DeMar DeRozan tallied 39 points as the visiting Chicago Bulls took a convincing 127-105 victory against the Detroit Pistons on Thursday.

DeRozan successfully made 14 out of 22 field-goal attempts, which included converting 4 out of 6 shots from beyond the arc. Additionally, he was nearly flawless from the free-throw line, sinking all but one of his eight attempts for the Bulls (38-42).

With just two games left, Chicago secured the 9th position in the Eastern Conference and is now set to face the 10th seed, Atlanta, in the upcoming play-in tournament.

In addition to his scoring prowess, DeRozan also dished out seven assists, grabbed four rebounds, and made three steals.

Nikola Vucevic contributed significantly with 27 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists, while Coby White and Dalen Terry added 18 and 12 points, respectively. Javonte Green also made a valuable contribution with 11 points and eight rebounds.

On the Pistons’ side, Jalen Duren led with 20 points and 11 rebounds, followed by Marcus Sasser with 20 points, Jaden Ivey with 16 points and six assists, Chimezie Metu with 15 points, and Malachi Flynn with 12 points.

The Pistons (13-67) suffered their sixth consecutive defeat, with star player Cade Cunningham missing his fifth straight game due to a knee injury.

Chicago established a solid lead of 64-55 at halftime, with DeRozan and Vucevic both contributing 17 points each.

The Bulls dominance continued as they outscored Detroit 34-16 in the paint before the break, capitalizing on the Pistons’ 12 turnovers compared to their own six. Sasser managed to score 13 first-half points for the Pistons.

The second half began with Javonte Green quickly extending the Bulls’ lead with two layups, putting them ahead by 13 points. DeRozan’s exceptional performance kept the advantage hovering between 10 and 13 points until he widened the gap with a crucial 3-pointer, giving Chicago an 83-68 lead.

DeRozan then showcased his skill by scoring four free throws in just 30 seconds, pushing the lead to 87-70, before converting another 3-pointer to stretch the lead to 20 points.

Entering the final quarter with 35 points, DeRozan’s remarkable performance continued as he led the Bulls to a commanding 99-80 lead after closing the third quarter with a 7-2 run. His midrange jumpers further solidified Chicago’s dominance.

Although a layup by Duren narrowed Detroit’s deficit to 19 points midway through the final quarter, DeRozan responded by sinking crucial shots to cap off his exceptional scoring night.