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Horry Scale: DeMar DeRozan does it again

Chicago's offseason pickup made it 2 buzzer-beaters in as many days with his 3-pointer to beat Washington.

DeMar DeRozan made NBA history with his 2nd straight buzzer-beater on Saturday.

A reminder on The Horry Scale: It breaks down a game-winning buzzer-beater (GWBB) in the categories of difficulty, game situation (was the team tied or behind at the time?), importance (playoff game or garden-variety night in November?) and celebration. Then we give it an overall grade on a scale of 1-5 Robert Horrys, named for the patron saint of last-second answered prayers.

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New Year’s Eve brought us the New Year’s Heave. New Year’s Day brought us the New Year’s Trey. Both were courtesy of Bulls guard DeMar DeRozan, who drilled his second game-winning buzzer-beater in as many days on Saturday, following up Friday’s 3-pointer against the Pacers with another one against the Wizards.

GAME SITUATION: To borrow Yogi Berra’s immortal quote, it was déjà vu all over again in D.C., where the Bulls found themselves trailing in the final seconds and in need of a bucket to keep their ongoing win streak alive.

Down 10 early in the fourth quarter, Chicago had taken a one-point lead on an extended 25-14 run before Kyle Kuzma drilled a 3 to restore Washington’s advantage with four seconds remaining.

That set the stage for DeRozan, who took the ensuing inbound pass from Coby White, quickly dribbled over to the near corner, pump faked Corey Kispert off his feet and let it fly over Bradley Beal’s shot contest for the 120-119 win

DIFFICULTY: Not on the same level as his one-legged, Nowitzki-style heave from 27 feet in Indiana. But not far off either as Beal did well to cover for Kispert and had a hand entirely in DeRozan’s face. Speaking of faces, the smirk on Beal’s in various pictures of the aftermath said it all. So did Kuzma’s postgame quote:

“(Expletive) happens. DeMar told me to hold his beer.”

Remarkably, DeRozan — a career 28.5 percent 3-point shooter — had entered Friday’s game against Indiana shooting just 1 for 20 from long range in the final minute of one-possession games for his career.

Per Basketball Reference, which maintains a database of every game-winner in NBA history — the total number now stands at 797 dating back to 1946 — it marked the first time a player had ever hit two on consecutive days, and only the second time a player had ever hit them in consecutive games, joining Larry Bird in Jan. of 1985.

CELEBRATION: A carbon copy of Friday’s scene, with a relatively stone-faced DeRozan being mobbed by his elated teammates. The real fun came later in the visitor’s locker room, where several Bulls treated him to an ice-water bath. 

GRADE: Chicago’s dream season continues, with consecutive win No. 7 opening up a one-game lead over the Nets, who suffered a late-game collapse at home against the depleted Clippers, atop the Eastern Conference standings. With more than half the regular season and three-plus months to go until the playoffs, it’s way, way too early to start talking about destiny. But the Bulls, fortified by perhaps the shrewdest offseason of any team in the NBA, are certainly making things interesting. Four Horrys.

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