{"id":106728,"date":"2024-11-13T11:20:43","date_gmt":"2024-11-13T16:20:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=106728"},"modified":"2024-11-13T11:20:43","modified_gmt":"2024-11-13T16:20:43","slug":"demar-derozan-costing-deaaron-fox-clutch-player","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/11\/13\/demar-derozan-costing-deaaron-fox-clutch-player\/","title":{"rendered":"As Expected, DeMar DeRozan Is ‘Costing’ De\u2019Aaron Fox This Award"},"content":{"rendered":"

With DeMar DeRozan<\/a> joining the Sacramento Kings in a sign-and-trade<\/a> this offseason, many fans wondered how he and De\u2019Aaron Fox<\/a> would share the spotlight in crunch time. Both have proven themselves as elite closers in recent years, with Fox winning<\/a> the inaugural Clutch Player of the Year award in 2023 and DeRozan finishing<\/a> as a close runner-up in 2024. Now, however, as they play on the same team, it appears only one will have a realistic shot at the award this season.<\/p>\n

As Expected, DeMar DeRozan Is ‘Costing’ De\u2019Aaron Fox This Award<\/h2>\n

Despite Fox\u2019s status as the Kings\u2019 franchise player, he seems to be ceding the spotlight to the more experienced DeRozan, who is thriving once again in clutch moments. With DeRozan leading the team in clutch scoring, Fox’s chances of winning another Clutch Player title are looking increasingly slimmer.<\/p>\n

DeRozan\u2019s Consistency in the Clutch<\/h3>\n

Throughout his career, DeRozan has been recognized as one of the most reliable clutch scorers. Last season, he finished second<\/a> in clutch points, scoring 182 points, just behind Stephen Curry<\/a>, who claimed the 2024<\/a> Clutch Player of the Year award. DeRozan has a unique ability to make difficult shots and maintain his composure under pressure, making him a perfect fit for Sacramento\u2019s late-game situations.<\/p>\n

Even this season, DeRozan is excelling when the game is on the line. He ranks second in the league in clutch points, trailing only Nikola Jokic<\/a>, and has already accumulated 36<\/a> clutch points in the early part of the season. His continued success in these moments underscores why he\u2019s become the Kings\u2019 go-to option late in games. Fox\u2019s willingness ( ‘just’ 24 clutch points) to defer to DeRozan shows the respect he has for the veteran\u2019s experience, and this approach might be why DeRozan is leading the way in clutch situations.<\/p>\n

Fox\u2019s Adjustment to DeRozan\u2019s Arrival<\/h3>\n

Fox has already proven his clutch capabilities, famously winning the 2023 Clutch Player of the Year award with 194<\/a> clutch points. He also placed fifth last season, showing he\u2019s consistently a top performer in high-stakes moments. However, with DeRozan now by his side, Fox\u2019s approach has shifted. He seems to be focusing more on setting up DeRozan or making plays within the flow of the game rather than taking on every late-game responsibility himself.<\/p>\n

This shift may reflect Fox\u2019s understanding of the value DeRozan brings as a seasoned closer. DeRozan has eight more years of experience, and his efficiency in late-game scenarios could benefit the Kings in their playoff push. Fox\u2019s decision to trust DeRozan with these opportunities may ultimately enhance the team\u2019s performance, even if it reduces his own chances of winning a second Clutch Player award.<\/p>\n

How DeRozan\u2019s Presence Could Impact Fox\u2019s Award Hopes<\/h3>\n

It was clear from the start that DeRozan\u2019s arrival might impact Fox\u2019s chances at the Clutch Player of the Year award. While both have a history of excelling in clutch situations, only one can truly dominate that role on any given team. Though Fox could have continued to pursue the award, he seems to have prioritized team dynamics over personal accolades.<\/p>\n

As DeRozan outpaces Fox<\/a> in clutch points, it\u2019s becoming more likely that he\u2019ll receive more consideration for the Clutch Player award this season. However, Fox\u2019s willingness to step back and support DeRozan\u2019s success reflects his maturity as a player. His focus on the bigger picture shows he\u2019s committed to winning games, even if it costs him individual recognition.<\/p>\n

Building a More Dangerous Team<\/h3>\n

Although DeRozan\u2019s presence may cost Fox another Clutch Player of the Year award, the partnership benefits<\/a> Sacramento\u2019s overall success. With two elite closers, the Kings now have more options in late-game scenarios. Defenses can\u2019t focus solely on Fox, knowing that DeRozan is equally capable of closing out games.<\/p>\n

This dynamic can also help the Kings as they develop role players who benefit from being on the floor with two clutch veterans. Players like Keegan Murray<\/a> and Keon Ellis<\/a> will have the chance to learn from Fox and DeRozan in high-stakes situations, potentially turning them into valuable assets. Sacramento\u2019s management can use these assets to make strategic moves down the line, possibly setting the team up for sustained success in the competitive Western Conference.<\/p>\n

DeRozan\u2019s MVP-Caliber Impact in Sacramento<\/h3>\n

As the season unfolds, it\u2019s clear that DeRozan\u2019s addition has changed the makeup of Sacramento\u2019s team. His reliability in clutch moments has not only earned him trust from Fox but could also make him a serious contender for the Clutch Player of the Year award. His leadership and scoring in critical moments provide Sacramento with the stability they need to make a deep playoff run, even if it comes at the cost of Fox\u2019s individual recognition.<\/p>\n

In the long run, the Kings<\/a> will benefit from this pairing of clutch players. Fox\u2019s selflessness and DeRozan\u2019s consistency create a balanced dynamic that should improve the team\u2019s chances of success in the postseason. For Fox, the ultimate prize may not be another Clutch Player award but a chance to lead Sacramento on a championship journey.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

With DeMar DeRozan joining the Sacramento Kings in a sign-and-trade this offseason, many fans wondered how he and De\u2019Aaron Fox would share the spotlight in crunch time. Both have proven themselves as elite closers in recent years, with Fox winning the inaugural Clutch Player of the Year award in 2023 and DeRozan finishing as a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5018,"featured_media":106756,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1608,62,29],"tags":[664,350,4606,4624,49195,72,48],"class_list":["post-106728","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-basketball","category-nba","category-kings","tag-deaaron-fox","tag-demar-derozan","tag-keegan-murray","tag-keon-ellis","tag-nba-clutch-player-of-the-year","tag-nikola-jokic","tag-stephen-curry"],"modified_by":"Jordan Pagkalinawan","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/106728","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5018"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=106728"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/106728\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/106756"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=106728"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=106728"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=106728"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}