Everything Derozan

[Chr1s1anL]

S/O to #Handlife

[Axel]

I agree with the bold. I think a big reason that he's taking less of the mid-range shots this year is that his handle is better, and he feels more confident about going into the teeth of the defence with it. He simply didn't have that ability in years past.

I dunno man, his assist and turnover per 100 possessions two years ago are almost identical but his drives are up significantly and he has increased his turnover% due to the more drives.

To believe that DD was settling for poor shots instead of driving because he was waiting for his skill set to improve is quite the leap imo. I think he was simply settling for what was easy (pull up J) instead of making the right decision (if you can drive, then pass). Now, his skill set has improved but more importantly, his decisions are significantly better.

[ball4life]

To me, it just seems like DD's collecting random good stats. He just has good numbers. Watching the game, I never felt like damn DD is being a game changer the same way sometimes Kyle would do. You can obviously say when Kyle is on beast mode and on a roll during a stretch of a game. Honestly, I can't say that about Demar.

But he has improved vastly from the past few years and been putting good, efficient number.

[JWash]

You're not one of the District. Weren't you talking about trading him about 2 weeks ago?

Snooch is very much set in his ways and views (more power to him) but CRF has always had a well reasoned and factual view of DD.

Let's not lose sight that DD has greatly changed how he is playing thereby negating a lot of the criticism - at least mine.

To me nobody on the team is untouchable when it comes to trade. And that's simply because there are better players out there. I don't talk about guys being untouchable unless it's a title contending team.

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[S.R.]

I dunno man, his assist and turnover per 100 possessions two years ago are almost identical but his drives are up significantly and he has increased his turnover% due to the more drives.

To believe that DD was settling for poor shots instead of driving because he was waiting for his skill set to improve is quite the leap imo. I think he was simply settling for what was easy (pull up J) instead of making the right decision (if you can drive, then pass). Now, his skill set has improved but more importantly, his decisions are significantly better.

He honestly thought he could a) make the shots he was taking, and b) draw fouls anywhere on the floor. Wish I had a link, but one post-game he defended taking a dribble or two inside the 3 pt line because he felt like he could draw fouls from there. Even with the fouls, those have always been his (and everybody else's) worst shots.

I really wonder what's informed the adjustment for him this year. He is still getting better overall, but the change in shot selection is deliberate. Lowry is on record as focusing more on drives and 3's this year because of looking at the analytics. Is this something he and DeMar discussed together? Was it initiated by the coaching staff? Did Masai get involved?

Also let's note there's a huge amount of basketball left to be played. Let's see how the season pans out. The Raps have still had some ugly losses this fall. I'll just be happy if I get to see a lot of Raps vs. Bucks ball instead of Raps vs. Knicks ball.

[Wild-ling#1]

To me, it just seems like DD's collecting random good stats. He just has good numbers. Watching the game, I never felt like damn DD is being a game changer the same way sometimes Kyle would do. You can obviously say when Kyle is on beast mode and on a roll during a stretch of a game. Honestly, I can't say that about Demar.

But he has improved vastly from the past few years and been putting good, efficient number.

I think I see what you mean. when Lowry goes out and nails 4 or 5 threes in a row, you certainly notice. Ditto for Ross. But isn't DeMar to be credited for the opposite - especially this year?

We've seen some awfully slow starts - and cold shooting. But DeMar is pretty much always there producing. If the rest of the team can't get it done, on offense or defense, DeMar's not going off for 81 pts as a cure-all. But then absolutely no one thinks that that should be the way it works anyway ...

... And the extra assists we're sometimes seeing (eight, with the threes raining down last game!) is just the kind of good sign we have heard so much about ... for so long!

[mcHAPPY]

To me nobody on the team is untouchable when it comes to trade. And that's simply because there are better players out there. I don't talk about guys being untouchable unless it's a title contending team.

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That's fair and common ground - I don't think anyone on this team is untouchable either...well except Bruno lol.

[JimiCliff]

I dunno man, his assist and turnover per 100 possessions two years ago are almost identical but his drives are up significantly and he has increased his turnover% due to the more drives.

To believe that DD was settling for poor shots instead of driving because he was waiting for his skill set to improve is quite the leap imo. I think he was simply settling for what was easy (pull up J) instead of making the right decision (if you can drive, then pass). Now, his skill set has improved but more importantly, his decisions are significantly better.

I think it's a combination of both better decision making and a better handle. And I didn't say anything about him 'waiting for his skill set to improve' - he can simply do things on the basketball court now that he could not do before, and he's taking advantage of it.

[special1]

I think it's a combination of both better decision making and a better handle. And I didn't say anything about him 'waiting for his skill set to improve' - he can simply do things on the basketball court now that he could not do before, and he's taking advantage of it.

I agree. He's a better player overall than he was before. The shot selection is certainly important, but his handles allow him to get to his spots and also create and hit his teammates for open looks.

Remember the days of him dribbling off his foot? Not so much now. The good old eye test confirms this.


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[mcHAPPY]

I agree. He's a better player overall than he was before. The shot selection is certainly important, but his handles allow him to get to his spots and also create and hit his teammates for open looks.

Remember the days of him dribbling off his foot? Not so much now. The good old eye test confirms this.


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Yet his TO are at career highs.

His skills might have improved but it is his decisions that has made the most dramatic change to his game.

What is better: having the skills to get out of a jam or the foresight to avoid it?

I'll take the ounce of prevention over a pound of cure any day.

[mcHAPPY]

For the record, in my opinion, it isn't the change in his skill set that has made the difference, it is the change in his mindset.

I'm not seeing a huge change in skills.

I'm seeing a huge change in how he reads the game.

[Chr1s1anL]

Its not easy to read NBA defense. Especially when their one goal is to stop you. Take a lot of film. Reviewing constant games. Its easy for us to say it on here.

[JWash]

Yet his TO are at career highs.

His skills might have improved but it is his decisions that has made the most dramatic change to his game.

What is better: having the skills to get out of a jam or the foresight to avoid it?

I'll take the ounce of prevention over a pound of cure any day.

His TO% is at a career high but so is his AST% (up to 21.1%, previous high was 18.9%). His AST%/TO% ratio is 1.95 which is a hair lower than it was in 2013-14 at 1.98 and much better than it was last year (1.63). Considering that he's driving more you'd expect this to drop off.. but considering that it hasn't that does indicated some marked improvement in ball handling and passing ability. I mean DeRozan's assist rate now is almost double what it was in his 3rd season, but his turnover rate is almost identical.

Your second point is very true though. The decision making now is quicker and smarter than it was before. You can see it clearly when he has the ball his 1st option is getting to the rim, whereas before his first option was "get a shot off". That's a distinct difference there. And it's not like when he drives he's purely looking to score... that's the first choice of course but he's still passing 32.3% of the time out of his drives which is a pretty high rate for a wing player (LeBron is at 22%) that may be partially due to getting stuck more often than an elite guy like LeBron but there's definitely an improvement in decision making.

On another note I think DeRozan focusing more on slashing actually makes him a better fit with someone like Durant offensively. This may seem counter-intuitive, but Durant doesn't actually drive very much. Only 3.5 per game compared to DeRozan's 11.7. He does most of his damage outside with a hair under 70% of his shots coming from 10 feet and out. Plus KD scores a lot more off the ball than people think with 52% of his twos and 66% of his threes being assisted. I think a smart coach could figure out a way to integrate DD's slashing game with Durant's legendary pull-up/outside game (not that KD isn't a monster inside too, the dude shoots 79% at the rim.......).

[JWash]

That's fair and common ground - I don't think anyone on this team is untouchable either...well except Bruno lol.

Agreed to trade Bruno I would need to see the American Bruno coming back the other way. Possibly with picks included.

[raptors999]

Its not easy to read NBA defense. Especially when their one goal is to stop you. Take a lot of film. Reviewing constant games. Its easy for us to say it on here.

Demar is an NBA player seeking alot bof money, that's his job. Open heart surgery is hard hence they get paid alot.

Demar isn't like Ariza who just does the same things but better in contract years. Demar actually is playing better since the second half of last year. Wish he did it in a non-contract year. Next steps are becoming at least respectable when he's open on threes and playing better defense.