DeMar DeRozan is reaching a new level

This NBA season so far has given us some quiet surprises. From the Clippers hot start to Harrison Barnes playing up to the max deal that he signed this summer. But the play of Toronto Raptors shooting guard DeMar DeRozan has been quite surprising. 

DeRozan currently leads the league in scoring, averaging 33.2 points per game. He's not just dominating the bad teams in the league, he's doing it against some real playoff contenders. Against Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and the Golden State Warriors, DeRozan dropped 34 points while shooting 44.4% from the field and grabbing six rebounds in the process. He did the same thing against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, dropping 26 in a losing effort for the Raptors. For a team like the Raptors that already has a dynamic scorer in point guard Kyle Lowry, DeRozan's sudden turnaround in a scoring machine is astonishing. 

One thing DeRozan has been doing very well has been getting to the free throw line. Against Golden State, DeRozan shot 17 free throws. He's been living at the line, shooting more than 10 free throws in 3 of his last 5 games. That's really good for a player who only averaged 6 free throws throughout his career thus far. He's doing something he hasn't done in his entire career. DeRozan has relied on his mid-range jump shot and ability to get to the rim but not get to the line a ton. If DeRozan is able to make this a staple in his game, it would help him continue to be a more efficient scorer. 

With Lowry not getting any younger and his contract coming up, DeRozan has put Toronto in a tough position. Either pay Lowry superstar money or let him walk and essentially hand the keys to the team to DeRozan. It's a decision that Toronto will have to make soon. But for now, they are just enjoying a player going through the best stretch of basketball in his career.