The Chicago Bulls had some piercing screams from DeMar DeRozan’s daughter to thank as they edged out the Toronto Raptors 109-105 to progress into the next phase of the play-in tournament.
Diar DeRozan was decked out in her best varsity jacket for the occasion at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto and played a surprisingly pivotal role in the Bulls’ win.
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Each time a Raptors player would step up to the free-throw line, Diar would let out a piercing scream that you couldn’t miss on the broadcast or inside the venue.
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Although the Bulls edged the third quarter 25-23 to reduce the deficit to nine points, it seemed all set up for the home team to see out the game.
But Chicago clearly didn’t read the same script, as they chalked up 37 points to the Raptors’ 24 to edge out the contest.
DeRozan, who was with the Raptors for nine years before being traded to the San Antonio Spurs in 2018, returned to haunt his former employers with an inspired performance.
The 33-year-old scored 23 points, nabbed seven rebounds and had three assists for the Bulls.
Zach LaVine was the key point scorer for Chicago, chalking up 39 points in the 40 minutes he was on the court.
The Bulls will now face the Miami Heat in the final stage of the play-in tournament, with the winner set to face the Milwaukee Bucks, the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, in the play-offs.
