MILWAUKEE — In the fourth quarter of any game, the Chicago Bulls are always comfortable with a single-digit deficit and the ball in DeMar DeRozan’s hands. That has been a tried-and-true formula throughout DeRozan’s first season in Chicago.
But DeRozan couldn’t deliver late-game heroics in Game 1 of the opening round of the NBA playoffs against the Milwaukee Bucks. He didn’t make a fourth-quarter basket until 2:11 remained in the game, going 1-for-7 in the quarter, and he took only two free throws in the second half.
And despite the Bulls erasing a 16-point first-half deficit, a fourth quarter devoid of DeRozan’s magic allowed the Bucks to escape with a 93-86 win.
