Over the past three games (Monday vs. Bucks excluded), DeMar DeRozan racked up 22 assists. How did he do it?
This was written prior to the Raptors’ absolute stinker against the Bucks. That would explain why the tone of this article isn’t filled with rage, but rather, with positivity. You must remember that the Raptors were on a six-game win streak before running into the unstoppable force known only as Khris Middleton.
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What stuck out over the Raptors’ recent run of success was not their blistering-hot offense or clutch performances in overtime. It was, to me, the play of DeMar DeRozan. Over the last five games (Bucks game excluded), DeRozan had averaged 20.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and most impressively, 5.6 assists per game. The assist figure stood out to me, especially after a run of 22 assists in three games.
DeRozan made strides last season as a secondary ball-handler which led to a doubling of his assist numbers from seasons past. His average of 4.0 assists per game was a welcome sight, as he flashed signs of developing into a capable facilitator.
This season, DeRozan’s assists have actually dipped as he veered towards being a bit of a ball hog at the beginning of the season. However, since returning from injury, DeRozan has seemed more willing to create for others.
I looked over the game tape and grouped DeRozan’s assists into five categories.
1. Initiating weakside attack
The Raptors like to always have at least two ball handlers on the court, and they like to line them up on opposite sides of the court. This helps prevent stagnation in the offense as when an initial action fails, the ball can be swung over to the weakside where another attack can begin.
That’s exactly what happens in the play above. DeRozan runs a high pick-and-roll with Amir Johnson. When that’s shut down, DeRozan quickly swings the ball over to Lowry, who attacks immediately off the dribble and nets a short jumper over Wizards center Marcin Gortat.
2. Drive and kick
A play as old as the game itself. As a skilled slasher, DeRozan cuts into the teeth of the Wizards’ defense. While all the attention is fixated on DeRozan, Terrence Ross cleverly sneaks around a down screen from Amir Johnson and is wide open from the corner. DeRozan finds him for an easy trey.
3. Two-man game
DeRozan has excellent chemistry with Amir Johnson, which is to be expected after having played together for six seasons. Johnson is a great screen setter and almost always carves out enough space for DeRozan to drive into the paint. When Toronto really need a bucket, DeRozan and Johnson run a deadly two-man game stemming from a dribble handoff.
The play above is yet another example of the two long-time teammates working in tandem. With the Raptors in dire need of a basket, the Raptors run DeRozan around a post-entry for Johnson. After the handoff, DeRozan drives hard into the middle of the lane, which draws two Nets defenders to form a wall between DeRozan and the basket. However, at the last second, DeRozan tosses a pass around Nets center Mason Plumlee to a rolling Johnson, who scores an easy dunk to send the game into overtime.
4. Pick-and-roll, pick-and-pop
DeRozan usually looks to score when he’s put into a pick-and-roll, but he’s started to be more mindful of creating looks for others of late. Since he has a lethal midrange jumper and a strong ability to draw fouls on hard drives to the basket, opponents often converge on stopping DeRozan with both defenders in the pick-and-roll.
Historically, such defensive schemes have been successful against DeRozan. He often panicked when faced with strong ball pressure as he didn’t have sufficient handles to reliably dribble through traffic. He’s improved on that end of late. By anticipating the defense, DeRozan has made a number of nice reads to punish defenses for doubling.
Here, DeRozan spots Valanciunas on a nicely executed short roll to the basket. By not rolling all the way to the basket like he normally does, Valanciunas is afforded an open look while Nets power forward Kevin Garnett is trapped deep in the paint guarding the basket.
Similarly, on the play below, DeRozan dutifully draws two defenders to the right side of the floor while Patterson pops out to the 3-point line. Notice how he subtly draws Plumlee just a step too far away from being able to close out on Patterson. The result is an easy 3-pointer in the clutch.
5. Improvisation
In the offseason, a number of videos surfaced which showed DeRozan working on his handles. That’s come in handy this season, as he’s managed to navigate through tighter windows to create looks for his teammates. By keeping his dribble alive, DeRozan has been able to suck in defenses and make a number of sweet passes.
