DeMar DeRozan has been a key member of the Toronto Raptors for nearly 10 seasons, and he’s finally living up to his NBA All-Star potential. The 28-year old shooting guard is averaging 27 points per game on 49% shooting from the field this season, only one percentage point behind league MVP James Harden.
The “DeMar DeRozan, carrying ‘so many chips’ on shoulder, scores season” is a blog post about the Toronto Raptors player. He scored 37 points in game 4 of the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors.
LOS ANGELES, Calif. — DeMar DeRozan scored a season-high 38 points to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 121-103 win against the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night, his fifth 30-point performance in the last nine games.
Despite reaching his season high early in the fourth quarter and having a chance for his first 40-point game since 2018, with some encouragement from teammate Zach LaVine to go for it, DeRozan was pleased with his final line as the Bulls cruised to victory.
“[LaVine] was pressuring me to hit 40 points tonight. I told him I was exhausted, and he agreed “With a giggle, DeRozan, who also had six assists, remarked.
DeRozan is off to a great start in his debut season with the Bulls, averaging 26.9 points per game (third in the NBA behind only Brooklyn’s Kevin Durant and Golden State’s Stephen Curry) on 51 percent shooting, five rebounds, and four assists.
DeRozan credited his resurgence this season to people labeling him “washed” in former years and doubting his fit with the Bulls.
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DeRozan stated, “I can go down the list of simply being counted out, being looked over.” “I’m carrying a lot of chips on my shoulder. And simply wants to be a winner and have fun along the way. We won’t be able to play this game indefinitely, so I want to make the most of it.”
DeRozan, who is 32 years old and in his 13th season in the NBA, is demonstrating that he still has much to offer a championship team.
“I never considered age to be a factor,” he remarked. “I never gave it a second thought.” People often place an age restriction on things, but I never did. I knew what I was capable of because of how I worked, how I cared for my body, and how I prepared. I simply tried to do the right thing and figure it out through the past couple of years of playing basketball.
“I never lost confidence this time since I knew my potential was always there. I never imagined I wouldn’t be able to be who I was before. Chicago gave me the freedom to be entirely myself.”
The victory is the first for the Bulls over the Lakers since 2016, as Chicago improved to 10-4 with a back-to-back sweep of the Clippers and Lakers at Staples Center.
DeRozan, who scored at least 35 points on back-to-back nights, helped lead the charge, but he had plenty of support. Lonzo Ball scored 27 points on seven 3-pointers, while Zach LaVine chipped in with 26. On Monday night, the three players scored or assisted on 110 points.
Ball said, “I believe we are one of the best teams in the NBA.” “Clearly, we have a long way to go and much to improve. However, we are progressing in the correct path.”
DeRozan has had one of his most efficient starts in his career, demonstrating how dangerous he can still be in the half-court offense, where he scored all but four of his points on Monday night. According to ESPN Stats & Information research, he scored on five different Lakers, hammering Carmelo Anthony for 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting when they faced off.
And when the Lakers left DeRozan open, he generally scored. Eight of his made field goals, including both of his three-pointers, were uncontested.
“I believe a lot of people wrote him off because he’s towards the end of his career,” Ball said. “But this is definitely one of his finest years in the NBA.” “I’d always suspected what kind of player he was. I’m not sure how he got lost in the mix in San Antonio, but I believe he’s one of the finest players in the league, and I believe he’s showing it every night.”
The “demar derozan contract” is a story about DeMar DeRozan’s contract with the Toronto Raptors. DeRozan was carrying “so many chips” on his shoulder, and he scored in the season finale to bring home the win.
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