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DeRozan's career-high 42 leads Raptors over Rockets

Xinhua, March 31, 2015 Adjust font size:

Toronto Raptors forward DeMar DeRozan scored a career-best 42 points and 11 rebounds in the team's 99-96 victory over Houston Rockets in Monday evening NBA action.

DeRozan surpassed his previous career-high of 40 points set on Jan. 14, 2014 against Mavericks last season.

"I thought he was ready to go," said Raptors head coach Dwane Casey following the win. "He had an all-around big time game offensively and defensively with a career-high 11 rebounds."

DeRozan becomes the third Raptors player to score 40 points or more in multiple games, joining Vince Carter and Chris Bosh who accomplished the feat fourteen and nine times, respectively.

Terrence Ross (2013-14), Andrea Bargnani (2010-11), Charlie Villanueva (2005-06), Acie Earl (1995-96) and Tracy Murray (1995-96) are the other ex-Raptors who have scored 40 or more points in a game once.

DeRozan's performance also wraps up one of the best months of his career. During the month of March, the six-year veteran ranked seventh in the league in scoring with 23.9 points per game.

In 15 March games, DeRozan reached the 20-point plateau in 13 games, including a career-high seven consecutive games with 20 or more points.

Casey believes that DeRozan has finally regained his All-Star form after a seven-week absence due to a groin injury in November.

"Anytime you miss 21 games and have a serious injury as he had, it takes time," said Casey. "Some players, it takes an entire season to get over that and get the confidence you have in your body and your explosiveness to fight through that."

The game against Houston was DeRozan's 37th game since returning from injury.

DeRozan appears to have put the injury behind him and is focused on one goal; getting ready for the playoffs.

"I just want to go out there and win," said DeRozan following the win. "We are really just trying to go out there and be ourselves and understand that we can use these next few games to get ready for the playoffs."

With eight games remaining on the season, the 44-30 Raptors' remaining games are all against opponents with sub-.500 records. DeRozan hopes the team will be able to take the games seriously to be in the right mindset when the playoffs start in less than a month.

"The focus is just on us," said DeRozan. "We're playing for something bigger and that's to get in the playoffs and make something happen." Endi