CHICAGO (670 The Score) – In the aftermath of his team's 102-98 win against the Magic on Monday evening, Bulls star DeMar DeRozan was irked by one aspect of his performance in particular.
That would be his 7-of-13 showing from the free-throw line, a subpar effort that nearly opened the window for the Magic to have a chance to tie late in what was a mostly ugly game. So DeRozan went back to work postgame, making what he estimated to be 250 free throws on the United Center floor as the operations crew started the transition of the basketball hardwood to the hockey rink ahead of the Blackhawks hosting a game Tuesday.
"We've had so many games lately," said DeRozan, who entered the day shooting 87.6% from the free-throw line this season. "Usually, I always go back at night (to the practice facility) and get my rhythm, shoot a couple (hundred), make a couple hundred free throws at least in between games. But you know with the back-to-backs the last two weeks, I haven't been able to keep up with my rhythm. It showed tonight. It don't even look right. Just trying to get a rhythm. There was no way I was going to go home comfortable shooting that (7-of-13)."
DeRozan explained that he usually challenges himself to execute what he calls "10-in-a-rows," where he must make that number consecutively or start the process over for it to count. This approach has long helped him establish his rhythm, as he has been doing it for the past seven years or so.
"Just trying to be a creature of habit," DeRozan said. "What's that thing? They say it takes 21 days to create a habit or something like that. So I try to use that same mentality when it comes to basketball. So that's kind of how I come up with the 20 and 25 10-in-a-rows. Consistently do it over and over for repetition. It's just been a habit."
This is why I love @DeMar_DeRozan Post game ,shooting free throws after going 7-13 from the line. Consummate professional. pic.twitter.com/FPWZXXkhug
— chuck swirsky (@ctsbulls) January 4, 2022
Despite his free-throw woes Monday, DeRozan still scored a game-high 29 points as he continued a sensational campaign that's drawing MVP consideration. That helped lift the Bulls to their eighth straight win, a run that has them sitting atop the East at 25-10, two games ahead of the Nets and Bucks.
"We can't be satisfied with anything," DeRozan said. "We work extremely hard, can't take nothing for granted. We understand what's our task – and that's to continue to keep getting better. Yeah, we won some games.
We're on a winning streak, but we're not satisfied with none of that."
Cody Westerlund is a sports editor for 670TheScore.com and covers the Bulls. Follow him on Twitter @CodyWesterlund.
