This season DeMar DeRozan has taken a leap. Leaps don't often happen for 32 year olds, but DeMar doesn't seem to care. Over his first 12 years in the NBA, DeRozan scored more than 27 points per game once, in 2017. Since then, he never averaged more than 23 points per game. In 2017, DeRozan averaged 27.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game. He shot 46.7% on FGs, 26.6% on 3s, and 84.2% on FTs. This season, the Bulls star is averaging 27.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per night. He’s doing it while shooting 51.5% from the field, 33.7% from three, and 86.4% on free throws. He took his best season from the middle of his prime and beat it in essentially every category. He even averages less turnovers. So how in the world did he do it. How is he putting together one of the best scoring seasons in recent memory out of essentially nowhere. How did the player that many people described as “the worst signing of the offseason,” become an MVP contender? He turned the clock back 30 years.
Generally, modern NBA superstars get to the basket with finesse, constantly changing the pace and keeping the defense on their heels by staying patient and moving horizontally to create space. DeMar DeRozan doesn't bother. Compare these two drives to the basket. Mitchell uses his jump shot as a threat to set up his drive, and once he's going he constantly changes pace and jumps around defenders on his way to the hoop. It is an outstanding play and there are many others like it from Mitchell and other stars.
Now, compare that to one of DeRozan’s drives. Instead of making a break for the basket and making
moves in the lane he sets himself up with a move behind the 3pt line and then dives straight towards the rim. He does not crossover, he does not euro step, he just goes maximum speed and gets to the basket as soon as he can.
DeRozan isn’t the fastest guy in the league. His dribble isn't the sharpest. He’s not the strongest. He isn’t the biggest. But he’s stronger than the fastest guys, faster than the strongest guys, and more skilled than the guys who are both. And whatever advantage he has over you, he is gonna use it to get to the rim. And good luck stopping him once he’s there.
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Again and again, DeMar will blow by his defenders, push bugs out of the way, and score at the rim whenever he wants to. So if you look at his box score, you might see an easy solution. He has never exactly been an elite three point shooter, maybe we can droop off of him and give him space to shoot. There is a major problem with that. DeRozan is the most dangerous midrange shooter in the league, and it isn't particularly close. DeMar has made 252 mid range jump shots this season, leading the league. Second place Devin Booker has 151. The difference between DeRozan and second place is the same difference as Booker’s with 46th placed Tim Hardaway Jr. If you give him an inch of space, this happens:
He doesn’t need a stepback, he doesn't need a fadeaway. If you back up to prevent him from driving, he will make you pay. And then he will do it again, and again, and again. In this play Keldon Johnson forces DeRozan to leave to prevent him getting to the basket with his preferred hand. DeRozan takes two dribbles to the left and pulls up from the elbow.
In the very next halfcourt possession. Derozan gets a screen from Nikola Vucivec and drives left. Zach Collins instinctually backs off in order to prevent an easy layup at the rim. Can't do that against DeRozan.
DeRozan plays like nobody else in the modern NBA, and if you want to have any chance of stopping him you will need to forget the habits you have been learning for years. Analytics showed that the most efficient shots in the league are layups, dunks, and three pointers. So defenders prioritize guarding the rim and the three point line. When you play against DeRozan, you need to instantly train yourself on one key thing. Never give him space in the midrange. Against the Spurs, DeRozan had his 6th straight game of at least 35 points on at least 50% from the field. If he does it again against the Kings on Wednesday, he will set the record. Today, DeRozan was named the player of the week by the NBA. His counterpart Luka Doncic is averaging 12 3PA over that stretch. DeRozan is averaging just 1.5.
The narrative of the analytics era has been the death of the midrange and the disappearance of the star Center. We now have a midrange specialist and a trio of bigs dominating the league. That's not to say we are returning to the basketball of the 90s. It just turns out that the best way to score isn't exclusively taking 3s and layups. Just ask Demar DeRozan.
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