DeMar DeRozan needs just 33 points to surpass Larry Bird on the all-time scoring list

Information reaching Kossyderrickent has it that DeMar DeRozan needs just 33 points to surpass Larry Bird on the all-time scoring list.

As of Monday afternoon and before the Warriors take the court against the Pelicans, Golden State guard Chris Paul is sitting just four points behind Bird on the list. While Paul has been relegated to bench duty upon the return of Draymond Green to the lineup, few games go without him scoring 5 points. Look for Paul to surpass Bird and move into the 37 spot sooner rather than later.

It may take a couple of more games for DeMar DeRozen, but the Bulls’ forward will be moving his way up the NBA all-time scoring list as well. The 15-year veteran needs 34 points to surpass Larry Bird, and he’ll get his first shot to chip away at the mark on Monday night when Chicago takes on Indiana. In the small sample size so far this year, DeRozen is averaging 24.3 points per game over the first three. But one of them was a 33-point outburst against Toronto, so it is still possible that he hits the milestone tonight.

So when the 39th-most prolific scorer in NBA history (44th if you include combined NBA/ABA statistics) heard he needed just 34 points to pass Larry Bird on the all-time scoring list, DeRozan shook his head.

“I mean, that’s Larry Bird,” DeRozan said. “From a fan perspective, it’s amazing. It’s an honor.”

DeRozan holds NBA legends in high regard and, one day, could take his place alongside them. He is crafting a case for possible enshrinement in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame whenever his career ends.

But legends isn’t the only “L” word associated with DeRozan. Loyalty is. In this age of player empowerment and players requesting trades, DeRozan hasn’t got caught up in the business of basketball. He’s playing this season on an expiring contract.

Against that backdrop, DeRozan sat down with NBC Sports Chicago following Monday’s shootaround at Gainbridge Fieldhouse to talk loyalty, longevity and scoring legends of the game.