The backup centre for the Chicago Bulls, Andre Drummond, scored 24 points on 84.6 percent shooting and had 25 rebounds in the 118-113 win over the Atlanta Hawks at home on Tuesday night. Drummond was inserted into the starting lineup for the injured resident starter, Nikola Vucevic, and held his fort in the middle of the floor as the Bulls picked up their 14th victory of the season.
Throughout the game, Drummond was consistent, shooting 11-for-13 from the field and collecting a season-high 10 offensive rebounds to go along with his 15 defensive rebounds. Drummond also finished with 3 steals and 2 blocks.
Drummond finished with a season-high 24 points, making him the first Bulls player to record a 24-point, 25-3-2 double-double in a single game.
After the victory, the three-time UConn national champion said that despite his time as a backup in recent years, he’s always maintained a starter’s mindset, which has enabled him to play at an elite level when he’s called upon to do so.
“I’ve always been a starter,” he said, speaking by phone from Chicago, where he’s currently playing for the Chicago Bears.
The 25-year-old center has been with the Bulls since the start of the 2017-18 season and is now in his second year.
Drummond has been a backup to center Nikola Vucevic for the past 13 games.
He has played for the Detroit Pistons, Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets. During his time in the league, Drummond has been named to the NBA’s two-time All-Star team and has been the leader in rebounding for four seasons in a row.
Bulls coach pleased with Andre Drummond’s record-setting performance
The Chicago Bulls coach, Billy Donovan, was one of the first to praise center Andre Drummond following his record-setting performance in the team’s 118-113 win over Atlanta.
Drummond, who plays only a limited number of minutes for the team, scored 24 points and grabbed 25 rebounds in his starting role. Vucevic replaced him in the lineup due to an injury.
Following the game, Donovan said he was pleased to see Drummond step up in such a big way, noting his work ethic.
