DeRozan paces Raptors to win

DeMar DeRozan picked up exactly where he left off last season.

The Raptors all-star scored 21 of his 40 points in a spectacular third quarter to propel Toronto to a 109-91 victory over the Detroit Pistons in the team’s season opener on Wednesday.

DeRozan broke Vince Carter’s record for an opening-night performance (39 points) set in 2003.

Jonas Valanciunas added a career-high 32 points and 11 rebounds while Kyle Lowry finished with 10 points and eight assists.

Tobias Harris had 22 to top the Pistons.

Almost five months to the day since the Raptors’ thrilling and historic playoff run came to an end — ousted in six games by eventual NBA champion Cleveland in the Eastern Conference final — expectations are high.

DeRozan, who signed a five year deal worth US$139 million in the off-season, famously saying “I am Toronto,” took the mic before tipoff, telling the crowd “I want to thank you, the best fans in the world. Hope you enjoy the season.”

Then the 27-year-old, starting a record eighth straight season-opener for Toronto, went to work.

DeRozan and Valanciunas combined for 25 points in the first quarter as the Raptors roared back from a sevenpoint deficit to take a 33-23 lead into the second.

Toronto took a 58-46 advantage into the dressing room at halftime, and then DeRozan’s outstanding third quarter, which included a rim-rattling dunk, sent the Raptors into the fourth with an 86-71 lead.

Valanciunas also came to play. He flattened Andre Drummond with an errant elbow to the face in the first quarter, then brought the capacity Air Canada Centre crowd that included Dalton Pompey of the Toronto Blue Jays to its feet with a massive second-quarter dunk, shoving his way past Boban Marjanovic to the hoop.

Both DeRozan and Valanciunas were ushered off the floor with standing ovations in the fourth quarter.

Cameroon forward Pascal Siakam became the first rookie to start for Toronto since Valanciunas in 2012, and didn’t look out of place, playing 9:15 before coach Dwane Casey subbed him off.

Casey, who coached his sixth consecutive seasonopener with Toronto, said he still gets nervous for Game 1.

“When I get nervous and get upset and get a little edgy with the questions a little bit, I’m excited. So that’s a good sign,” Casey said. “Still do. Didn’t sleep much last night, so get a little irritated with the players quicker. So yes, I do get excited.”

The Raptors were playing without Jared Sullinger, who had surgery on his foot on Monday, and Lucas Nogueira, who’s sidelined with a sprained ankle.

Toronto hosts LeBron James and the Cavaliers on Friday.