DeMar DeRozan Reacts to Bulls Finally Beating Joel Embiid

DeMar DeRozan addresses whether or not the Bulls had added motivation facing Joel Embiid, who never lost to Chicago.

The Philadelphia 76ers have had tons of success against the Chicago Bulls over the years, especially during the Joel Embiid era.

Prior to Monday night’s meeting between the two teams, Joel Embiid was undefeated when on the floor facing the Bulls.

The Sixers’ big man played Chicago for the first time on January 24, 2018. In that game, Embiid scored 22 points and helped lead Philly to a win over the Bulls.

From that point on, Embiid fired off 11-straight wins against Chicago, including a late October win against them this season. 

Although the Bulls broke a 12-game losing streak against the Sixers on January 6, with a 125-112 victory in South Philly, Embiid was out for the night.

Monday offered another opportunity for the Bulls to snap two streaks, as Philly was riding high on an eight-game win streak, and as Embiid was 12-0 against the Bulls.

Four quarters and two overtimes later, the Bulls accomplished their mission. Was there added motivation behind Monday’s matchup considering the circumstances? Bulls star DeMar DeRozan acknowledged the impressive record held by Embiid but claimed Chicago had their focus on the bigger picture.

“It was only a matter of time,” DeRozan said. “I’m not saying that it was part of our motivation tonight. I think we’ve got a bigger goal at hand than trying to beat him. I’m glad we got the win.”

Monday’s matchup was a tough offensive outing for both squads. In a low-scoring battle, the Sixers and the Bulls finished the fourth quarter tied at 91. After trading eight points in the first overtime, a second session was required. At that point, DeRozan and the Bulls pulled away slightly to pick up the win.

Embiid had himself a stellar outing as usual, scoring 37 points in 44 minutes. One minute into the final overtime period, the big man collected his sixth foul, which ended his night prematurely.

As for DeRozan, he finished the game with 25 points, eight rebounds, two assists, and two steals. With the victory, the Bulls move to 34-27 on the year. Both teams will meet for a rematch on Wednesday, which marks the fourth and final outing between the Sixers and the Bulls this year. 

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.

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