NBA: Top 6 Highest-scoring games of DeMar DeRozan's career

DeMar DeRozan
DeMar DeRozan

DeMar DeRozan was drafted by the Toronto Raptors as the ninth overall pick in the 2009 NBA draft. He quickly became the face of the franchise and led them to five straight playoffs appearances.

The 4-time All-Star is one of the best mid-range shooters in the game and plays with high intensity every night. In this article, let us take a look at six of his highest-scoring games in the NBA so far.


#6 42 vs Houston Rockets, March 30, 2015

DeRozan scored 42 points to help the Raptors to a
DeRozan scored 42 points to help the Raptors to a
three point
win. Credit: Boston Globe

Stat line: 42 points, 11 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal and a block on 51.9 % shooting

DeRozan scored 42 points in the game against the Houston Rockets at home and helped the team to a three-point win. After the first quarter, the contest was tied at 27-27. DeRozan tallied 12 points in the second quarter but the Rockets led by four at halftime.

He scored 25 points in the second half, including the game-winning jump shot from 17 ft. and finished the night shooting 14-for-27 from the field. For the Rockets, James Harden was the high-scorer with 31 points.

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#5 42 vs Golden State Warriors, January 13, 2018

DeRozan's 42 points not enough to get the win against Warriors
DeRozan's 42 points not enough to get the win against Warriors

Stat line: 42 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists on 54.8 % shooting

Three nights after defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers in a blowout fashion by as many as 34 points, the Toronto Raptors were up against the Golden State Warriors at home. Warriors were coming off a road win against the Milwaukee Bucks.

DeRozan was red-hot in the first quarter and scored 19 points but the Warriors took the 43-35 lead. The Warriors' dominance continued in the second quarter and they were leading 81-54 at half-time.

However, it was all DeRozan in the second half as he scored 19 points to get the Raptors back into the game. He was well supported by Fred Van Vleet who had 13 points in the game. The Warriors eventually won the game by two points, 127-125.

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#4 42 at Detroit Pistons, March 7, 2018

DeRozan scored 42 points and the Raptors picked up a two pointwin. Credit: NBA
DeRozan scored 42 points and the Raptors picked up a two
pointwin
. Credit: NBA

Stat line: 42 points, 4 rebounds and 6 assists on 57.1 % shooting

The Toronto Raptors were on the second night of a back-to-back, after a win against the Atlanta Hawks. DeRozan who scored 25 points in that game was once again the center of attraction as he went off for 42 points and helped the Raptors to a two-point win.

DeMar did not have a great first half and the Pistons were leading by as many as 14 points at the halftime. In the third quarter, he was back to his usual self and scored 13 points. The Raptors clinched the quarter, thanks to DeRozan's heroics, 40-25.

His form continued into the fourth quarter as he scored 15 points but the hook shot by Blake Griffin sent the game into overtime. In OT, DeRozan scored or assisted on every Raptors' point and they rolled past the Pistons, 121-119.

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#3 43 vs Boston Celtics, February 24, 2017

DeRozan put the team on his back and scored then career-high 43 points. Credit: SLAM
DeRozan put the team on his back and scored then career-high 43 points. Credit: SLAM

Stat line: 43 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists on 53.6 % shooting

The Toronto Raptors were in this game without their point guard Kyle Lowry and therefore, needed everything they could get from DeMar DeRozan to get the win. He put the team on his back and scored then career-high 43 points.

In the first quarter, DeRozan scored 10 points for the Raptors but the Celtics took a 29-18 lead. Even though he scored 19 points in the first half, the Celtics went into the halftime with a 10 point lead.

Howbeit, DeRozan was red-hot in the second half and scored 24 points to pull off an epic comeback win. For the Toronto Raptors, Serge Ibaka also made a valuable contribution and scored 15 points on 7-for-12 shooting.

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#2 45 at Philadelphia 76ers, December 21, 2017

DeRozan's 45 points helped the Raptors edge past Sixers. Credit: USA Today
DeRozan's 45 points helped the Raptors edge past Sixers. Credit: USA Today

Stat line: 45 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and a block on 61.9 % shooting

On a night when all the Sixers' starters scored in double digits, DeRozan exploded for 45 points to will the Raptors to victory. This was his then-career-high and he played lights out on the road, against a tough opponent in 76ers.

DeRozan started the game hot and made a 22 feet three-pointer to get it going. He scored 15 points, but the Sixers took a 31-30 lead at the end of first quarter. In the second quarter, 76ers made big plays and extended the lead to 13 points at half-time.

However, Delon Wright went off in the third quarter and scored 12 points to cut the Sixers' lead to just 2 points at the end of three quarters. In the final quarter, the 4-time All-Star came up big once again and scored as many as 13 points, including two clutch free throws to help the Raptors edge past the Sixers.

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#1 52 vs Milwaukee Bucks, January 1, 2018

DeMar DeRozan scored career-high 52 points at home
DeMar DeRozan scored career-high 52 points at home

Stat line: 52 points, 5 rebounds, 8 assists, 1 steal and a block on 58.6 % shooting

DeMar DeRozan scored his career-high 52 points against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks at home, in an overtime thriller. This was DeRozan's first (and only) 50-point game in the NBA till date.

DeRozan scored the first nine points for the Raptors as they took an early 9-0 lead in the first quarter. He ended up scoring 21 points at the end of first quarter and the Raptors had a five-point lead. He only had 5 points in the second quarter and the Raptors were leading 60-56 at halftime.

In the third quarter, with 8:14 remaining, the 29-year old made a three-pointer, off an assist from Anunoby to extend the Raptors' lead to 11 points. For the Bucks, Giannis kept answering back and they remained in the game.

The Raptors were down by two points at the 0:37 mark in the final quarter of the regulation period, DeMar then made two clutch free throws and sent the game into overtime. In the overtime, he scored eight points and the Raptors won the contest, 131-127.

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Edited by Abhinav Munshi