But Billy, the left corner three, right in front of your bench, DeMar with the spin and pump fake, two defenders trying with no chance. Game! History! Remember?

I probably should have thought about that, Bulls coach Billy Donovan offered with a weak smile after DeMar DeStroyer DeRozan actually almost did it again to the Washington Wizards, a three pointer at the buzzer for the win... which this time spun out as DeRozan crumbled wistfully to the floor and the Wizards accepted relief more than jubilation Friday in a 102-100 victory over the Bulls.

DeRozan again was almighty, if not a savior with a dozen of his 32 points in the fourth quarter, six rebounds, six assists and a steal when the Bulls trapped Wizards star Bradley Beal that became a Bulls fast break slam dunk and 100-100 tie with 31.5 seconds left after the Bulls trailed by 17 points midway through the third quarter.

We got back in the game because we got stops and were able to run a little bit, and obviously DeMar made a great play when we trapped Beal and tied the game, noted Donovan. Then Brad came back and made a tough one.

That was a running bank shot as Beal lost Alex Caruso, the Wizards ahead by a basket with 7.4 seconds left.

This was suddenly getting delicious; you could almost taste this one as a Bulls fan. In Washington, last New Years Day after the right wing winner over the Indiana Pacers the day before. Kyle Kuzma, who blitzed the Bulls and Patrick Williams Friday for 26 points, had made a three with 3.3 seconds left that frigid day 10 months ago to put the Wizards up a basket. This time Beal after his make did a little flex, but also cast an eye toward the Bulls bench.

It was DeMars time. There was a buzz. Heck, even the cicadas were asking for quiet.

I thought, said Donovan, hes going to generate something good and give us a chance.

De ja vu, as Yogi once said, all over again?

Actually, the French word means you believe you experienced something but didnt. But we did, that amazing DeRozan 24 hours of drama and opponent heartbreak. You knew he was about to do it again; you just knew.

This time it was different with a little more time with Goran Dragic inbounding; last year it was Coby White, who then mainly ran down the winning game ball for DeRozan after the shot. And this time had a good shooting night with 10 points. But Dragic again was closing as the Bulls kids, Williams and Ayo Dosunmu, had tough nights, were scoreless in the fourth quarter and had the highest negative ratings.

DeMar had another opportunity, said Donovan. You want to try in those situations with a guy like DeMar to give him space to do what he does.

Nikola Vučević had another excellent game, basically the only significant help DeRozan got. Vučević had 24 points and eight rebounds, slipping and sliding past and around Kristaps Porziņģis, who fouled out, Vučević making all 12 of his free throw attempts.

Just trying to mix it, trying to take advantage of opportunities where I can get to the paint, said Vučević. Tonight I felt I had some good matchups, especially when they switched. I was trying to get deep position and got to the line a lot, trying to explore both so Im not just standing outside.

But thats basically where the play was.

Donovan said once the initial screen is set to give DeRozan some space, its up to DeRozan to make a decision, three for the win, pull up to tie or get to the line and free throws for overtime. The NBA custom is go for the win on the road, the tie at home. DeRozan said he was just looking for the best opportunity.

My initial thought was at least try to get downhill and get to the basket, said DeRozan. I didnt have an angle; sized it up and tried to get a good look. Just read it, whether I can get downhill. If somebody collapsed, we had Coby out there, Vooch was out there; just try to find a mistake and they played it well.

Though Donovan said he knew DeRozan had to take the shot, and not just because hes the best one to do so.

Sort of when you come to the fork in the road youve got to take it.

My feeling in the timeout was, Theyre gonna blitz, trap him, theyre going to do something to him, Donovan explained. If you give him the ball with seven seconds and they run someone at him, the next pass he makes that guy can almost get caught throwing up a Hail Mary. So we just tried to create some movement where he was a screener and slipped out of it. He got it and they werent able to trap him so quickly, and then its really up to him in that situation: What kind of read has he got? I think they probably felt hed try to get to his mid range. They didnt trap him, so he had some room to maneuver and he got off, obviously, a decent shot and gave us a chance.

Exactly; like Yogi said, 90 percent of the game is half mental.

The play: Vucevic took the inbounds pass and then moved above the three-point circle toward the right side to set a screen for DeRozan and get a switch, which pretty much assured it had to be DeRozan then. Wizards reserve Anthony Gill switched into DeRozan, who now had about four seconds.

DeRozan took the handoff and dribbled, once, twice, three times, pulling up and Gill barely contesting this time after DeRozan had coaxed another 11 free throw attempts.

I thought it was going in, said Vucevic, watching to the left of DeRozan. As he shot it I was, Its happening again!

I was trying to come off Vooch and at least find an angle, try to turn the corner, but I was up so high, DeRozan related. They played it well. I couldnt turn the corner, so I sized him up and tried to get the best look possible look; felt great, felt great.

Looked pretty darned good, too, kissing the back rim and then the front, and out of all things, as DeRozan slid on his back toward halfcourt. This time teammates had to help him off his back instead of pounding on it.

Rimmed out, signed Donovan. Obviously cant expect him to make those shots all the time; we have to put ourselves in a better position to rely on him less to win games.

This wasnt a very good one for the 1-1 Bulls after the terrific win in Miami Wednesday.

The Bulls were engaged defensively to get themselves back in the game, trapping and denying Beal early in the game and leading by what seemed like eight points midway through the second quarter. Vučević was taking advantage of mismatches and going hard to the basket for 10 first-quarter points. But when an officials review took away that White three in the second, the Bulls seemed to slip into a torpor as Washington hit for 14 straight points.

That run erased more excellent two-man stuff between Dragić and Andre Drummond, the latter sharp again with 10 points and 10 rebounds in 18 minutes. Drummond also propelled the Bulls to a 10-5 advantage on offensive boards and 15-4 in second chance points. Dragić delivered another pair of lob dunks to Drummond as they look like theyve played together for years.

The Bulls were hanging close trailing 56-50 after DeRozan came to the rescue late in the first half with a pair of scores. But the trap door opened for the Bulls to start the second half when Kuzma made back to back threes, causing Donovan to call timeout 51 seconds into the half.

Vooch and DeMar carried us in the first half offensively, but it wasnt a good offensive night shooting the basketball, noted Donovan. But we kind of hung in there.

After reasonably good shooting against Miami and a riotous third quarter to gain control of the game, the Bulls reverted and reversed Friday, 26 percent on threes and that brain lock to start the second half.

The thing that was disappointing coming out of the half, we gave up those two threes and one of the things we talked about (at halftime) is weve got to contest, said Donovan. The first one we had a little bit of a short closeout and it was too late, and the same thing happened on the second. And all of a sudden a six-point game goes to 12, and you are fighting uphill. In the Miami game, we started off so well in the third and this was a two-possession game and suddenly youre down double digits.

Its not a team that gives up, and the Bulls having a staggering 33-11 edge in free throw attempts helped a lot. But Washington with Beal adding 19 points doesnt help itself with a mostly stagnant, isolation offense that late in the game when the Wizards led by seven resembled an NFL team trying to run out the clock. We know how that usually ends.

The other guys stealing a game they had no business even being in toward the end.

Because as the legendary New York Yankees catcher and presumed bon vivant knew, its never over til its over.

We had an off night, said DeRozan. Its my job late in the fourth quarter to try to make something happen. Sometimes making the right pass. We had some good looks. Vooch wide open for a three (with 51 seconds left) that would have been big if we hit that.

Zach LaVine, meanwhile, will return from his knee issues against Cleveland Saturday in the United Center home opener. Could have used him Friday.

I never feel like the game is over until the clock is over no matter the situation, said DeRozan. I knew we still had time; just needed a couple of stops. Brad hit a tough shot to put them up two. Who knows what happens if he misses that shot. We come down and get the last shot. Maybe we hit a big shot, maybe go to overtime and pull it out there. There are going to be nights like that. Live with it and move on to the next one.

Because as Yogi knew about sports, It gets late early out there.

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