After several trades fell through because of the Boston Celtics' unwillingness to include Terry Rozier, we finally were able to see why Danny Ainge loves him so much this season. Thanks to mid-season injuries to both Kyrie Irving and Marcus Smart, we were able to get extended run from Rozier, during which he showed flashes of a starting-caliber point guard.
In 16 games as a starter, Rozier averaged 15.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 5.1 assists, while also showcasing the stingy brand of defense that Brad Stevens loves.
Nothing stands out quite like Rozier's nERD turnaround, as he jumped from the 404th-ranked player to the 65th-ranked dude this season, as displayed below.
| Terry Rozier | nERD | TS% | PPG | PER |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | -2.6 | 46.60% | 5.5 | 10.9 |
| 2018 | 2.7 | 52.00% | 11.3 | 15.1 |
Fun Fact: Among qualified points guards, only Westbrook, Dejounte Murray, and Ben Simmons averaged more rebounds per 36 minutes than Rozier (6.5).
Rozier will get every opportunity to show just how far his development has come this postseason, as he will lead a shorthanded Boston squad into battle against Giannis Antetokounmpo and company.
While it obviously wasn't ideal for Boston to lose both Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward this season, it may end up working out for them in the end, as guys such as Rozier, Jaylen Brown, and Jayson Tatum have all taken huge steps forward.
This is going to be a fun team to watch in the years to come, and whether Rozier is starting or coming off the bench, he has proven that he deserves to be a big part of that future.