DeRozan confident he’ll turn things around as Raptors ready for Game 3

TORONTO – DeMar DeRozan and James Harden chatted in the days leading up to the NBA playoffs, but neither could have forecast how the first two games would play out.

DeRozan has been crafty all season at drawing contact and getting to the foul line, he’s practically taken up a second residence at the charity stripe. But in Monday’s 98-87 victory over Indiana in Game 2, he didn’t make a single trip.

The same thing happened to Harden in Houston’s Game 1 loss to Golden State, a shocking turn over events considering Harden and DeRozan lead the league in free throw attempts.

“It’s just crazy, he’s No. 1 getting to the free throw line, and I’m second,” DeRozan said Tuesday. “It’s something to laugh about, but it’s part of the game, and you take on the challenge the next go-round.”

The two-time all-star and Raptors’ leading scorer in the regular season has averaged just 12 points on a woeful 27 per cent shooting through two games.

But the 26-year-old scoffed when asked if there’s someone he’s leaned on — a coach or a teammate — as a confidante through this tough stretch.

“I really honestly haven’t tried to put too much into it,” DeRozan said. “I just try to go out there and adjust, and then go watch film after I’ve played the game and tried to figure out ways to get to the free throw line, and get easy things.”

DeRozan sat out the entire fourth quarter of Toronto’s Game 2 win, but said the team’s success is bigger than his personal playoff experience.

“I try to do other things to be productive and help the team win,” he said. “Once you’re in the playoffs, all that matters is winning, and whatever I can do to help us win, if it’s getting a steal, whatever it may be.

“That’s what it’s all about.”

When Raptors coach Dwane Casey was asked if the officiating has been the issue this post-season, he grinned and said: “How much did Stan Van Gundy get fined the other night?”

The Detroit Pistons coach was slapped with a US$25,000 fine for criticizing the officiating.

Casey said the onus is on his team to adjust to how referees are calling the games.

“If they’re not going to call it, you have to go to Plan B,” Casey said. “And I think DeMar is smart enough to do that and he’s got to do that if they’re not going to give him the calls when he’s attacking the paint and attacking the basket.”

DeRozan averaged 23.9 points a game when the Raptors took Brooklyn to seven games in the 2014 post-season. He averaged 20.3 in last season’s four-game sweep by Washington.

Casey is confident DeRozan will rediscover his all-star form.

“Just like we preach about young players developing, we want them to be Michael Jordan after 13 playoff games,” Casey said. “He’s going to adjust, he’s going to be OK, he’s not going to forget how to ride the bike as far as his play is concerned.”

When asked if the Raptors can win the series if DeRozan doesn’t score at his normal level, though, Casey let out a long groan.

“You would hope you could, but it will be more difficult,” he said. “If DeMar is a facilitator and he’s making plays for other people, then I think yes. . . but he has to be a facilitator. He can’t just continue to go in there and force the issue or going in there and not getting the call and forcing that play.

“He can’t get so fixated on: ‘I’ve got to get into the paint or get to my sweet spot.’”

The Raptors travel to Indianapolis on Wednesday, on the eve of Game 3. Game 4 is Saturday in Indy.