How to Guard DeMar DeRozan
DeMar does most of his damage from mid-range (48.5% of his attempts) and is a limited outside shooter you can sag off. The plan below is built from where he actually shoots this season.
Where DeMar scores
Share of his 2025-26 field-goal attempts by zone, with how efficiently he finishes each. This is the map the game plan is built on.
The scouting report: how to defend DeMar
Contest the pull-up, do not over-help
A large share of his offense (48.5% of attempts) comes from the mid-range, where he shoots 47.6%. Stay attached and contest straight up. Loading up extra help off shooters just feeds a shot he already lives in.
Go under screens, sag into the paint
He is a lower-volume or below-average outside shooter (32.4% on 148 attempts). You can go under ball screens and sink into the paint to take away the drive and dare him to settle for the jumper.
Do not bail him out at the line
DeMar gets to the free-throw line about 5.6 times a game and hits 86.8% once there. Contest straight up with a vertical hand and avoid reaching, sending him to the line is the cheapest offense he has.
Get DeMar's full matchup plan
The page above is the shot profile. HoopBrief turns it into a complete game plan, the exact coverage to run, on-ball positioning by spot, whistle tendencies, and the one counter to deny, in your own coaching lens.
Frequently asked questions
How do you guard DeMar DeRozan?
Contest the pull-up, do not over-help: A large share of his offense (48.5% of attempts) comes from the mid-range, where he shoots 47.6%. Stay attached and contest straight up. Loading up extra help off shooters just feeds a shot he already lives in. Go under screens, sag into the paint: He is a lower-volume or below-average outside shooter (32.4% on 148 attempts). You can go under ball screens and sink into the paint to take away the drive and dare him to settle for the jumper. Do not bail him out at the line: DeMar gets to the free-throw line about 5.6 times a game and hits 86.8% once there.
What is DeMar DeRozan's biggest weakness on offense?
Relative to the rest of his shot diet, DeMar is least efficient on his three-point attempts (32.4% on 148 shots this season). Steering him toward that shot, rather than the ones he makes at a high rate, is the statistical edge.
Is DeMar DeRozan a good three-point shooter?
DeMar has taken 148 three-pointers this season and made 48 of them (32.4%). That share of his offense (14.7% of his attempts) is what decides whether you chase him over screens or sag under them.
How many points per game does DeMar DeRozan average?
DeMar is averaging 18.4 points per game this season, along with 4.1 assists and 2.9 rebounds. Scoring volume is why he draws the defensive game plan on this page.
How to guard other players
Shot-profile and box-score figures reflect DeMar DeRozan's 2025-26 season. Defensive recommendations are generated from that shot distribution and are teaching guidance, not a guarantee of outcome.