Everything Derozan

[Axel]

http://stats.nba.com/player/#!/201942/tracking/defense/

DeMar's defensive shot stats so far this playoffs. Guys being guarded by DeMar are shooting 75% on twos and 66.7% on threes.

Yes, these two games he's been torched, primarily from Paul George in game 1. I would be much less concerned about him guarding Luol Deng against Miami.

[A.I]

It's not about DD. It's about the other players seeing this in their Twitter accounts.

Do you really think players getting ready for Playoff games are roaming around twitter reading what people say? I doubt they could give two shits.

[ogi]

http://stats.nba.com/player/#!/201942/tracking/defense/

DeMar's defensive shot stats so far this playoffs. Guys being guarded by DeMar are shooting 75% on twos and 66.7% on threes.

He spent game 1 guarding PG though..

[Axel]

You'd be surprised. The fact that LBJ shuts down social media in the playoffs is an example. Also most of the Raptors have shutting down there social media account because of all the bashing from the fans after 1 game.

OR because it is a pointless distraction regardless of whether it's hate or praise (or random girls) and players are trying to focus on the games.

[Chr1s1anL]

Didn't DeRozan say he's staying away from social media?

Exactly. Not everybody can handle consistently being bashed.

[Nilanka]

Hell or high water. When your coach doesn't think much of adjustments why would a player who spent five years under his tutelage think otherwise?

Thing is, DeMar has always had some very rough stretches in his career. And it always coincides with him trying to do too much and force things. Last season he said he didn't want to be a one-time All Star, came out of the gates forcing things and ended up regressing from the year prior. Then he got injured and never really figured it out again.

Now he's heading into his first real free agency opportunity. The weight of two major playoff failures is on his back. I expected him to struggle out of the gate. But you either condemn him to being the player from last year, or you think he can loosen up, get into the flow of things, and be a positive contributor the way he was this season.

Just because we beat a team we should be beating with him on the bench doesn't disprove his value (when he plays well). Remember that our entire bench beat their starters on April 8th.

I think he'll turn it around. He's not a naturally high BBIQ guy where the game has come easy to him. So I think he does struggle at first. But he always seems to bounce back eventually. I think he'll figure it out before the end of this series, and will be useful in the next round too.

It's just way too early to give up on the guy. But I think those who gave up on him weren't ever really convinced of his value to begin with.

I don't think anyone here has "given up" on DeRozan. He just needs a lesson in humility, and to learn from his (repeated) mistakes.

[S.R.]

Pretty good. What people say doesn't bother me cause I know they wouldn't say it my face. Internet gangster don't bother me.

Haha, sports with the boys gets a hell of a lot more heated than this irl. Never mind what we say to each other on the court...

[Barolt]

He spent game 1 guarding PG though..

In game 2 it was 71.8% on twos, 100% on threes.

[Chr1s1anL]

OR because it is a pointless distraction regardless of whether it's hate or praise (or random girls) and players are trying to focus on the games.

Kyle Lowry said himself "I just didn't want to read it. I already knew what they were going to say."

[A.I]

I don't think anyone here has "given up" on DeRozan. He just needs a lesson in humility, and to learn from his (repeated) mistakes.

I'll be giving up on him if he doesn't play at least somewhat decent in Game 3. I've grown fond of him throughout this season, but all of that will be gone if he doesn't play well in Game 3. You don't deserve to be a star if you don't play well after getting benched and outplayed by a rookie.

[JimiCliff]

It's not about DD. It's about the other players seeing this in their Twitter accounts.

I think other players pay more attention to sold out buildings and Jurassic Park.

[Axel]

Kyle Lowry said himself "I just didn't want to read it. I already knew what they were going to say."

Which could apply to all of the above scenarios.

Athletes get bombarded with either:
a) I love you, you're the man
b) you suck, I hate you
c) here's my tits, wanna hook up

None of which are particularly helpful when trying to win playoff games.

[S.R.]

You'd be surprised. The fact that LBJ shuts down social media in the playoffs is an example. Also most of the Raptors have shutting down there social media account because of all the bashing from the fans after 1 game.

You're touching on much broader topics than how DeMar's playing right now, but you're proving the point that the reaction to DeMar is not unique to DeMar. A bunch of this is just the Internet.

Before athletes were obsessed with seeing themselves on ESPN every night, plenty of them avoided all media during the season/playoffs. It's nothing new. Guys used to talk about not reading the paper, now they talk about staying off social media.

[Nilanka]

I think other players pay more attention to sold out buildings and Jurassic Park.

Nah man, other players care about what Julie Khaner thinks...

There are 1,000s of dunces in & around the Air Canada Centre who have no idea what a legit NBA playoff team looks like #Raptors #rtz

— ☛ julie khaner ☚ (@juliekhaner) April 19, 2016

[ball4life]

Pretty good. What people say doesn't bother me cause I know they wouldn't say it my face. Internet gangster don't bother me.

You sound like a Kardashian