The NBA play-in round has quite a few USC players in the mix. We already examined Jordan McLaughlin, who faces the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night.
Wednesday features the New Orleans Pelicans versus the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference and the Chicago Bulls taking on the Toronto Raptors in the Eastern Conference.
The biggest USC star to keep an eye on in these play-in and elimination games is DeMar DeRozan of the Bulls, who snuck into the picture as the 10th-place team in the Eastern Conference.
DeRozan is the second-highest scorer on the Bulls (24.5 PPG) behind UCLA star Zach LaVine, although DeRozan and LaVine flip-flop on who leads the way in nearly every single Chicago game.
What makes this game more special for DeRozan is a chance to send the Raptors home early. Toronto is the organization he began his career with before moving on to play for the San Antonio Spurs and now the Bulls.
The Raptors are the ninth-place team in the East and the favorite to win this game, which is being played in Canada at Scotiabank Arena. DeRozan and the Bulls will be a difficult out for the Raptors. Keep in mind that no 10th-place team has ever won a game in the play-in round.
DeRozan needs to have a massive game for the Bulls if that 10th-place losing streak is going to end.
DeMar getting to his spot đź’Ş@DeMar_DeRozan | @NBCSChicago pic.twitter.com/eVV2k3CrDe
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) April 2, 2023
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