DeMar DeRozan torched the Celtics for 41 points and 13 rebounds last night, and the Raptors’ leading scorer continues to feast on the scraps nobody else really wants these days: lots of contested midrange jumpers. DeRozan was out there leaning, absorbing contact, going 16-for-29 from the field and 8-for-12 from midrange per the NBA’s shooting stats. “DeMar made some shots that are very, very, difficult shots,” Celtics coach Brad Stevens said after the game. Watching his 31 points in the second half, and in particular his audacity in the final stretch, it’s hard to name many players who work harder for their points:
Just another day in the office: deep two after drawing contact off Al Horford; step-back into the corner for another deep two; driving layup high off the glass with Jae Crowder draped all over him; turnaround deep two over Isaiah Thomas; little baseline jumper in Crowder’s face.
This season DeRozan sits fourth in the NBA with 28.2 points per game, while averaging only 1.5 three-point attempts per game. You have to slide down the list of scoring leaders all the way to LaMarcus Aldridge at No. 42 to find someone who shoots fewer three balls. Even his own sidekick Kyle Lowry believes his shot selection is dumb. Bless this man and his endlessly watchable, throwback game.