![]() ![]() He recorded his first career triple-double when the Spurs defeated his former team, the Raptors. The move damaged Ujiri’s relationship with DeRozan, who felt betrayed despite the loyalty he had shown towards Toronto, who would go on to win the 2019 NBA Finals without DeRozan.ĭeRozan was an important part of the Spurs offense 2018-2019, with 22 points per game and ranking in the top 20 in the league for assists. In the 2018 offseason, looking for a change, GM Masai Ujiri replaced head coach Dwayne Casey with Nick Nurse and traded DeRozan to San Antonio, bringing in Kawhi Leonard. He was named to the All-NBA 2nd Team.ĭespite the Raptors’ regular season success, the team lost in consecutive playoffs to LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, including a humiliating sweep in 2018. In 2018, as Toronto’s offense moved away from the isolation-heavy tactics they had used, DeRozan’s scoring dropped to 23 points per game but he posted a career high for assists with 5.2 per game. He was selected for the All-Star Team in both those seasons and made the All-NBA 3rd Team in 2017. In 2016, when many speculated he would seek a max contract elsewhere, he affirmed his commitment to Toronto, signing a 5 year deal for less than the max without considering any other teams. In the 17 seasons, DeRozan kept improving, posting new highs for season scoring with 23.5 and 27 points per game. In the 2014-2015 playoffs, DeRozan set a franchise for points in the first quarter, with 20. His partnership with Kyle Lowry, who arrived in Toronto the year before, became a driving force behind the team’s increasingly strong performances. In 2014 he was selected for the NBA All-Star Game for the first time. He finished second and third in his two appearances in the competition.ĭeRozan refined his ballhandling and jump shooting, and in 2013-2014 his scoring average jumped to 22.7 points per game, including a then-career high of 40 points against the Dallas Mavericks. ![]() He was best known in his early years for his athletic ability, and he competed in both the 20 NBA Slam Dunk Competition during All-Star Weekend. As a rookie, he played in 77 games and started 65, averaging 8.6 points per game. If Boston’s defense can continue to flummox Durant for the rest of the series, there’s no doubt that Tatum will play a large role in it.The Toronto Raptors selected DeRozan with the ninth overall pick. We just follow the game plan and as best as we can try to make it tough for him.” “But I think as I said earlier, with somebody that’s obviously one of the most gifted scorers that we’ve seen, so just knowing that it can’t be easy, can’t give him open looks, rhythm shots and things like that. “I don’t know, maybe I’m getting lucky with a couple of those blocks,” Tatum said, via NBC Sports Boston. The block of Durant was certainly eye-opening, especially since the former NBA MVP rarely sees his shot turned away. Tatum first stripped Kyrie Irving to force a turnover after Irving had grabbed an offensive rebound along the baseline and on the next defensive possession, Tatum swatted away a pull-up jumper from Durant. ![]() Tatum had one of his best defensive sequences midway through the fourth quarter of Game 2. In the two games of the series, Tatum has locked down the 6-foot-10 Durant by holding him to 2-for-13 shooting while forcing Durant into nearly as many turnovers (7) as points (8), per StatMuse. ![]() That isn’t the only impressive stat that has summed up Tatum’s dominant defense against the Nets, and specifically Durant. Matched up as Durant’s primary defender for 10 and a half minutes in the game, Tatum limited the sensational scorer to four points along with an 0-for-7 showing from the field and three turnovers, according to NBC Sports Boston’s Chris Forsberg. Tatum proved to be an integral piece in shutting down Nets’ star Kevin Durant, who struggled through a 4-for-17 shooting performance, including going 0-for-10 from the floor in the second half. Tatum’s defense was particularly strong in Boston’s 114-107 Game 2 victory on Wednesday night at TD Garden. The first two games of the Boston Celtics first round playoff series against the Brooklyn Nets hasn’t been an offensive showcase for star forward Jayson Tatum.īut other parts of Tatum’s skill set, especially his defense, have rose to the forefront to help Boston take a 2-0 lead in the series.
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