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Monday, Feb. 6
DeRozan Has Played at Elite Level
Toronto's All-Star originally injured his ankle Jan. 22 during a game against the Phoenix Suns. He missed three games, returned to play 36 minutes on Jan. 29 against the Orlando Magic and has been sidelined ever since.
DeRozan, 27, is in the midst of his finest season, averaging 27.8 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game. He was also named an All-Star starter. Despite continuing to struggle from beyond the arc (25.4 percent), DeRozan has turned himself into one of the league's premier scorers with his elite mid-range game and ability to get to the basket.
And don't expect DeRozan to just jump on board the current trend of three-point shooting. He's old school. DeRozan told Shams Charania of The Vertical in January:
I don't care what anybody else does to be successful and I don't pay mind to what anybody says. Never did, never will. I've always played the way that's comfortable to me, the way that works for me first to help the team.
Old-school era, that's the era that I grew up watching and falling in love with basketball. Michael [Jordan], Clyde [Drexler], Kobe [Bryant]. Those guys mastered the post-up shots and the midrange. That era always stuck with me.
While Kyle Lowry might be the Raptors' most valuable player given his play at the point guard position, DeRozan is without question a matchup nightmare for opposing defenders. The combination of DeRozan and Lowry, along with the team's excellent depth, is also why many consider the Raptors the most dangerous challengers to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference.
In turn, both Lowry and DeRozan are indispensable for the Raptors, and a significant injury to either player essentially would end the team's title hopes.
