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FanDuel NBA Daily Picks: Fantasy Basketball Lineup For November 6

By Brendan Galella

Oct 21, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Toronto Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan (10) shoots the ball as Washington Wizards center Marcin Gortat (13) defends during the first half at Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 21, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Toronto Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan (10) shoots the ball as Washington Wizards center Marcin Gortat (13) defends during the first half at Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports /
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The torrid scoring stretch of DeMar DeRozan to open the season hasn’t been seen in more than three decades and as he goes for his sixth straight 30-point performance, FanDuel NBA players should add him to their roster.

Oct 21, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Toronto Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan (10) shoots the ball as Washington Wizards center Marcin Gortat (13) defends during the first half at Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 21, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Toronto Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan (10) shoots the ball as Washington Wizards center Marcin Gortat (13) defends during the first half at Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports /

Any time a player is listed with only Michael Jordan, they clearly are in the midst of a phenomenal stretch.

Toronto guard DeMar DeRozan has been scoring at a level not seen in the NBA in exactly 30 seasons, as Jordan was the last player to post a longer run of 30-point performances to open a regular season.

DeRozan has managed to tally the total in each of his first five appearances, leading the league in scoring (35.8 points per game), field goals made (70) and conversions from inside of the arc (69) along the way.

Much like Jordan in the 1986-87 season, DeRozan set the tone for his scoring binge on opening night, totaling 40 points in a victory over the Pistons. Jordan opened the year by dropping 50 on New York.

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The 30-point performances for Jordan ended at six consecutive games, as he totaled 231 points over the period, en route to a scoring average of 37.1 points per game, the fifth-highest average in league history. Only Wilt Chamberlain has ever averaged more.

DeRozan would need to post 52 points against the Kings to night to match the total over the first six games of Jordan’s season.

Matching the streak of six consecutive games may be a challenge as San Antonio forward Kawhi Leonard is the only player in five games to have scored 30 points against Sacramento this season.

The problem for opponents is there is little mystery to the game of DeRozan. Each time he gets the ball, he wants to challenge defenders at the rim, the only problem is executing an actual tactic to prevent him from scoring.

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Even while attempting 25.4 shots per game, DeRozan is converting 55.1 percent of his attempts from the field, tying him with Detroit forward Tobias Harris for the 13th highest percentage in the NBA.

Each night, DeRozan is slashing to the rim on an average of 12 times a night, the fifth highest total in the NBA this year. DeRozan is producing 11.8 points off his drives each night, meaning he is tallying a point on 98.3 percent of the time he drives to the basket.

The percentage is the fourth highest in the league among players averaging at least five drives to the rim each the game.

The Kings have surrendered only 38.3 points in the paint per game this season, the fifth-lowest in the league, so matching Jordan with six consecutive 30-point games will require an exceptional effort from DeRozan.

Five other teams tried and failed to limit his scoring and until he proves otherwise, DeRozan should be played in FanDuel NBA leagues.