With Bulls player Derrick Rose missing, Deng stepped up to lead his team with 23 points, ten assists and four rebounds in 44 minutes as his side defeated the Boston Celtics 89-80 last Wednesday. Deng hit two baskets in the key 12-0 third period run which put the Bulls in charge.

Two nights later the Bulls suffered only their second defeat in eight games since Deng returned from injury as they went down to a surprise 97-85 loss against New Jersey Nets. Deng finished with 14 points and eight rebounds in 35 minutes.

Rose returned to the Bulls line-up for Monday's President's Day match-up with Atlanta Hawks, and Chicago finished strongly winning 90-79. Deng's ten points, nine boards and four assists confirmed his importance to the Bulls' victory with some excellent defence in their 26th victory of the season.

That form carried over to Wednesday night's comfortable 110-91 home win against Milwaukee Bucks as Deng finished with 16 points, five rebounds and three assists in a team-high 35 minutes.

Deng now heads to Orlando for the NBA All-Star game, and he'll have plenty of company as he and Rose become the first pair of Bulls players to be team-mates in the showpiece game since the Jordan era. In addition Bulls head coach, Tom Thibodeau and his staff will call the plays for the East team.