DeMar DeRozan was the Eastern Conference Player of the Month in February, and the Bulls desperately needed DeRozan to keep play like an MVP due to their litany of injuries.
Evan Mobley, also dealing with an injured teammate in All-Star Jarrett Allen, seemed to find his rhythm this past week. The Cleveland Cavaliers have been able to compete with top competition as the connection between Mobley and Darius Garland deepened.
Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers (2-1)
One piece of bad news for the Cleveland Cavaliers is that Jarrett Allen will be sidelined indefinitely due to a fractured finger suffered in Sunday’s win over the Toronto Raptors. Allen is averaging 16.1 points, 10.8 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game this season, and his defense has been essential to the Cavaliers’ success.
Allen’s absence represents a huge challenge for rookie Evan Mobley because he will be forced to spend more time at center, where opponents are taller and stronger than at any other position.
With the return of point guard Darius Garland, the Cavaliers bounced back this week with victories over the Toronto Raptors and the Indiana Pacers and a narrow loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Mobley contributed two impressive performances over those two wins, dropping 21 points on 56.7% shooting, 14.5 rebounds (5.5 offensive rebounds), 3.5 assists, 2.5 steals and two blocks per game.
Mobley had five steals and a block against the Pacers on Tuesday. Offensively, he showcased his versatility, including off-ball cuts, midrange shots, fadeaway shots, hook shots after spin moves and overhead passes.
Mobley led the transition offense after his help-defense steal, where he passed the ball to his teammate Dean Wade for a fast-break dunk, showcasing his playmaking abilities.
In the Raptors game, Mobley grabbed 17 rebounds including seven offensive boards. His aggressiveness in the paint was demonstrated by multiple second-chance dunks over Toronto defenders.
With Allen sidelined, Mobley has a chance to show he can be the focal point of the defense and operate on the offensive end without another paint-bound center.
DeMar DeRozan, Chicago Bulls (1-3)
Guard DeMar DeRozan became the fifth Chicago Bulls player to earn a Player of the Month award — joining Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler.
DeRozan contributed 34.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game last month as the Bulls went 8-5 to remain in second place in the Eastern Conference.
However, the first week of March was disastrous for the Bulls. They lost three of their four games and fell to fourth place in the East with only a half-game lead over the fifth-place Boston Celtics. The most concerning part is that the Bulls are 0-12 against the top three teams in each conference this season.
DeRozan averaged 27.5 points on 42.4% shooting, 7.3 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 1.3 steals over his last four games. DeRozan shot below 37% from the field in the losses to the 76ers and the Milwaukee Bucks.
DeRozan went 6-of-17 against the 76ers on Monday, missing nine mid-range shots. Most of DeRozan’s shots were well-contested by defenders Tobias Harris and Matisse Thybulle.
DeRozan has been attempting difficult midrange shots all season while maintaining high productivity and efficiency, especially in the clutch. Maybe it’s time for DeRozan to get back on track and save the Bulls.
Nikola Vučević, Chicago Bulls (1-3)
Center Nikola Vučević participated in three games this past week, missing the 76ers game due to a right hamstring strain.
Vučević averaged 20.3 points on 63.4% shooting, 8.7 rebounds, three assists and 1.3 steals over his last three games against the Atlanta Hawks, the Bucks and the Detroit Pistons.
Against the Bucks, Vučević was able to post up deep in the paint and score consistently over smaller defenders like Bobby Portis. He also made two 3-pointers, which is a good sign for the remainder of the season.
Though the Bulls could use a healthy Vučević now, the most important thing is for the Bulls to be fully healthy before the playoffs begin.
Kevin Porter Jr., Houston Rockets (2-2)
Former Trojan Kevin Porter Jr. elevated his game after his return from injury on March 1.
Porter averaged 17.5 points, five rebounds and 4.8 assists in four games last week, with his Rockets winning two of them.
Porter delivered one of his best games of the season on Saturday as he posted 29 points, two rebounds, five assists and one steal in the Rockets’ victory over the Memphis Grizzlies. The Rockets went to the locker room at halftime trailing the Grizzlies by 10 points, but Porter stepped up in the second half to secure the team a win.
Porter scored 19 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the field in the third quarter, including three 3-pointers.
Nothing is better than a huge comeback win against the No. 2 seed in the West to build confidence and experience among the Rockets’ young players.