“Fight on, Dribble on” is a weekly column by Joseph Domingot about how Trojans are performing in the NBA.
We are entering the last quarter of the NBA regular season, and former USC men’s basketball players have been getting into the groove for possible postseason action. They are hoping to end the regular season in great form before May hits.
However, only four former Trojans suited up on NBA floors within the past week.
This week, we will be highlighting two Southern California-born Trojans and former draft lottery picks in the first week of March.
DeMar DeRozan
The Chicago Bulls have been heavily reliant on the scoring output of six-time All-Star DeMar DeRozan. The Compton native has scored in the double-digits for 21 consecutive games, dating back to the middle of January.
Deebo has averaged nearly 27 points per game in the past seven days of NBA action. In the 61 games that he has suited up, DeRozan has scored 20-plus points in 44 of them.
However, DeRozan started the month of March off cold. In a division matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks, the former Raptor and Spur notched a measly 12 points in a 16-point loss. He also dished out nine assists, the sixth game this season where Deebo has dealt out nine-plus dimes.
The 15-year veteran forward showed how valuable he is for the Bulls three nights later against the Kings. DeRozan scored 19 of his 33 points in the fourth quarter to help Chicago secure a massive victory in Sacramento. He recorded a true shooting percentage of 95.5% in an efficient three-level shooting clinic.
The 34-year-old proved his clutch gene yet again on March 6 against the Utah Jazz. DeRozan scored 17 points in the fourth quarter and 29 points in total in a two-point victory in Utah. He complemented that scoring masterclass with seven assists and six boards.
In the second night of a back-to-back, the Bulls traveled to San Francisco to take on the Golden State Warriors. DeRozan scored 33 points, including a crucial and-one with 26 seconds left on the clock to secure the Bulls a third consecutive victory.
The Bulls currently sit in ninth place in the Eastern Conference with a play-in berth likely to be secured in the future, and they hope DeRozan can propel the team to clinch a playoff spot in the next six weeks.
Evan Mobley
In the 2023-24 season, Evan Mobley has averaged his lowest minutes per game (31) in his career. However, his shooting efficiencies have escalated at all three levels.
Despite only suiting up 38 times this season, Mobley has proved how valuable he is for the Cleveland Cavaliers, who have reached as high as the second seed in the Eastern Conference when he has been available.
Mobley and the Cavaliers began last week in Detroit, taking on the Pistons. In almost 35 minutes played, the former Pac-12 Player of the Year made seven of his 13 shot attempts on his way to 22 points. He also collected 17 rebounds and dished out seven assists in a double-digit victory over their Central Division rivals.
The former No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 draft returned back to Cleveland on March 3 against the New York Knicks, a rematch from last year’s first-round playoff matchup. The 22-year-old scored 13 points and coupled it with 13 rebounds. It was his third double-double in as many games, but the Cavaliers eventually fell short against the Knicks.
Things would go from bad to worse for Mobley and Cleveland against the Boston Celtics. In a matchup between the No. 1 seed and the No. 3 seed, the former Trojan would only play 22 minutes – and score 4 points – before spraining his ankle, ruling him out for the remainder of the game. The Cavaliers’ power forward is likely to miss extended time after an MRI confirmed the injury.
Last year’s Defensive Player of the Year candidate previously missed 21 straight games in December and January due to a knee injury. Mobley and the Cavaliers hope his ankle heals before the playoffs spring up.
“Fight on, Dribble on” runs every Friday.