Saturday, July 30, 2011

A Blossoming Fire Flower

I'm probably crazy (I definitely am), but I think Demar Derozan has a legitimate chance to lead the league in scoring within the next 7 years. 

Wow. That does sound really crazy. I wouldn't blame you if you stopped reading now. If you want to kill some time though, allow me to support my craziness. 

Last year, Derozan was, for the most part, the offensive second fiddle to one Andrea Bargnani. In that role, he still demonstrated a knack for scoring, both athletically at the rim, and through a rapidly improving midrange jumper. From December on, he didn't average less than 15.9 ppg in any month. Then, when Andrea got injured in the beginning of April, Derozan was thrust into the role of main offensive player. He performed well for someone so young and on such a flawed team. In the month of April, he averaged 23 points a night, while getting to the line nearly 8 times a night.

A small sample size, to be sure, but those who watched the games know this: Derozan has the potential to be a gifted scorer. He had absolutely no 3 point range last year, but considering the improvement in his stroke from his rookie year, I believe he can bring himself up to league average. Combine that with the driving instincts and ability to draw fouls he flashed bear the end of the season, sprinkle in lots of shots on a mediocre to average team, and you have a recipe for 27+ points a night. 

Not out of the realm of possibility, right? Please tell me I'm right. 

1 comment:

  1. The best part of last season (and admittedly that's a short list!) was watching DD's improvement. He made significant progress over the season, especially with that midrange jumper you highlighted. Leading the league in scoring might be a stretch, but being amongst the league leaders is what I certainly hope for. So I'll vote for "not crazy". ;)

    Kate C

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