DeMar DeRozan’s Season Ended On A Controversial Ejection In Game 4 Against The Cavs

The Toronto Raptors did not enjoy themselves during the Eastern Conference Semifinals against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, and that was especially true in Game 4. Trailing 3-0 in the series, the Raptors were blitzed in the first three quarters, taking a 28-point deficit into the closing period as the end of the season loomed and, in the closing moments of that third period, star wing DeMar DeRozan saw his 2017-2018 campaign came to an early end.

DeRozan pursued Jordan Clarkson defensively on a fast break and delivered a foul in an attempt to keep Clarkson from scoring. While that attempt was fruitless, DeRozan made contact with Clarkson’s head and, according to the official interpretation, it was enough to send DeRozan packing in the form of an ejection.

The reverse angles show DeRozan making solid contact with Clarkson’s head, but the intent and decision to eject him on a Flagrant 2 call is certainly debatable.

Because the game was firmly out of hand when the incident occurred, there wasn’t quite the backlash that would have taken place in a hotly contested game. Still, this felt (very) light when it comes to an ejection in a playoff game, especially when it serves as the end of an All-Star player’s season.

In the same breath, DeRozan’s performance in the series left plenty to be desired, ranging from his Game 3 benching to an overall inefficiency that certainly contributed to Toronto’s overall shortcomings as a team.

It would, of course, be unwise to blame everything in Raptor-land in a single party, whether that be DeRozan, Kyle Lowry, or head coach Dwane Casey. Still, very little went right for the No. 1 seed and DeRozan’s Game 4 ejection was oddly fitting of the overall feeling in the sweep.