5 reasons the Toronto Raptors can win the Eastern Conference
3. Career year from DeRozan
You could argue any of the last three seasons as DeMar DeRozan’s real “career year.” In 2015-16, he put up a well-rounded 23.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game on a career-high 33.6 percent shooting from 3-point range, helping lead Toronto to a franchise-best 56 games and the Eastern Conference Finals.
Last season, he averaged a career-high 27.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game while shooting 46.7 percent from the floor and proving that a deadly mid-range game could still translate to the modern NBA era.
This season, however, might be his most important within the context of Toronto’s revamped offense. He’s only shooting 32.1 percent from 3-point range, but even that is serviceable considering his taking a career-high 3.5 attempts per game, resulting in a career-high true shooting percentage of 56.1 percent.
DeMar DeRozan hit three 3-pointers in Toronto’s win over the Hornets, bringing his season total to 65. His previous career high was 64.
— Andy Bailey (@AndrewDBailey) February 12, 2018
The Raptors are now 9-0 this season when DeRozan hits at least three triples.https://t.co/ONwZO9BuHa pic.twitter.com/iMkHhbZ2XA
We’ll dive more into the Raptors’ upgraded offense in a minute, but DeRozan’s willingness to launch 3s — even when they’re falling at a below-average rate — ensures the defense has to guard him. It opens up the floor in a way his iso-heavy mid-range game never did, and on the occasional nights when he gets hot from downtown, he truly becomes one of the league’s most unstoppable scorers.
DeRozan’s scoring is “down” to a team-high 23.8 points per game, which still ranks 14th overall in the NBA. However, he’s also averaging a career-high 5.2 assists per game, opening up his playmaking like never before within an offense that moves the ball better than it ever has.
Along with shooting a tidy 46.2 percent from the floor, averaging a career-high 1.2 steals per game, chipping in 3.9 rebounds a night for good measure, and posting career highs in Value Over Replacement Player and win shares per 48 minutes, this is the most complete season we’ve ever seen from DeMar DeRozan.
If this version of DeRozan carries over into the postseason, he’ll go from being a liability in a seven-game series to a serious difference-maker.