National Post (National Edition)
DeRozan putting up MVP-like numbers
Depending on who you ask, this is either the best we’ve seen of DeMar DeRozan over these past three weeks or at least a close facsimile of that.
Either way, the Raptors are getting some high-end basketball out of the acknowledged face of the franchise and the wins are piling up because of it.
Consider the Raptors have chalked up a 9-2 record during that stretch. No. 12 was Friday on the road against a Milwaukee Bucks’ team that took the Raptors to overtime Monday in Toronto before succumbing to their hosts.
Over that span, DeRozan is averaging 29.6 points per game, shooting just over 50 per cent from the field, just over 49 per cent from threepoint land and chipping in with 4.5 assists per game and 1.1 steals.
Take the two losses out of the equation — two bad postChristmas losses in Dallas and Oklahoma City — DeRozan averaged 33.7 points in the nine wins while shooting 55.2 per cent from the field and hitting on 54 per cent of his three-point attempts.
Backcourt mate Kyle Lowry points out this isn’t the first time that DeRozan has turned it on like this but even Lowry admits “this is one of his better runs.”
Head coach Dwane Casey points to the three-point shooting as the area that is driving this particular run to heights rarely seen before from DeRozan.
“The addition of the threepoint shooting has been the difference, more so than doing it the old-fashioned way,” Casey said. “His three-point shooting is great to see. He’s always had the green light, but now he feels more comfortable. He’s doing it in the rhythm of what we’re trying to do offensively. It’s refreshing. I think it’s going to open up our entire offensive output. At the same time, teams are not just going to let him do that. Teams are going to start running him off the three-point line. Teams are going to try and trap him. You’re going to see a lot of different approaches from different teams.”
But even with that expected adjustment from teams, it’s hard to see DeRozan taking a major step back.
He’s now so accustomed to seeing double teams and third defenders lurking nearby that it doesn’t phase him.
Teams that do blitz him with extra defenders now pay the price as there is very little panic in his game anymore. He sees the help coming and more often than not, shields the ball while finding the open man.
DeRozan is not about to give up his mid-range game. To do so would be counter productive as it’s an area that DeRozan has separated himself from many of his peers with his intricate footwork that enables him to get his shot off and shed defenders almost at will.
But the addition of a three-point game to that unique ability just opens up so much more offensively both for himself and his teammates.
A year ago DeRozan, attempted 1.7 three pointers a game. This year, that number is 3.2. In his past 11 games, it’s crept up as high as 4.8 a game.
“The development of him making his three-point shots at a higher rate is really going to open things up for him tremendously,” Casey said.
The fact that he is fully embracing the three-point shot now shouldn’t come as a huge surprise to anyone. If DeRozan is known for one thing more than any other, it’s the ability and desire to keep adding to what he does. It’s his calling card.
DeRozan has always maintained that when he felt the time was right, he would unleash his own three-point game on the NBA. The fact that his team is emphasizing it more than ever this year, it only makes sense that he would pick now to join the party.
It’s his ninth season in the NBA and DeRozan keeps on getting better.