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Boston Celtics: Terry Rozier needs to Keep Attacking

By Joshua Bateman

BOSTON, MA - APRIL 15: Terry Rozier #12 of the Boston Celtics goes to the basket against the Milwaukee Bucks in Game One of Round One during the 2018 NBA Playoffs on April 15, 2018 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 15: Terry Rozier #12 of the Boston Celtics goes to the basket against the Milwaukee Bucks in Game One of Round One during the 2018 NBA Playoffs on April 15, 2018 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The Boston Celtics need Terry Rozier to always be attacking

Terry Rozier had a phenomenal game in the Boston Celtics‘ first victory against the Milwaukee Bucks, and he hit one of the biggest shots of the playoffs. He delivered when it mattered most, and made it clear that he can instigate offense and carry a scoring load.

For as great as Rozier was, it was far from a pretty performance. He could not have looked better when he left Eric Bledsoe in the dust, but he was out of control and wild much of the game. Rozier ran into this problem a lot early in his career, and is a major reason why he used to struggle to get consistent minutes.

Rozier loves to use his athleticism in the paint, but he also has a tendency to try far too crazy shots, putting himself in a much too difficult position to score. Rozier can hit some amazing shots, especially when he is driving, but the Celtics want things to be easy on him.

The Celtics need Rozier to be efficient and they need him to be one of the most trusted players on the team with the ball in his hands. What they cannot take, however, is if Rozier changes who he is as a player to try and reach a different standard.

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Rozier’s aggressiveness is one of the most important parts of his game, and the Celtics will have to accept some out of control plays along the way. Game one is a perfect example of how Rozier needs to play with intelligence, but cannot tone down how he wants to attack.

Rozier needs to be better at identifying exactly where he needs to attack, but the worst thing that could happen to him is he becomes tentative. Rozier is probably one of the three most important offensive players on the team, and even if he might throw some plays away with wild drives, the fact that he had zero turnovers last game shows you how much he can be trusted.

Rozier’s usage rate is the highest it has been in his career, and the Celtics really do not have an option that could allow that to change. Rozier had a special game in the victory, and made it clear that he is going to be a major factor in everything the Celtics do on offense.

The Celtics want Rozier to be attacking any time he is on the court, and his ability to do that has been a big part of holding things together with Kyrie Irving sidelined.

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The Celtics would prefer if he made better decisions on a more consistent basis, but Rozier is making plays every single time he touches the ball, and he has earned the freedom to make the kind of mistakes that slowed him down at times in game one.

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