The National Basketball Association announced Tuesday that DeMar DeRozan has been selected as Eastern Conference Player of the Week for games played Dec. 18-24. This marks the seventh time DeRozan has earned the honour during his nine seasons in Toronto. He was also named East Player of the Week for games played Nov. 13-18 earlier this season.
DeRozan averaged 34.0 points (third in the NBA), 4.3 assists and 4.0 assists in three games last week, while shooting .571 (32-for-56) from the field and .650 (13-for-20) from three-point range. He began the week by recording a team-high 28 points and eight assists during Toronto’s 129-111 victory Dec. 20 at Charlotte. The next night DeRozan set career highs with 45 points and six three-pointers to help the Raptors rally from a 22-point deficit for a 114-109 win Dec. 21 at Philadelphia. He finished the week leading the team with 29 points and shot 4-for-7 from three-point range as the Raptors won their 10th consecutive home game 102-86 Dec. 23 vs. Philadelphia.
DeRozan, a native of Compton, California, currently ranks ninth in the NBA averaging 24.9 points through 31 games. The three-time NBA All-Star was selected ninth overall by Toronto in the 2009 NBA Draft and is the franchise’s all-time leader in career points (12,227), field goals made (4,339), free throws (3,283) made and games played (626). Toronto currently ranks first the Eastern Conference with a 23-8 (.742) and will continue its season tonight in Dallas (7 p.m. ET, Sportsnet ONE/Sportsnet 590).