Bulls' DeMar DeRozan adding to history of game-winning shots

Scott Rafferty

Bulls' DeMar DeRozan adding to history of game-winning shots image

DeMar DeRozan is on one right now.

On Friday, the four-time All-Star stunned the Pacers with a one-legged 3-pointer as time expired to win the game. He did it again 24 hours later, this time hitting a game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer to defeat the Wizards.

DeRozan's game-winner against the Wizards wasn't off of one leg, but it wasn't exactly easy.

DeRozan made some history in the process, becoming the first player in NBA history to hit a game-winning buzzer-beater in back-to-back days.

"Just to hit a buzzer-beater in general is amazing, especially when you do it on the road," DeRozan said afterwards. "I don't know. I don't know if I'm dreaming. If it's real right now."

According to Stathead, DeRozan has now hit eight shots in his career to tie or take the lead in the final 10 seconds of a win in the regular season. (He's hit a few more potential game-winners that, unfortunately for him, didn't end in a victory.)

Here are the six other times DeRozan came up clutch at the buzzer.

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DeMar DeRozan's career game-winning shots

Raptors vs. Magic (Jan. 24, 2013)

"The coaches drew up a good play," said DeRozan. "I just tried to get to my shot. Usually we run it going to my right, but that was the first time we ran it going to my left.

"I knew if I got a good shot off, I had a chance at it going in."

Raptors vs. Knicks (Feb. 27, 2017)

"A sense of urgency kicked in," DeRozan said. "You never want to lose. When you get down a lot like that, you want to pick it up and fight a lot harder. It's a bad thing to get down that much, but it just shows you the fight we have."

Raptors vs. Pistons (March 7, 2018)

The game was decided in overtime, with Fred VanVleet hitting a game-winning jumper in the extra period that was set up by DeRozan.

Spurs vs. Wizards (Oct. 26, 2019)

"I tell him all the time, I need you to take over at all times, not just when we really, really need it," Spurs guard Dejounte Murray said. "But he did his thing tonight. None of us were shocked or surprised. That's DeMar for you."

Spurs vs. Suns (Dec. 14, 2019)

DeRozan tied the game at 119 with an acrobatic layup, but it was Patty Mills who hit the game-winner for the Spurs.

Spurs vs. Mavericks (April 11, 2021)

"DeMar is our scorer," Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich said. "He has taken a lot of responsibility all year long. He's got courage. He misses some of them. He makes some of them, just like everybody through the ages. He just comes back and does it again."

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Scott Rafferty

Scott Rafferty Photo

 

Scott Rafferty is an experienced NBA journalist who first started writing for The Sporting News in 2017. There are few things he appreciates more than a Nikola Jokic no-look pass, Klay Thompson heat check or Giannis Antetokounmpo eurostep. He's a member of the NBA Global team.