DeMar DeRozan: L-Evating Chicago
The four-time All-Star is having one of his best scoring seasons while helping the Chicago Bulls threaten the East elite.
First some stats (through 11/16):
Per Cleaning the Glass:
Usage - 30.4% (93rd percentile)
AST % - 20.0% (90th percentile)
Turnover % - 7.7% (84th percentile)
PSA (total pts scored per 100 shot attempts) - 122.4 (84th percentile)
Shooting Foul drawn % - 17.5% (98th percentile)
And then there is the shot chart which is an early 2000s NBA fan’s wet dream. DeRozan is a terror inside the 3pt line and does it with ELITE craft! (pump-fakes, right shoulder fades, downhill rim attacks, high release pull-ups, mid-range curls & side-steps, euro-step finishes, and Melo-Esque spin moves off post up.) In terms of pure CRAFT, I think it is fair to label him one of the games best. Think about it… if you are judging the craft of the player, which is my intention, DeRozan is exceptional.
DeRozan is extremely self-aware in terms of his skill. He KNOWS what makes him an excellent player and he does not deviate from it despite calls from some to extend his shooting range beyond the 3pt line.
“He understands exactly what he wants to do,” Dwayne Casey said. “He’s mastered the game.”
Let’s go to the tape!
We will get to his midrange brilliance but his finishing craft is not to be overlooked. First, he uses a spin to get a dribble advantage then watch the deceleration which grants him the angle on the left side of the basket to lay it in with the left hand. Changing the pace of a drive is crucial for a complete finishing “bag.” In this case, it completely throws off the timing of the POA defender and shot-blocker.
DeRozan is, obviously, known for his euro-step finishes. Here he has Mitchell Robinson in a terrible situation with a full head of steam and a huge amount of space. The euro was executed well and the lefty wrong-foot finish with contact was glorious.
DeRozan loves that little shoulder-shimmy when the ball is in his right hand. It forces the defender to hesitate for a split second allowing him to gain the baseline (with a subtle hook with the left arm) and finishes with force. DeRozan’s athleticism always popped more in a game due to his penchant for one-foot take-offs1.
The landing was a bit awkward but man, this is tough. Few players have truly mastered this setup (Hi Carmelo) and spin. OG is an excellent on-ball defender but DeRozan got him a few times in this game. OG bites pretty hard on the initial dribble, sliding both feet significantly to the left. So much craft…
The side-step going left or right has become a go-to move for a few smaller distance shooters (Kyrie Irving, Dame Lillard, Immanuel Quickley come to mind). It’s an excellent move for space creation but you rarely see it in the midrange. DeRozan’s version is not an explosive maneuver but it is efficient and truthfully, Blake seemed less than interested in contesting the shot attempt.
We just saw a side-step going right… Here is one going left and this time, the defense is more engaged making the shot more challenging. This is where the high/two motion shooting form shines as Harkenstein gets a good contest with the left hand (the proper hand vs. a right-hand shooter) but DeRozan is unaffected and gets the soft-touch bounce.
DeRozan prefers going over the right-shoulder but Davis’ positioning forces him to fake right and take a TOUGH, contested left-shoulder fall-away. The extra arc he puts on the shot is special and was probably necessary to prevent the shot-block. This is Kobe-lite and fitting considering the venue.
You can probably count on one hand the number of players that can pull this move off. A spin into a double pump-fake high arcing middie with Batum providing solid resistance (chef’s kiss). This is just too good and one of the craftiest moves you will see all season.
Another insane make with Thybulle in his shirt. This is all about the high release point and the smooth right leg drift (needed to get his elbow aligned to the rim). I also think this could have been a foul since Thybulle came awfully close to taking up DeRozan’s landing space.
And finally, this heat-check out of a pick n’ roll. The in/out dribble gives DeRozan time to get into a step-back and has enough lift (and yes, a high enough release point) to get this shot off.
In conclusion
It is absolutely fair to consider the money the Bulls are paying DeRozan to be an overpay. And there are valid questions about whether he can keep up this level of scoring efficiency. But I do not care about all that… I am choosing to simply marvel at the elite craft and I implore you all to enjoy him as players of this ilk are vanishing year over year. And lastly… please:
It is my opinion that the ability to jump off one-foot is crucial for finishing acumen. Unless a player has ELITE explosiveness (think Dominique Wilkins or Blake Griffin), jumping off one-foot will allow for a more diverse finishing bag. Of course, there are times when a two-foot jump is required so diversity is KEY!
👏✨