There's no doubt the All-Star DeMar DeRozan is Hall of Fame bound when he finally retires. He proved that against the Magic last night. But the Sacramento Kings need more than a brilliant game from one of the all-time greats to pick up a win over a team that's likely heading for the Playoffs this season.
DeRozan is, without question, the master of the mid-range. In that area around the paint, the man is a legend. Just don't ask him to start shooting threes because it's likely not going to go well for anyone involved. DeMar could build a house with all of those high-quality bricks he makes behind the arc.
That doesn't change the fact that when he's on his grind, there's no one quite like him. Last night's game against the Magic was no exception. He was the top scorer and the assists leader on the Kings, finishing the game with 33 points, six rebounds, 11 assists, and zero turnovers.
At the same time, his shooting was quite literally average. DeRozan shot 12 for 24 from the field, which included going zero for one from the three-point line. On the upside, he was nine for 10 from the charity stripe. The problem was that Sacramento needed more than just DeRozan to win.
The Kings have to show up as a team to win
First and foremost, Sacramento deserves some leeway due to the absurd number of injuries and absences they're currently dealing with. They're just barely able to field a team at this point. That being said, they've been able to win recently without a full bench.
While several Kings had solid games, the only other player to have a relatively big game was Daeqwon Plowden. He wrapped things up with 23 points and three rebounds, not to mention shooting eight for 12 from the field. It was a respectable performance for a guy fighting for a permanent roster spot.
Giving credit when it's due, the Kings kept it close. The final score was 121 to 117 for the Magic, which is respectable. Maxime Raynaud, Precious Achiuwa, and Devin Carter all had decent showings, but Sacramento needed one of them to step up in a big way to put them over the top.
This was a winnable game, to be sure. Considering the fact that the Kings are focusing on culture-building over lottery spots, every win remains an important one, even this late in the season. There's no time to take their feet off the gas pedal.