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NBA Player Power Rankings: All-Time Statistics Are Tough To Ignore

By Maxwell Ogden

Feb 9, 2017; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) reacts after a play against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the fourth quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 9, 2017; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) reacts after a play against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the fourth quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /
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Feb 6, 2017; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan (10) shoots the ball over Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin (32) in the second half at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 6, 2017; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan (10) shoots the ball over Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin (32) in the second half at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports /

17. DeMar DeRozan, Toronto Raptors

Position: Shooting Guard
Age: 27 (8/7/1988)
Experience: 8th Season
2016-17 Slash Line: .471/.271/.847
2016-17 Season Averages: 35.5 MPG, 27.9 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 3.8 APG, 1.2 3PM

DeMar DeRozan is an elite scorer and one of the most valuable players on a Toronto Raptors team that’s attempting to contend. Toronto has encountered its fair share of struggles, but DeRozan returned from an injury and helped turn the season around.

If the Raptors are going to live up to their potential as an Eastern Conference contender, then DeRozan will be one of the primary reasons why.

Toronto went 3-4 during its recent seven-game stretch without DeRozan, but he came back strong. He went off for 31 points on 11-of-22 shooting from the field and 2-of-3 shooting from 3-point range in a 118-109 win over the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Raptors dropped the next game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, but DeRozan was stellar again with 30 points on 12-of-25 shooting.

DeRozan may never earn the respect of those in the advanced analytics community, but he’s an All-Star producing big numbers on a winning team. Whether or not you agree with his approach to the game, he’s produced unprecedented results for Toronto.

Fresh off of leading Toronto to the 2016 Eastern Conference Finals, DeRozan has Toronto in position to make another deep postseason run.