Shoutout To Terry Rozier

[footey]

He’s finally showing some consistency. If he and a Smart can continue that type of production off the bench, sky is the limit, baby.

[MJohnnyboy]

I wasn't on the Terry Rozier bandwagon last year. I am now.

I knew he had physical tools. I questioned if he could put it together. He definitely has this season. I fully anticipate he will have a dud game within the next three to five games, but he looks like he's figured out his role on this team.

His last few games he's just playing with so much confidence – and well earned confidence. Changes pace and direction on his drives with purpose, and when he gets to the room he can finish. He has pulled his three point shooting average up above league average (!)

Still has a few wrinkles to work out, but this version of Terry makes the team much better.

Makes me laugh considering how tentative he was his rookie season. He never looked to drive, and when he did, he quickly ran the ball out to the perimeter. Not a problem anymore.

Great progress made by T-Roz.

[crimson_stallion]

I've always called this about Terry Rozier - you could see it from a mile away that he just needed the confidence.

In college he was great, in the D League he was great, in summer league he was dominant, teammates constantly praised him for how well he played in practice.  Yet when he played in games you could always tell he was being passive - passing up shots he should have taken, second guessing himself, etc. Yet in those occasional moments where passion / heart took over (in clutch time, playoffs, big moments) he would tend to rise to the occasion.

You could tell during games he would always defer to the star players - I figured that was a huge telltale sign that he still felt like the rookie of the team, and didn't have the confidence yet to clear his mind and just play free.  I always knew he had the tools / skills to and that he's step it up once the confidence came along. 

The things this kid can do - the ball handling skills, the ability to change speeds/directions on a dime, the ability to hit incredibly difficult shots from anywhere on the court.  Watch a Terry Rozier highlight video and look at some of the moves he pulls off, and he looks like an All-Star in many of those highlights.  He has some special talent, just needs time to get comfortable in his own skin and convince himself that he has "it".  Once he does that, the rest will come.

[crimson_stallion]

His shooting is coming to form but his D is still a hit or miss.

Stats suggest otherwise:


Marcus Smart
Steals Per 36: 1.4
Defensive RPM: +0.48 (20th among PG)
Defensive Rating: 103
Defensive Box Plus / Minus: +1.5
Defensive Win Shares Per 48: +2.0

Terry Rozier
Steals Per 36: 1.6
Defensive RPM: +1.14 (6th among PG)
Defensive Rating: 101
Defensive Box Plus / Minus: +1.3
Defensive Win Shares: +1.8

If you look across all defensive statistics, Terry Rozier is right up there with Marcus Smart - slightly better in some categories, slightly worse in others.  Overall the statistics show that Rozier has had every bit as much impact on the defensive end as Smart has - and that is saying A LOT considering the type of defensive impact Smart has every night.

The difference is that people just don't give Rozier the respect or the time of day to put any faith in his abilities.  People make up their minds that they want to dislike him before they even watch him play, and so all they see is bad. 

I've been watching this kid with an open mind since the day he was drafted - he's come a huge way, and he's been VERY good defensively ever since last year's playoffs, when he routinely shut down John Wall when nobody else on the team could.

He's a different type of defensive player to Smart.  Smart is more of a physical, "push your man around until he makes a mistake" type of defender.  Rozier is more of an Avery Bradley "pressure your guy full court until he dribbles the ball off his foot" type of defender.  He hassles opposing guards with full court pressure, gets them tired and worn out, often pressures them into mistakes that he doesn't get statistical credit for. 

Smart's defensive style means that his defensive impact is more visually noticeable / obvious, but Rozier impacts the game defensively just as much - just does it in ways you don't necessarily jump out at you.   He could be the most capable guy on this team when i comes to seeing a pass before it's going to happen and getting in to the passing lanes for steals and/or deflections. 

[Celtics4ever]

The things this kid can do - the ball handling skills, the ability to change speeds/directions on a dime, the ability to hit incredibly difficult shots from anywhere on the court.  Watch a Terry Rozier highlight video and look at some of the moves he pulls off, and he looks like an All-Star in many of those highlights.  He has some special talent, just needs time to get comfortable in his own skin and convince himself that he has "it".  Once he does that, the rest will come.

When his shot is falling, yes.   

[rollie mass]

Rozier is reaping the benefits of Kyrie tutorship you can see it in his dribbling high to low and change of direction but best of all use of backboard and finishes.
There was a time he zig zaged using burst and didn't have any idea where he was going but over time that has changed and hopefully the spaghetti sandwich's are now in the past.
Rozier now has a higher ceiling as he watches Kyries game that suits him better than Isaiah's.
Rozier has that quick twitch second jump that is elite-rebounds elite level and has improved slipping over screens
Now all he needs to do is copy Kyries warm ups.

[crimson_stallion]

The things this kid can do - the ball handling skills, the ability to change speeds/directions on a dime, the ability to hit incredibly difficult shots from anywhere on the court.  Watch a Terry Rozier highlight video and look at some of the moves he pulls off, and he looks like an All-Star in many of those highlights.  He has some special talent, just needs time to get comfortable in his own skin and convince himself that he has "it".  Once he does that, the rest will come.

When his shot is falling, yes.

This can be said of Kyrie, Isaiah, Ray Allen and a whole host of other excellent players in this league. 

Except when Rozier's shot isn't falling he's still playing outstanding defence and rebounding at an elite level while also taking outstanding care of the ball (as evidenced by his incredibly low 7% turnover rate)...

So I have to ask - even if his shot isn't falling, what can you possibly hold against a guy who always plays hard on defence, constantly battles for rebounds, and rarely ever turns the ball over? 

[Darío SpanishFan]

The things this kid can do - the ball handling skills, the ability to change speeds/directions on a dime, the ability to hit incredibly difficult shots from anywhere on the court.  Watch a Terry Rozier highlight video and look at some of the moves he pulls off, and he looks like an All-Star in many of those highlights.  He has some special talent, just needs time to get comfortable in his own skin and convince himself that he has "it".  Once he does that, the rest will come.

When his shot is falling, yes.

This can be said of Kyrie, Isaiah, Ray Allen and a whole host of other excellent players in this league. 

Except when Rozier's shot isn't falling he's still playing outstanding defence and rebounding at an elite level while also taking outstanding care of the ball (as evidenced by his incredibly low 7% turnover rate)...

So I have to ask - even if his shot isn't falling, what can you possibly hold against a guy who always plays hard on defence, constantly battles for rebounds, and rarely ever turns the ball over?

Fewer and fewer things, as time keeps passing 

[DefenseWinsChamps]

He's becoming more and more of an all-around scorer. It starts from the outside with him, but he has always had the athleticism to pull-up, get to the rim, and/or finish with a variety of floaters with both hands.

He's gonna get a lot of money on his next contract, but hopefully he can get a championship with us first.

[cman88]

hes improving as a player. which is what we need from the bench. someone who can score.

I have to say, I wonder if Kyrie has been showing him some moves. Some of those moves hes been making recently are kyrie-esque

[More Banners]

Rozier is reaping the benefits of Kyrie tutorship you can see it in his dribbling high to low and change of direction but best of all use of backboard and finishes.
There was a time he zig zaged using burst and didn't have any idea where he was going but over time that has changed and hopefully the spaghetti sandwich's are now in the past.
Rozier now has a higher ceiling as he watches Kyries game that suits him better than Isaiah's.
Rozier has that quick twitch second jump that is elite-rebounds elite level and has improved slipping over screens
Now all he needs to do is copy Kyries warm ups.

Oh yeah this guy is getting better. Danny saw something here, and was able to bring him along. One season in D league, last season worked himself into the rotation, and now appears to be showing some nice classic 6th man potential. Danny loves scoring guards off the bench.

Rozier's play and the salary cap might start the trade sharks circling around Marcus Smart though.

[mctyson]

Rozier has quickly become the Celtics second best PG and it's really not close. 

Disagree completely here.  Terry has been playing phenomenal ball but he is more of a combo/SG.  He does not create for others.

[Celtics4ever]

Except when Rozier's shot isn't falling he's still playing outstanding defence and rebounding at an elite level while also taking outstanding care of the ball (as evidenced by his incredibly low 7% turnover rate)...

So I have to ask - even if his shot isn't falling, what can you possibly hold against a guy who always plays hard on defence, constantly battles for rebounds, and rarely ever turns the ball over?

I like Rozier, and I think I would keep him over Marcus if we had to choose between the two of them.   

The blog is ready to crucify him at a moments notice.

[jambr380]

Rozier is reaping the benefits of Kyrie tutorship you can see it in his dribbling high to low and change of direction but best of all use of backboard and finishes.
There was a time he zig zaged using burst and didn't have any idea where he was going but over time that has changed and hopefully the spaghetti sandwich's are now in the past.
Rozier now has a higher ceiling as he watches Kyries game that suits him better than Isaiah's.
Rozier has that quick twitch second jump that is elite-rebounds elite level and has improved slipping over screens
Now all he needs to do is copy Kyries warm ups.

Oh yeah this guy is getting better. Danny saw something here, and was able to bring him along. One season in D league, last season worked himself into the rotation, and now appears to be showing some nice classic 6th man potential. Danny loves scoring guards off the bench.

Rozier's play and the salary cap might start the trade sharks circling around Marcus Smart though.

If he keeps this up (big if), the trade sharks might be circling around Jaylen Brown - who should certainly fetch us an enormous upgrade at the 'big' position...especially if you include the LAL/Sac pick.

I have been a huge Terry fan since he was drafted and Jaylen has taken over as my favorite player [I think], but what is really the difference between the Terry we have been seeing lately and Jaylen? Once we add Hayward to this team, the sky really is the limit.

As we are seeing with Terry (and I realize I am jumping the gun a bit here), sometimes it really does pay to let your assets mature. Thank you again, Danny!

[rollie mass]

Rozier i think because of his leaping ability was not comfortable with taking a hit and rushed his finishes.Not only has he improved his handles -i think it has twigged  like Kyrie he can be effective playing below the rim or with less elevation in traffic.his bank shot and his relaxed finger roll and his floater were classic stuff that didn't depend on  peak elevation but on timing and confidence..
Wingspan and burst coupled with quick twitch-i am loving watching him spread his wings
He is a young healthy tough guard picked by Danny ahead of draft projections.I liked him when i heard other players didn't want to play against him but he was scary raw early for a point guard.
There are some of us who like the San Antonio build and bringing along Smart and Rozier seem to fit in that mold.
Hayward is going to give the Celts so many options-Wck said he would spend over the cap-he just might have too