DeMar DeRozan credits his teammates for making hustle plays down the stretch

"The other things that don't necessarily look pretty on the stat sheet."

© Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

While DeMar DeRozan’s crunchtime performance will no doubt command attention, the Chicago Bulls veteran was quick to credit his teammates for their contributions in a hard-fought victory against the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday night.

Hustle plays

DeRozan scored 11 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, including eight in the last three minutes to help the Bulls pull off a 118-113 victory. However, there was more to Chicago’s win than Deebo’s heroics, as Alex Caruso and Andre Drummond provided crucial hustle plays that paved the way for their victory.

“Credit to those guys’ IQ; that’s the game within the game a lot of people don’t see or understand unless you pay attention to the small things,” DeRozan said.

With starting center Nikola Vucevic sidelined for an extended period due to an adductor injury, Drummond stepped up and grabbed 25 rebounds—10 of the offensive variety.

And then there was Caruso, the fan-favorite guard with a devil-may-care approach on the court. He may only have scored 11 points on a paltry 2-of-10 shooting, but his energy and hustle were evident throughout the game, especially on defense.

Alex Caruso diving pic.twitter.com/l7j9mrDYyt

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Crucial defensive stand

Chicago was in front by three, 113-110, with under two minutes left when Hawks star Dejounte Murray tried to drive past Caruso. The All-Defense team member knew where Murray had planned to go, planted his feet, and drew an offensive foul.

“That becomes game changers. That was big when AC got the charge. Those things go a long way to getting victories, not just making or missing shots. The other things that don’t necessarily look pretty on the stat sheet,” DeRozan shared.

Alex Caruso near the end of the game puts his body on the line consecutively. pic.twitter.com/wWmF0eJXeg

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Alex Caruso instills confidence in the Bulls' ability to replicate their Top 5 defense from last season