IN THE LANE

STILL GOING: Speaking of players for the ages, Chicago Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan said part of his fuel for Wednesday night’s 37-point outburst against the Heat at FTX Arena are those who view him on the downside at 33.“I have no clue where people get that from,” DeRozan said.“All seriousness, I don’t even know what you base it off, where you get it from. Can’t nobody ever speak for me. I know what I put into this game in the offseason, how much I love this game. I can assure you that not many guys in this league work as hard as I do.”As for heating up after a nine-point first half against the Heat, DeRozan said it had nothing to do with starting slow.“That’s my MO,”he said.“Beginning of the game, I just want to help us get open shots, kind of walk the game down. It’s a long game; it’s 48 minutes. It’s not all about coming out, trying to score, score, score right away. It’s about feeling out the game.”

STILL THERE: Linked to trade rumors for years, including several involving the Heat, former West Palm Beach Cardinal Newman standout John Collins told The Athletic that he is relieved to still be a member of the Atlanta Hawks.“I try to just take it as respect that other teams want me and the Hawks aren’t giving me up,” the sixth-year power forward said. “That’s the best way to look at it, because I do want to be here. At the end of the day, it’s not my decision, and while I can get emotional, it’s business. Through the years I’ve had a harder time accepting it, being in the position I am now. I try to do as many things as I can to not think about it much and have it on my mind. I just try to come in here and work.”

KZ 2.0: While the opportunity was created when prized first-round pick Keegan Murray was sidelined by NBA health-and-safety protocols, yes, that was former Heat forward KZ Okpala in the Sacramento Kings’ opening-night roster. Okpala, who had been out of the league since being sent by the Heat to the Oklahoma City Thunder in a salary dump at last February’s NBA trading deadline, played 16 scoreless minutes. “What I like about KZ,” firstyear Kings coach Mike Brown said,“is he’s a guy that knows he’s got to defend. He’s got to take the best player. He’s got to run. He’s got to offensive rebound. He’s got to do all the little things to free up some of our other guys to do what they do.” Okpala’s salary guarantee was boosted to $500,000 by making the Kings’ opening-night roster.

JUSTISE, TOO: Among those Okpala went against in the Kings’ opening-night loss was former Heat teammate Justise Winslow, who now is getting minutes in the power rotation in the Portland Trail Blazers’ small-ball alignment. Of casting the 6-foot-6 Winslow at center, Blazers coach Chauncey Billups told The Athletic, “Justise is a bulldog. He’s strong. You are not just going to back him down and throw him around.”The Heat will get to see both Winslow and Okpala on their impending West Coast trip, playing Wednesday in Portland and Saturday in Sacramento.