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Toronto Raptors shooting guard DeMar DeRozan has been playing at an insane pace the first four games of the season.
Not only does he lead the NBA in scoring with a 36.3 points per game average — but he does so in 37 minutes per game, in a modern league where having superstars' minutes monitored is of essence for any coaching staff.
DeRozan is taking shots until his arm falls off so far, averaging a dash over 25 field goal attempts per game. He's doing so while making 55.4 percent of his shots, and having made his first three of the season on Wednesday's 40-point night in a 113-103 win over the Washington Wizards.
“I'm like a Tesla. Go home, charge up,” DeRozan told Eric Koreen of The Athletic.
The All-Star guard's high volume of shots has proved effective this far, making 12 or more field goals in every game and taking some of the scoring load off point guard Kyle Lowry.
DeRozan's lack of dependence on the three-point shot actually has a suitable advantage — he's averaging a shade under 10 trips to the line per game, knocking them down at an 82-percent clip — an advantage volume three-point shooters rarely have.
Standing at 6-foot-7 and 220 pounds, his first step is one of his biggest weapons, making it a game of Russian Roulette to see if he'll use it to blow past his defender or rise up for his signature mid-range jumper.
While we doubt he could keep up a 39-points-per-game pace as his teammate Terrence Ross suggested, DeMar DeRozan's aggression will be a key factor for the Raptors as long as he keeps himself all charged up.
