NBA teams, take note. There’s no better defense than a screaming child.
The Bulls got a big assist from forward Demar DeRozan’s daughter, Diar, who used the bold strategy of screaming every time a Raptors player attempted a free throw.
The tactic worked as Toronto was just 18-of-36 from the foul line in a four-point loss, 109-105.
ESPN’s Kevin Pelton noted when the team hit 13 missed free throws it set the mark for most by the team this season.
Toronto took an 11-point halftime lead when Fred VanVleet hit a half court three to put the Raptors up 58-47. That may have resulted in a scream itself, but the ones during the free throws were much more impactful.
Most notably, Raptors forward Pascal Siakam missed two of three free throw attempts with a chance to tie the game at 107 with 12 seconds remaining.
Twitter erupted after the game in praise of the game’s true most valuable player.
Chicago’s comeback means we should expect more elite defense from DeRozan’s daughter in Miami on Friday. And for ear plug sales to skyrocket.