DeMar DeRozan’s Latest Comments Won’t Please James Harden and Chris Paul

Who would’ve expected the Chicago Bulls to unleash their inner three-peat level form this year? The side has won their first four games this year and is currently unbeaten. Spearheading their attack remarkably is 32-year-old DeMar DeRozan. Playing in his 13th season, DeRozan has shown no signs of stopping. Along with Lonzo Ball and Zach LaVine, he has slotted the Bulls on top of the Eastern Conference standings.

The former Toronto Raptors legend took on his former side on Monday. Yet, he was relentless for the men in red and white, scoring 26 points. The Bulls pipped their opponents for a narrow 111-108 victory. After the match, DeRozan delightedly addressed the media in his post-match press conference.

However, when asked about the reduction in free throws due to the league’s new measures, the #11 may have taken a slight dig at the likes of James Harden and Chris Paul.

DeMar DeRozan speaks about free throws being down in NBA 2021-22

Ahead of the brand new season, the league decided to implement some strict changes. The new rules would see referees awarding way fewer free throws, with strict observations. Owing to the increased number of easy fouls being drawn by players, it was the need of the hour for the game to restore some normalcy.

Meanwhile, DeRozan didn’t really lose out from the implementation of the change. His percentage of points via free throws remained close to the same.

Unlike DeRozan, several other players have lost out on a fair share of points. Players like Harden and Paul have been under scrutiny of late, for being on the right end of many light calls. Upon being asked how he still succeeds despite the changes, the Bulls forward said “I don’t know. I don’t flop, I don’t know. That’s not a knock on anybody who flopped. My mentality is always to be aggressive. I don’t know, free throws are down across the league, but I can’t worry about that.”

Oct 5, 2021; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan (11) passes the ball against Cleveland Cavaliers center Evan Mobley (4) during the first half of a preseason NBA game at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

It will be intriguing to see how successful the likes of James Harden and Chris Paul will be, with referees not favoring them as much. There is no doubt that they have the raw skill set, but can they still be as potent? Let’s wait and watch.

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