Basketball will always be DeMar DeRozan’s refuge, the court a place he goes to escape — to express himself, to exhale, to challenge himself and leave the difficulties of life behind.
It was precisely that on Friday night, with a career-best performance by the 27-year-old Toronto Raptors all-star marking the end of a long and trying week of family responsibilities, of death and dealing with its aftermath.
In the days preceding his 43-point outburst against the Boston Celtics — a career high lost amid the arrival of new teammates and a surprisingly gritty victory — DeRozan had had his fill of real life, mourning the death of a young relative and trying to make his 3-year-old daughter understand loss and grief and remembering good times in sadness.