Terry Rozier Ready For Breakout Season
By Liam O'Brien
Terry Rozier was stellar in summer league and has a chance to be an important part to the Celtics rotation
Tune into Terry Rozier‘s Snapchat feed on any given day and you will witness glimpses into his lavish lifestyle, his adoration for hip-hop music, and his occasional exploits across the South Florida club scene. One thing you will see day, however, is his tireless work ethic.
Rozier consistently provides us with bits and pieces of his workouts, which consist of constant shooting repetitions in spot-up and off-the-dribble situations, grueling ball-handling drills, and dates in the weight room, where he is looking to add bulk to his 6-2, 190-pound frame. Judging by his dedication in the gym, Rozier is ready to take the next step into the Celtics go-to reserve point guard, one who could coexist with Marcus Smart in a bench backcourt of killer proportions.
Simply determining by his summer league showing, Rozier’s work ethic could lead to an elevated role in the rotation He was simply outstanding in six games serving as the floor general of the team, asserting himself as a point guard with a willingness to put the ball on the floor, penetrate through the defense, and create offensive chances for himself and his teammates. He posted a scintillating 20.0 points in 29.2 minutes per outing, shooting an impressive 54.2 percent from the field, 45.2 percent from three-point range.
Rozier surprised Celtics supporters with his improved 36.4 percent shooting from beyond the arc in the first round of postseason, and continued that marksmanship into the summer. He showcased comfortability in taking looks off of the dribble, a skill he excelled at while playing at Louisville, and displayed his ability to knock down an open look off of the catch as well by placing more arc on his shot.
More importantly, Rozier’s fearlessness in driving to the basket was clearly exhibited, as he attacked the rim with Russell Westbrook-like force. While Rozier’s assist totals could have been higher (3.5 assists per game compared to 2.17 turnovers), his aggressiveness was certainly a positive sight for Celtics fans.
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In 2015-16 Westbrook was the only NBA player shorter than 6-4 who compiled a higher rebounding percentage than Rozier’s 10 percent mark, with Boston’s point guard averaging an astounding 7.3 rebounds per 36 minutes. To give Celtics fans some perspective, the highest full-season rebounding average per 36 minutes that Rajon Rondo garnered while in Boston was just 5.9.
That is how dominant Rozier proved himself to be on the boards in his rookie season, a figure which continued into July as he posted 5.3 rebounds per outing in summer league. If he can continue to attack the glass with reckless abandonment and defend in a similar manner (1.5 steals per game this summer), he will continue to shoot up the depth chart.
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With Evan Turner having departed as the primary ball-handler on Boston’s second unit, expect Rozier to see his playing time soar early in the season barring a setback in the preseason. If Rozier can replicate the purposeful playing style that he exemplified in summer league, expect him to receive about 20-25 minutes per game throughout the course of the season.