Down 2-0, if the Toronto Raptors have any shot of making a comeback in their series against the Washington Wizards, they'll need their star backcourt to step up.
Shooting guard DeMar DeRozan did just that on Friday.
DeRozan set a Raptors playoff franchise record for points in a quarter with 20 in the opening frame of Game 3 against the Washington Wizards.
DeRozan had 20 points in a high-scoring 1st quarter, leading @Raptors to a 35-33 lead over @WashWizards on ESPN2. pic.twitter.com/Eumkrw2xhg
— NBA (@NBA) April 25, 2015
DeRozan was in rare form. He got Paul Pierce on a back-cut for an and-one, he drained a few patented spot-up jumpshots and he unexpectedly drained three pull-up 3-pointers from the wing. To put that into perspective, DeRozan hit three above the break threes all season.
However, the Wizards made an adjustment by putting Otto Porter on DeRozan in the second quarter. That limited DeRozan to just two points as he was forced to the perimeter.