In a season of mediocrity several Bulls players have arguably stood out

It seems to be unfinished business for DeMar DeRozan.

The Jerry West Trophy, the NBA Clutch Player of the Year Award, whatever name is attached to it, DeRozan didn’t get to hold it in his hands last season.

No, that honor went to De’Aaron Fox, as the Bulls veteran finished third behind former Bull Jimmy Butler.

A year later, it feels like DeRozan’s to lose.

Entering Tuesday, only Stephen Curry had more total clutch points than DeRozan, edging him out 167 total points to 166. But DeRozan was shooting better from the field (51.6% to Curry’s 50%), and surprisingly better from three-point range (50% to 46.7%).

Where DeRozan really separated, besides the obvious in assists and rebounds, was in plus/minus. DeRozan was a plus-77 compared to Curry’s plus-3.

That’s the NBA’s definition of a clutch game, however, with the guidelines being a five-point game with five minutes left.

Where DeRozan rightfully has earned the nickname “King of the Fourth” is in real onions time. In two-point games with two minutes or less on the clock? DeRozan leads all scorers with 53 total points and has done so on 50% shooting.

In two-point games with a minute or less left how about a league-best 40 total points and a 16-8 record in those instances.

How about the last 30 seconds in a two-point game? Yep, DeRozan, leading the league with 34 total points in those instances and done so on 47.1% shooting.

Curry is second to him in all those instances.

Will the Warriors guard edge DeRozan out because of his career resume and his marksmanship from three-point range? Possibly, but it isn’t just the scoring by DeRozan in clutch time that stood out.

He’s also done a good job of playing the role of play-maker, especially against defenses hellbent on stopping him with double teams and blitzes.

“It gives us an advantage when they trap me,” DeRozan said recently.

That translates to his teammates, and not the only important lesson that the likes of Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu can learn from DeRozan when it comes to hero time.

They could learn his calm.

“It's like a survival mode that kicks in, but in a fun way,” DeRozan said. “I'm not scared to fail. I'm not scared to try to make something happen. I want those moments more than anything. It always reminds me of my childhood and doing the little fake-down, jumping on the bed and fake-shooting the shot. As a competitor, those moments are the ones I relish.”

Not the only individual hardware that DeRozan could be in pursuit of with 13 games left this season. While he’s a longshot for an All-NBA team, the veteran is at least in the conversation.

OTHER BULLS EYEING AWARDS

Coby White – The guard should be a finalist for the Most Improved Player Award, but it will be tough for White to beat out the likes of Tyrese Maxey, Tyrese Haliburton and Alperen Sengun. Scottie Barnes is a longshot argument, but also on a bad, rebuilding team.

Sengun is dealing with a severely sprained right ankle that could hurt is final push and put the number of games played in danger of allowing him to win the award, and while White’s scoring jump was better than Maxey’s and Haliburton’s, they both have more name power and were playing on teams with better records.

Alex Caruso – He should repeat as a All-Defensive First-Teamer, but this award gets tricky because of the beauty stats of blocks and steals that many rely on. Caruso is fifth in total steals, but that’s hardly all he does.

His ability to disrupt pick-and-roll with physicality can’t be overlooked, as well as his 10 charges drawn and his 218 deflections that is the third most in the league.

Caruso has no chance for Defensive Player of the Year obviously, but has shown first-team talent on that side of the ball.