DeRozan: Raptors aren't drowning, 'We're in a puddle'
Toronto Raptors' fans have every reason to be anxious after watching their team drop yet another Game 1 on Saturday, 100-90 to the Indiana Pacers at the Air Canada Centre.
It may appear to some the world is coming to an end north of the border, but in the mind of All-Star shooting guard DeMar DeRozan, there's still plenty of basketball to be played.
When asked if he believed his team was drowning after their eighth Game 1 loss in nine tries Sunday, DeRozan ensured everyone his Raptors aren't sucking in air as the tide rises.
"No. We're in a puddle right now," DeRozan said. "We got some new shoes on, they got a little wet. That's all.
"You're fighting for your life. If you were drowning in water, you're going to figure out something to hold onto or float on, right? So you kind of have that natural instinct as a competitor. That's the beauty of the game, when things get rough you kind of find enjoyment in trying to overcome it. That's the great thing about basketball."
DeRozan's lackluster play was one of many reasons why Toronto couldn't fend off a team they'd beaten in seven of their last eight meetings. The 26-year-old finished with 14 points in 36 minutes, shooting a paltry 5-of-19 from the field and 0-of-3 from deep. He also chipped in two rebounds, four assists, and three turnovers.
What's scary is that those percentages are on par with his averages in 11 previous playoff games, with his career postseason field-goal percentage now at 38 percent.
DeRozan will have a chance to redeem himself Monday in Game 2, as the Raptors look to avoid going down 0-2 before the series heads to Indiana.