Toronto Raptors: Could DeMar DeRozan be a 2017-18 MVP candidate?
DeMar DeRozan has become the face of the Toronto Raptors. Could this be the season he becomes the league’s MVP?
Through 14 games, the Toronto Raptors have started out with a record of 9-5. Although there are many great teams right now, the Raptors are definitely in the mix.
With a lot of players stepping up for Toronto, there is obviously one who stands out, and that is DeMar DeRozan. So far this season, he has been able to average 24.9 points, 4.4 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game.
There is always one topic that every NBA fan seems to chime in on and that is who the league’s Most Valuable Player is. Last year it was Russell Westbrook after he posted a historic season, leading the NBA in scoring and becoming the second player to ever average a triple-double.
With every new year, there is a new winner. So far this year we’ve seen quite a few players step up for their teams. Players like Giannis Antetokunmpo, James Harden and LeBron James are all in the running right now.
Don’t be quick to rule out the DeRozan in this conversation. The longtime Raptor has had his fair share of great seasons. Maybe this one is the year he wins the ultimate prize and becomes MVP.
Now, with that being said, let’s get to the fun part. It is time to break down some key stats that make him a legit contender this year.
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The first stat here is going to be his shooting percentages. So far this season, DeRozan is shooting 46.4 percent from the field. Compared to other candidates, this is either better or slightly worse.
With a usage rate of 31.6 percent, DeRozan is going to have the ball in his hands quite a bit. This means he needs to take care of the ball and take smart shots. So far he has been able to do just that. It is also worth noting that he has a true shooting percentage of 57.3 percent this season.
He has always been known for having a great mid-range jump shot and the numbers can back that up: 83.9 percent of DeRozan’s shots have been 2-pointers this season, and he has a 55 percent conversion rate on shots that are 3-10 feet away from the basket.
He is also passing the ball efficiently as well as scoring the ball. His 4.4 assists per game come off a 17.1 assist percentage. This stat does, however, fall significantly short compared to someone like Harden.
One big stat that stands out for the MVP race is the overall team’s record. A player could have a great year, but if his team is not picking up wins then he won’t be talked about much. An example of this is Karl-Anthony Towns last season.
The good news for DeRozan is that his team is winning games. Going into Friday’s matchup against the New York Knicks, the Raptors are 9-5. This has them currently sitting at fourth in the East.
And who do they have to thank for the majority of those wins? Yup, you guessed it, DeMar DeRozan. Compared to his teammates, he is leading the team in points and steals per game.
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This doesn’t mean DeRozan is the No. 1 candidate for the award this season. But it would be nice to see him get some recognition for leading this team to multiple successful seasons, and if he continues to improve on his numbers for a winning Raptors team, perhaps he’ll legitimately enter the conversation by season’s end.