After losing to lowly Detroit, DeMar DeRozan vents his ire on the Cleveland Cavaliers

DeRozan was out for vengeance against the Cavaliers.

After losing to the NBA’s worst team on Tuesday, DeMar DeRozan realized how much of a missed opportunity it was to add a win to their total and was pissed. Hellbent on making up for it, Deebo couldn’t wait to get back on the floor to face off against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

And when the time came, he made sure to leave his mark. DeRozan scored a game-high 35 points and grabbed 10 rebounds as the Chicago Bulls dismantled the Cavaliers in double-overtime, 132-123.

But it wasn’t just about the numbers for DeRozan. After the game, he spoke about how important it was for him to bounce back after their disappointing loss to Detroit. He saw this game against Cleveland as an opportunity to show his team’s resilience and determination.

A game they should have won

Despite the disparity in win-loss records, the Pistons are still an NBA team, so they should never be underestimated. The Bulls learned that the hard way in their previous game, where they let a win slip away in the final minutes.

"No disrespect to Detroit, but that's a game we should have," DeRozan said, referring to the 105-95 loss they suffered on Tuesday.

"I know I was pissed off. I was up until 6 a.m. just pissed off about losing (Tuesday) night. I was eager to get back out there. Everybody showed it."

Down by 12 early in the fourth, the Bulls could have easily let go of the rope and called it a night. But they didn’t; instead, they mounted a furious comeback, resulting in a win.

"We stayed with it," DeRozan said.

"Guys just kept saying stick with it. It was tough, but we stuck with it. Will. It’s all will. We got a team full of guys that are all will."

Jab step. Pull up. SPLASH.@NBCSChicago | @DeMar_DeRozan pic.twitter.com/6AdbGRIlYt

— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) February 29, 2024

Didn’t mind the minutes

Deebo leads the league in minutes played this season, so playing 48 minutes and 35 seconds of the 58-minute game didn’t faze him.

"I love it. When you’re a kid, you play until the streetlights come on and your Mom is screaming for you to come home," Deebo remarked.

DeRozan had little gas left in the tank for all intents and purposes, but he used whatever was left to pull out the win for his team.

"He has the great ability to shift mentally and go to a different level of concentration and slow things down," coach Billy Donovan said.

"He has an ability to stay incredibly calm and play poised in those situations."

Despite suffering a deflating loss to a lowly Detroit squad, Ayo Dosunmu is shifting his focus on next game against Cleveland