBA trade deadline arrives Thursday, but Donovan said executive vice president of basketball operations Artūras Karnišovas and general manager Marc Eversley have to take into consideration the fact the team hasn’t had its top players together for a prolonged stretch.
“I think they’re going to really, really look at (when) March comes, can we really get whole? What is that going to look like?” Donovan said. “Do we need to stay who we are and let this group play itself out? Or is there something that says: ‘You know what? This could really make our team better’?”
Donovan said management keeps him apprised, but Karnišovas hasn’t had to have a big conversation yet on a potential move.
“That has not taken place at all,” Donovan said. “I know he and his staff have been in a lot, they’re working and doing what they need to do. It’s allowed me to focus on our team.”
Donovan said there’s a “strong” possibility forward Patrick Williams will return before the regular season ends, which also could factor into the decision on whether to make a deal. The Bulls’ biggest need is another big man to help Vučević, though they also could use another 3-point threat.
The Bulls went 7-for-26 (26.9%) beyond the arc Sunday without LaVine and White, two of their best outside threats.
DeRozan said “it’s understood we’re going to get everybody back in due time,” adding the players just have to deal with the adversity until then. Lonzo Ball is off crutches and was on the bench Sunday, and the Bulls are optimistic the return of Ball and Alex Caruso in March or early April will revitalize a team that has dearly missed the two guards.
“Having ‘Zo on the bench tonight was great,” DeRozan said. “Just seeing those guys around, working back toward getting healthy, it gives us the extra juice we need.”
Asked if the Bulls should do something at the deadline, DeRozan pointed out they are missing Ball, Caruso and Williams.
“We have them, and they’ll be back,” he said. “We don’t need to worry or stress about having nobody else. Those three right there, I guarantee every team in this NBA wish they had those three guys. We’re going to get those guys back and we’ll be fine.”
So the players don’t mind if management stands pat?
“Only you guys talk about that,” DeRozan said, referring to the media. “We don’t talk about it.”
The clock is ticking, and the East race is wide open.
Karnišovas must soon decide whether the team’s great chemistry is more important than getting outside help for the stretch run.
One thing Karnišovas has on his side is this: No matter which way he goes, Bulls fans likely will give him the benefit of the doubt.
