NBA Toronto Raptors

DeMar DeRozan Injury Increases Pressure On Terrence Ross For Raptors

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By @TheSizzle20

Terrence Ross

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As the Toronto Raptors have seen their rise to prominence over the course of last season and the start of the 2014-15 NBA season, there have obviously been a number of factors at work. However, there may have been no bigger influence on their success than DeMar DeRozan coming into his own as an individual player and leader on this team.

After looking like an athletic specimen that might not live up to a big contract, DeRozan has proven those thoughts to be wrong. As the Raptors sit as one of the best teams in the league this season with a resounding 13-3 record to being the year, the influence of DeRozan is going to be something that Toronto will have to do without.

On Saturday afternoon it was announced that DeRozan has a torn tendon in his groin area and is out indefinitely. Initially the injury was diagnosed as a simple groin strain, but further tests revealed a more significant injury to the area.

Over the first 16 games of the season, DeRozan’s impact hasn’t been hard to see. Though his efficiency is less than ideal at 39.4 percent shooting from the field, his averages of 19.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.4 steals per game have a strong impact on the success of the Raptors.

With the injury to DeRozan, many eyes are obviously going to fall on the Raps’ other star in point guard Kyle Lowry to help pick up his production. Jonas Valanciunas  will also more than likely be expected to show a spike in his production. However, the player in Toronto that may be the most directly affected by the injury is Terrence Ross.

Ross won’t be the fill-in for DeRozan in the starting lineup, but it’s his production on the wing that the Raptors will greatly need with DeRozan sidelined. Ross has been enjoying a solid season to this point with averages of 10.7 points, 2.6 rebounds, one assists and 0.7 steals in 25.9 minutes per game as a starter, but he’s going to have to embrace the challenge of taking on a larger role both in terms of minutes and responsibility with DeRozan unable to suit up.

We’ve seen Ross come up big at numerous times throughout his brief career, but he’s yet to show that he can consistently be relied upon as a big-time contributor. If the Raptors are going to keep the pace in the Eastern Conference with DeRozan out for however long, he’s going to have to show that consistency and be a big-time performer for this team. If not, it’s not hard to see the Raptors starting to fade while DeRozan can’t go.

Cody Williams is a Senior Writer with Rant Sports. Follow Cody on Twitter @TheSizzle20, add him on Google and like his Facebook page.

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