TERRY ROZIER BELIEVES HE CAN BUILD OFF HIS POSTSEASON OPPORTUNITY

http://www.csnne.com/boston-celtics/terry-rozier-believes-he-can-build-his-postseason-opportunity








TERRY ROZIER BELIEVES HE CAN BUILD OFF HIS POSTSEASON OPPORTUNITY





By A. Sherrod Blakely May 06, 2016 6:15 PM




BOSTON – If you look at Terry Rozier’s basketball odyssey, it is filled with moments in which the 6-foot-2 guard got a shot to make an impact and more often than not, he did.

During Boston’s first-round playoff series against Atlanta, Rozier went from a seldom-used reserve into a viable option off the bench that head coach Brad Stevens turned to a lot.

In fact, Rozier’s playing time in the playoffs more than doubled (19.8 minutes) from the minutes he logged per game (eight.0) during the regular season.

“With this business, how it works, it’s all about opportunity,” Rozier said. “And my opportunity just happened to come (in the playoffs).”

And Rozier for the most part made the most of it.

It was an opportunity Rozier believes he can build on during the offseason with a goal being to cement a spot for himself in the team’s regular rotation.

He understands all too well that his opportunity to play more was due in large part to Avery Bradley suffering a right hamstring injury of the fourth quarter of Boston’s Game 1 loss at Atlanta.

The increased playing time naturally brought about a bump in his overall stats as his scoring (4.8 points versus 1.eight), rebounding (3.4 versus 1.6) and effective shooting percentage (.478 versus .302) all underwent a significant increase.

“I try to take advantage of it as much as I can,” Rozier said of his increased role. “Whether it was rebounding, whatever the coach needed me to do. Like I said, I was happy to be out there just to enjoy the time with a lot of my teammates. It’s been a great year. I had a lot of fun.”

But as Rozier will soon find out, past success doesn’t necessarily correlate with improved play going forward.

In addition to putting in the necessary work to improve physically, Rozier knows he has to step his game up mentally, too.

The best players in the league have a certain swagger, an elite level of confidence about them that often separates them from the masses.

Rozier isn’t quite there yet, but having been given an opportunity to see his most action in the postseason can only help.

“I’m gonna feel more confident,” he said. “Not too many rookies can say they played in the playoffs. It’s definitely going to give me a boost for summer league. I’ll have the ball in my hands a lot. It’s definitely going to be a confidence booster.”

Among the areas that Rozier sees as an absolute-must for him next season is being more vocal with his teammates.

“This year was more learning, watching it and all the veterans,” he said. “Next year, I think I can take on a bigger role.”

Boston’s Evan Turner agrees.

“He’s going to be a good player in this league,” Turner told CSNNE.com. “He already defends at an NBA-level, a high level, so that’s half the battle right there. He just has to get more comfortable with his game, with his teammates and he’ll be fine.”

One thing that hasn’t been a problem for Rozier thus far in the NBA is rebounding.

This past season, he averaged 9.7 rebounds per 48 minutes which ranked 8th in the NBA. And his offensive rebound average per 48 minutes (3.7) was tops among players who logged at least 300 minutes this past season.

“It goes back to me just the way I grew up,” Rozier said. “Rebounding was always my thing. It’s something you can’t teach; it’s part of toughness. That’s something, I don’t think it’s ever going to leave me.”

Rozier said his goal next season is to average at least five rebounds per game which would put him in some pretty exclusive company.

This past season, only 12 guards averaged at least five rebounds who logged more than 300 minutes per game.

But as Rozier has shown us thus far, he can be an impactful player when given an opportunity – something he believes he will get more of next season.

“I can’t wait until next season,” Rozier said. “I felt (our season) was cut a little short. But unfortunately, things come to an end. We’ll be back next season. We’ll be better; I’ll be better. That’s the most important thing.”



bob
MY NOTE:  Just like almost everybody else in the world (except, I think, NYCelt) my eyes rolled up into my head like a Vegas slot machine when his name was called at #16 last year.  Who?  Huh?  Another defensive-oriented 6'2" guard?  Don't we already have one of those and another one that's even bigger?  This kid grew on me over the season, especially in the playoffs.  We are not a great rebounding team, our bigs are good at other things but not that, we all know that, but that can be ok too.  The bigs can box out, even partially, and then take off up court while our swings (like Turner) and guards like Rozier go for the ball.  Aren't they the ones you want to have the ball in their hands anyway?  If a center rebounded the ball, wouldn't the first thing they should try to do is to get the ball into a guard or ball handler's hands?

Rozier averaged, /36 minutes, regular season:  

8.3 points, 27.4% fg%, 22.2% 3pt fg%, 80% ft%, 7.3 rebounds (2.9 offensive), 4.3 assists, 2.2 TOs, .1 blocks and .7 steals.


Rozier averaged, /36 minutes, playoffs:

8.7 points, 39.1% fg%, 36.4% 3pt fg%, 100% ft%, 6.2 rebounds (1.1 offensive), 2.2 assists, .7 TOs, 1.1 steals and .4 steals.


So, when you look at his production on a /minute basis, his rebounding actually went down, especially his offensive rebounding, but his efficiency improved in other areas.  That is what I am looking for in players.  Who responds well to pressure?  Who is a big play, big game player?

I'm concerned about Marcus Smart's shooting, but I am not concerned about his defense.  That is his calling card in the league and will not leave him until he gets injured and needs surgery or his body starts to break down over time.  I'm not worried about Rozier's rebounding falling off a bit during the playoffs.  What I do like, however, is that his weak shooting stepped way up.  What I do like is that, while his numbers went down in assists and TOs, his efficiency improved.  He had a regular season average of 1.95:1 assist-to-TO ratio but it skyrocketed to 3.14:1 in the playoffs.  He didn't get rattled, he didn't make stupid passes that resulted in TOs, empty possessions and, what would be MUCH worse, live TOs that gave Atlanta fast breaks.

Danny might have a blind spot when it comes to centers, maybe he and Brad just haven't seen one they both think will fit yet, but he doesn't have a blind spot when it comes to guards.  Bradley, Smart and Rozier are all going to work out fine, I think, although I do think Smart needs to hire a shooting coach this summer.


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Sounds like this guy has the mental side of what the Cs under Stevens seem to want in a young player.

I agree that he did get better as the season progressed and probably was at his best in the very last part of the year. Hustles all the time, never whined about not playing, seemingly fits in well with teammates and the coaching staff-not much not to like in a rookie.

The fact that he wants to continue to get better seems to show that he is planning on working toward that goal. Could be a trade candidate, but could also become a very good player for the Cs if they keep him
for a couple of years.