National Basketball Association

DeMar DeRozan continues clutch play with back-to-back game-winners

Updated Jan. 1, 2022 11:54 p.m. ET

It's not every week you see an NBA player make consecutive game-winning buckets on consecutive nights.

In fact, it's never happened — until Saturday night.

DeMar DeRozan is having a career rebirth in his 13th NBA season and first with the Chicago Bulls. His 26.8 points per game equal the second-highest average of his career, and his 49.7% shooting from the field is the third-best mark of his career.

And on Friday and Saturday, he added another not-so-statistical notch to his belt: all-time regular-season clutch legend.

On New Year's Eve — better known as the last day of 2021 — DeRozan downed the Indiana Pacers with this one-footed 3-pointer as time expired, giving the Bulls a 108-106 win. He finished the night with 28 points, six assists and three rebounds.

On New Year's Day — better known as the first day of 2022 — DeRozan was up to his not-so-old tricks again, knocking down this contested corner 3 as time expired to give Chicago a 120-119 win over the Washington Wizards. He finished Saturday night with another 28 points, adding nine rebounds and five assists.

And with that, DeRozan has now entered the NBA record books.

DeRozan's late-game success is no fluke. In fact, it's far from it.

He currently leads the NBA in fourth-quarter points (241). He's tied for fourth in the league in field-goal percentage in the last minute of the fourth quarter and overtime (66.7%). Only Giannis Antetekounmpo, Kevin Durant and John Collins (70% each) are better.

And there's more.

DeRozan has the second-most made field goals in the last minute of the fourth quarter and overtime (10), trailing only Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (13). He is also tied for third in free throws made in the last 30 seconds of games this season (12-for-12).

DeRozan has an 86% true shooting percentage in the last 30 seconds of games despite having the sixth-most attempts in the NBA in those circumstances. No other player is shooting above 75% true shooting (min 10 attempts).

Lastly, DeRozan is first in the NBA in effective field goal percentage at 72.7%. He's the only player above 70% (min 10 attempts).

Here's how the internet reacted to DeRozan's wizardry over the past two nights: