Toronto Raptors’ DeMar DeRozan, right, shoots past Denver Nuggets’ Wilson Chandler during the first half of their NBA basketball game in Toronto. AP
TORONTO — DeMar DeRozan is looking like one of the NBA’s premier scorers this season. He just isn’t feeling like it yet.
DeRozan had 33 points and Kyle Lowry made a couple key baskets late to finish with 29 points, helping the Toronto Raptors beat the Denver Nuggets, 105-102 Monday (Tuesday Manila time).
DeRozan is the first ever Raptor with three straight 30-point games to begin a season, and he and Oklahoma City guard Russell Westbrook are the only players to do it this season.
Despite all that scoring, DeRozan quickly cut off comparisons to stars like Westbrook or New Orleans forward Anthony Davis, who each have a 50-point game already this season.
“Do you see what they were doing?” DeRozan said. “That’s video game numbers. It’s awesome just to have your name in any type of conversation about elite, top players.”
DeRozan’s run of 30-point games is one shy of Mike James’ stretch from 2006 for the longest run at any point in the season. He’s also the first to start a season with three straight 30-point games without a 3-pointer since Kobe Bryant did it for the Lakers in 2005.
Danilo Gallinari, Will Barton and Emmanuel Mudiay each had 16 points for Denver, and Jusuf Nurkic added 13 points and a career-high 18 rebounds.
After leading by as many as 19 in the second quarter, Toronto took its foot off the gas in the second half. Denver grabbed its first lead in over 34 minutes on Chandler Wilson’s 3-pointer with 8:49 to play, and it took a furious Raptors rally down the stretch to pull out the win.
“It got away on the defensive end,” Toronto coach Dwane Casey said. “We gave up 35 points in the third quarter. What saved us was getting into the paint. We had 58 points in the paint.”