JUST IN: Bulls’ DeMar DeRozan takes issue to Pascal Siakam’s disrespectful act with a two word message

DeMar DeRozan and the Chicago Bulls suffered yet another crushing loss, this time to the Toronto Raptors in the NBA In-Season Tournament, falling 121-108. But DeRozan had even more reason to be irritated late in that game when the Raptors implored Pascal Siakam to shoot a contested three in the dying embers of the game rather than following the widely-known unwritten rule of organized basketball not to attempt a shot and run up the score when the shot clock has already expired.

Of course, everyone in the NBA is unaware of the circumstances surrounding Siakam. After all, point differential is important in the NBA In-Season Tournament. The Raptors, on the other hand, appeared to have forgotten that they had already been eliminated from knockout stage contention before their game against the Bulls began.

Whatever the case may be, DeMar DeRozan is enraged, believing that his former Raptors teammate should have held onto the ball out of “respect for the game” regardless of the circumstances.
“I don’t care about In-Season Tournament points or anything else. Simply respect for the game. Hold it if the roles were reversed and I had the ball. “It is what it is,” DeRozan said following the game, according to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.

The Bulls guard clearly feels betrayed by the Raptors’ decision to run up the score, yelling at them to be satisfied with the 13-point victory they already had and move on.

“I mean, I knew they were going to be eliminated.” But that didn’t bother me either. Everyone was yelling at him, ‘Score, score, score.’ Take the victory. Get the hell out of here. As I previously stated, if the roles were reversed, whether or not In-Season Tournament points were required, I would hold the ball out of respect for my opponents. Particularly if there is no shot clock. That’s just my opinion,” DeRozan added.

At this point, the Bulls’ frustrations are simply mounting, and it’s becoming too much for a top-tier competitor like DeMar DeRozan, who finished their loss to the Raptors with 19 points, three rebounds, and four assists.