Power forward DeMar Derozan of the Chicago Bulls heads into the basket against Saddiq Bey of the Detroit Pistons during the 2023 NBA Games Paris at the Arena in Paris on January 19, 2023. (AFP)
PARIS – DeMar DeRozan back from injury to help leadership Chicago bulls via the Detroit Pistons on Thursday NBA game in Parisscored 26 points in a 126-108 win.
The Bulls star has missed the past three games because of a right quadriceps strain but is back in the starting lineup as the French capital hosts its second game of the season after debuting on the NBA calendar in 2020. .
Victor Wembanyama, the 19-year-old French prodigy who was expected to be the first overall pick in this year’s NBA draft – possibly going to the Pistons – was seated next to him.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver said before the close, it was likely another game would be held in Paris in 2024, the third game of its kind after the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Charlotte Hornets three years ago.
Pistons guard Killian Hayes, who grew up in France, received a standing ovation when the starters were introduced, but Chicago got off to a quick start and DeRozan slowly found his groove.
Bulls defender Zach LaVine scored the highest with 30 points while center back Nikola Vucevic added 16 points and the highest 15 rebounds of the game.
Derrick Jones Jr is one of four other Chicago players to hit double digits after a series of spectacular pitches.
Bojan Bogdanovic leads Detroit with 25 points and Jalen Duren has a brace. Duren, the youngest NBA player at 19, arrived in France late after losing his passport.
But it was a tough night for Hayes as the 21-year-old had eight assists but only four points and as many fouls.
Chicago (21-24) is 10th in the Eastern Conference while Detroit is in last place with a 12-36 scoreline. Only the Houston Rockets (10-35) have a worse record.
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