Rozier scored a critical 11 points in Miami’s triumph over Cleveland.
In the Miami Heat’s win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night, standout Terry Rozier shone in the fourth quarter, scoring 11 points to seal the victory. He was the aggressive player that Heat fans were hoping to see, and Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra admitted after the game that he and his players had been yearning to see that side of him, according to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald.
“Terry was 5 for 6 on threes,” Spoelstra explained. “One of the first things I told him was, ‘What if you would have shot 10 to 12?’ His head coach, players, Jimmy, and Bam all want him to be that aggressive. If he had gotten 10 or 12 up, it might not have been so close down the stretch.”
Rozier said “it means everything” that Heat want him to shoot more
He finished the game with 24 points, including 11 in the fourth quarter, seven from a four-point play and one on a step-back three-pointer that sealed the win. While Rozier had stated that he did not want to trip on anyone’s toes by joining the Heat, he said it “means everything” that his head coach and teammates want him to shoot more.
“It means everything,” Rozier explained. “The guys you’re going to war with and are surrounded by on a daily basis truly believe in you.” It’s strange since Spo [Spoelstra] has been telling me to get up as many threes as possible since I first arrived. So it’s only a matter of time before it happens.
TERRY ROZIER 4-POINT PLAY TO TIE THE GAME LATE IN THE 4TH 🔥pic.twitter.com/2Xgci4rFQA
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) March 21, 2024
It was never going to be simple for Rozier to fit in right away, because while he was probably the major focus with the Charlotte Hornets, the Heat already had three players averaging 20 or more points per game in Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro, and Bam Adebayo. While Rozier has continued to perform well for Miami, Spoelstra stated that it will be a “process” to see how he can be a “great clutch performer.”
“It’s a process when things happen at midseason, when you change teams and move to a different city and try to acclimate as quickly as you possibly can,” Spoelstra said in an interview. “He did not want to step on anyone’s toes.
But this is why we wanted him here; he’s a fantastic clutch performer who has been that way throughout his career.”
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