Terry Rozier: “I Feel Like I Fit The Heat Culture”
At a brief press conference before Wednesday’s game, Terry Rozier said he’s thrilled about the opportunity to play in Miami and he sees himself as a natural fit for Heat culture, relays Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Rozier, who was acquired from Charlotte on Tuesday, said he’s long been an admirer of his new team.
“It’s been no secret how much love I have for the Miami Heat and Dwyane Wade growing up,” Rozier said. “This is definitely a full circle moment. I’m happy to be back on that stage in a playoff race. It’s huge.”
Rozier was added to bring some spark to the Heat’s offense, which has struggled to produce points on a consistent basis. He averaged 23.2 PPG in his 30 games with the Hornets this season, and Jackson notes that combining him with Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro makes Miami the only team in the league with four players scoring at least 20 PPG.
Rozier added that he’s “not here to step on nobody’s toes” and will work with coach Erik Spoelstra to determine the best way he can help the team.
“Definitely want to take my time. Things are not going to be perfect right away,” Rozier said. “I feel like I fit the Heat culture and I’m coming right in, can come in [and help] on the defensive side. We’re basketball players. We will figure it out.”
Spoelstra also spoke at the press conference, calling Rozier “one of the most dangerous X-factors” in Boston before developing his game even further with Charlotte. Spoelstra likes the idea of adding another extreme competitor to his roster.
“He has a lot of those competitive qualities that we respect and we think not only resonate with us but also impact winning in a big way,” Spoelstra said. “He’s a competitive guy. Winning matters to him. He respects our uniform. He really wanted to be here. Not everybody wants to play for us. So that matters. We want to have like-minded competitors that view competition in a very similar way.”
Spoelstra addressed his new-look backcourt, with Rozier and Herro both capable of scoring and distributing the ball.
“Skill level is extremely high with both of these guys,” he said. “Terry can play more naturally at the point. Tyler, his skill level, his ball handling, his play-making has improved so much. Terry knows how to play on the ball and he also knows how to play off the ball which is really important for our group. He’s had success doing both. This year, he had to do a lot more on the ball and it shows you what he’s capable of leading the attack.”
Spoelstra also discussed the loss of Kyle Lowry, who was sent to the Hornets in the trade after spending the last two and a half seasons in Miami.
“Kyle, you can never define him by his stats,” Spoelstra said. “His whole career, and particularly as an ultimate winner, you define him by whether your team is winning and how it’s functioning. … This is part of the business…. Sometimes you have to make a business decision. That’s what this was. He’ll be just fine. He’ll find his next stop … whether it’s Charlotte or anywhere else.”
Central Notes: Griffin, Lillard, Pacers, Cunningham
The tensions that led to the Bucks‘ decision to fire head coach Adrian Griffin on Tuesday stemmed from a loss of their defensive identity, according to Ramona Shelburne and Jamal Collier of ESPN. A source tells the authors there was a “constant” string of internal conversations about why the team was falling short of expectations, even though Milwaukee is tied for the second-best record in the league at 30-13.
Griffin had a reputation as a defensive specialist after building the Raptors’ defense that resulted in a championship in 2019, and he impressed general manager Jon Horst and other team officials during the interview process with his ideas for the Bucks’ defense, according to Shelburne and Collier.
However, the aggressive scheme that Griffin implemented wasn’t popular with players, who couldn’t understand why center Brook Lopez was being taken out of drop coverage after finishing second in Defensive Player of the Year voting last season, sources tell the authors. The new approach, which also included attacking ball-handlers far away from the basket, helped Milwaukee rise from 27th to fourth in the league in deflections, but the team ranked last in field goal percentage at the rim after five games before Griffin relented following a meeting with his top players.
Even though the Bucks kept winning, the defense never showed significant improvement, which caused the organization to lose its faith in Griffin. Shelburne and Collier note that former coaches reached out to Griffin to offer advice, including Lionel Hollins and Doc Rivers, who the authors say became a mentor to Griffin before ultimately replacing him in the job.
There’s more from the Central Division:
- Fixing the Bucks‘ defense isn’t the only priority for Rivers as he takes over, observes Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Damian Lillard is suffering through one of the worst shooting seasons of his career, connecting at just 42.7% from the field and 35.1% from three-point range, which are his lowest figures in nearly a decade. Nehm suggests that creating more pick-and-roll opportunities for Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo might be one of Rivers’ solutions.
- The Pacers have a lot more options on defense after trading for Pascal Siakam, notes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. Coach Rick Carlisle already took steps to improve atrocious defensive numbers early in the season by moving Aaron Nesmith and Jalen Smith into the starting lineup late last month. There has been progress, as Dopirak points out that the team is 19th in points allowed and 17th in defensive rating over its last 15 games.
- The Pistons considered having Cade Cunningham return tonight, but coach Monty Williams will give him at least one more game off to recover from a left knee strain, tweets Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press. “We felt like we were in a good place, but decided to make sure he’s in a good place before he’s out there,” Williams said in a pregame meeting with reporters. Cunningham was originally listed as probable before downgraded to questionable and then out.
Celtics Notes: Porzingis, Brown, Pritchard, Horford, G. Williams
With the Rockets focused on shutting down Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, the Celtics relied on Kristaps Porzingis in Sunday’s win at Houston, writes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Providing an option that Boston has lacked in recent seasons, the 7’3″ Porzingis was able to easily shoot over Houston’s smaller defenders on a 32-point night.
“Each night it could be a different guy that has a good game,” Porzingis said. “And we have the trust in each other that we’re willing to sacrifice, ‘let’s get this guy the ball, he’s having a good night.’ And tonight it was my night. Got a couple passes from (Brown) late and took advantage of the mismatch.”
Porzingis also sank a season-high six three-pointers as he tormented the Rockets from both inside and outside. With Porzingis dominating the scoring, Brown became a distributor, registering a triple double and reaching 10 assists for the first time in almost two years.
“He’s becoming a better play-maker, he’s becoming a better guy at understanding the flow of the game,” coach Joe Mazzulla said. “There were a couple of plays that were a direct learning experience from the (Denver) game with the reads and them trying to change matchups. I thought Jaylen did a good job of playing with poise, using his speed to generate a cross-match, finding it and making the right play. He continues to get better and better.”
There’s more on the Celtics:
- Rockets coach Ime Udoka noted the development of Payton Pritchard, whose playing time was limited during the season Udoka coached in Boston, Washburn states in a separate story. Udoka gave more minutes to veteran guard Dennis Schröder before he was traded at midseason. “The year I was there [Pritchard] wasn’t happy, and was visibly unhappy at times,” Udoka recalled. “You understand what we had with the guys that were playing in front of him. Obviously Dennis was playing at a high level, but once the trade happened what I told him was to stay patient and be ready at all times, which I knew he was going to be. He came and talked to me about it two or three times to convey that message. But he was ready when it counted.”
- Al Horford sat out Sunday’s game and will be active for tonight’s contest at Dallas, Washburn adds. The Celtics continue to be careful with the 37-year-old big man, who hasn’t played in a back-to-back since returning to Boston in 2021. “Mostly it’s just what’s best for the team,” Mazzulla explained about the decision process on when to play Horford. “He’s very open. Whatever he has to do for the team, he’ll do. Just an ongoing discussion about what the matchups are, what we think is best for him and the team.”
- Brown joked that he expects former teammate Grant Williams to have “an annoying game” when the Mavericks host the Celtics tonight, per Souichi Terada of MassLive. Williams was a vocal presence during his four seasons in Boston before being shipped to Dallas in a sign-and-trade deal last summer.
Raptors Notes: Brown, Rebuilding, Barrett, Quickley, Boucher
Bruce Brown‘s life has been a whirlwind over the past week and it might not slow down for a while, writes Michael Grange of Sportsnet. After picking up his championship ring January 14 in Denver, Brown arrived at Pacers’ practice on Wednesday and learned he had been traded to Toronto. He took his physical a day later and played that night. On Friday, he was on a plane with his new teammates for Saturday’s game in New York.
Brown may be on the move again, as he’s still a popular trade target ahead of the February 8 deadline. He told Grange that he expected to remain with Indiana all season, but he knew the contract he signed last summer, which includes a $23MM team option for 2024/25, made him a candidate to be dealt.
“Did I think I was gonna be [in Indiana] the whole year? Yes,” Brown said. “But obviously, the second year is a team option. But signing the deal I knew it was going to be maybe I stay, maybe they get off the deal. I knew at some point, something would happen. But when the season started I knew something would happen just because of how good [the Pacers] were doing and how they’re trying to maximize [Tyrese Haliburton’s] time there. I was told they weren’t trying to move me, but I was a big part of the deal [for Pascal Siakam], so …”
There’s more from Toronto:
- The Raptors will need to be patient after trading Siakam for what amounts to future assets, observes Blake Murphy of Sportsnet. While Brown has immediate value, there’s no guarantee he’ll be with the organization past the deadline. Jordan Nwora and Kira Lewis provide bench depth, but they’re both young and will need consistent minutes to develop into reliable players. Murphy adds that while the organization isn’t embarking on a traditional rebuilding process, the 2025/26 season is probably the earliest that it will be playoff relevant again.
- RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley and OG Anunoby all seem to be in better spots in the wake of last month’s trade with the Knicks, observes Eric Koreen of The Athletic. After the teams met Saturday in New York, Koreen noted that Anunoby’s three-and-D skills fit best on a contender, while Barrett and Quickley can take on a larger role in the offense without having to accommodate Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle.
- Toronto is exploring trades involving Chris Boucher, who is the last player remaining from the 2019 title team, Murphy said on “The Raptors Show” pocdast (Twitter link from Evan Sidery of Forbes Sports).
Pistons Notes: Muscala, Thompson, Ivey, Cap Room
The Pistons got a strong performance from their new-look bench in Saturday’s loss to Milwaukee, writes Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press. Alec Burks scored 33 points and teamed with newly acquired Mike Muscala to hit 11-of-18 shots from beyond the arc as Detroit’s reserves put up 85 points, the most of any team this season. Muscala has noticed a commitment to effort from his new teammates since being acquired in a trade last week.
“Guys play really hard here, and it’s an honor to be a part of that,” he said. “It was a good game today, we just couldn’t get it done, especially on defense. We get a chance to play them again on Monday, and obviously they’re a great team. They have a lot of weapons on offense, but I thought we battled hard today.”
Rookie forward Ausar Thompson, who started for much of the first half of the season, has also become an important part of the bench unit, and Sankofa notes that his rebounding and ability to attack the basket make him an effective complement to Muscala. Coach Monty Williams seems confident in his current bench group.
“Ausar coming off the bench and knocking down shots was huge for his confidence and huge for the development of our young group,” Williams said. “Having (Danilo) Gallinari and Mike out there, they’re seamlessly fitting in and figuring out how we play. Burks has been phenomenal. His ability to score the ball, his ability to communicate and help the young guys on the floor have helped us a ton. You don’t typically get that kind of bench production, but with the vets we have coming off the bench, it certainly helps us.”
There’s more from Detroit:
- Jaden Ivey has excelled over the past two weeks with Cade Cunningham sidelined by a left knee strain, and he’ll continue to have a role in running the offense once Cunningham returns, Sankofa adds. “It’s good to see him not just score the ball. Like I said he’s defending, attacking the basket, knocking down open shots,” Williams said. “I think it’s going to be a good complement with those two playing together within the system.”
- The Pistons could have $60MM in cap room this summer, and James L. Edwards III and John Hollinger of The Athletic look at how they might spend it, agreeing that it’s likely to be more useful in trading for big salaries rather than signing free agents. Hollinger speculates that the Pistons might have interest in Andrew Wiggins if the Warriors can’t move him before the trade deadline, although he’s a gamble with three years and $85MM left on his contract. Hollinger mentions a few other potential targets with long-term deals, including the Nuggets‘ Zeke Nnaji, the Suns‘ Nassir Little and the Kings‘ Davion Mitchell.
- The NBA has moved the starting time of the Pistons’ January 28 contest against the Thunder so it doesn’t conflict with the Detroit Lions’ playoff game on that Sunday, tweets Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press.
Nets Notes: Simmons, Dinwiddie, Thomas, DSJ
Ben Simmons hasn’t played since November 6, but the Nets remain optimistic he’ll be able to return at some point this season, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Simmons accompanied the team on its West Coast trip that wrapped up Sunday, and coach Jacque Vaughn said there were benefits to having him involved.
“I think just being able to be around at shootaround, being able to be in the film [review Saturday]. All those things matter as he starts to transition his way to being back on the floor, so that gap isn’t so huge for him,” Vaughn said. “Whether it’s different plays that we’re running from last time that he was in, whether it’s different schemes that we were running, if you aren’t around that it can be a lot when he does return. So overall just being able to be around the group and absorb some of that terminology and knowledge is best for us.”
Simmons has been limited to six games because of a back impingement, but the Nets are hoping it’s not another lost season for the former No. 1 overall pick, who has only been healthy for 48 total games since he was acquired nearly two years ago. Simmons’ agent said recently that he’s in the home stretch of his recovery, but Vaughn refused to speculate on when he might be available.
“I’m not gonna give you a step-by-step,” he said. “He’ll move on to that next step, which will be when we get home he’ll get examined again after this long five-hour flight and see how he responds to another week of basketball.”
There’s more on the Nets:
- Trade speculation continues to surround Spencer Dinwiddie, who has broken out of his slump as the deadline nears, Lewis adds. The veteran guard posted 16 points and seven assists on Sunday and is averaging 18 points and six assists over the last three games. Lewis notes that Dinwiddie is believed to be willing to sign an extension with Brooklyn, but his $18.9MM expiring contract is useful if the team gets an opportunity to upgrade its roster.
- Cam Thomas continues to be a dangerous weapon coming off the bench, but he admits that it’s easier to establish consistency on offense as a starter, Lewis notes in a separate story. Vaughn recently switched his starting lineup, opting for more size while moving Thomas to a sixth-man role. “Maybe it’ll change soon. I get back in the lineup, then you can see more consistency from me in the scoring part,” Thomas said. “But I’ve just got to do my job, man. Whatever he wants me to do. He wants me to come out of the bench, I’ve got to do that. If he wants me back starting, I’m more than open to do it. But it’s kind of tough, but I’ve just got to do my job.”
- In a subscriber-only article, C.J. Holmes of The New York Daily News looks at how Dennis Smith Jr. has evolved into a team leader since signing with Brooklyn last summer.
Lakers Notes: Russell, Reddish, Hachimura, Prince
If D’Angelo Russell is leaving the Lakers before the February 8 trade deadline, he’s doing his best to raise his value on the way out, writes Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times. Russell had 34 points and eight assists in Sunday’s romp over Portland and has averaged 27.2 PPG while shooting nearly 54% from three-point range since being reinserted into the starting lineup five games ago.
“I’ve always been like that, recognizing my superpower,” Russell said. “Everybody in the league has one. It might be defensive or just a motor but everyone has one. For me, ever since I was a young kid, I always found myself kinda getting hot throughout the game where I might score five, six points right away. Maybe score 10 in a quarter or something like that and score 10, 12 points the last three minutes of the game. It’s just my superpower.”
The contract Russell signed last summer has led to the trade speculation because it’s a valuable tool for salary-matching purposes. Russell is making $17.3MM this season with an $18.7MM player option for 2024/25 and is a strong candidate to be included in any significant deal. But Woike notes that the Lakers looked fine on Sunday if they decide to hold onto their point guard.
“Tonight was one of the most complete games I’ve seen him play since he’s been back in the Laker uniform,” coach Darvin Ham said of Russell. “He was great on defense, great with his activity, great on and off the ball offensively. He was huge.”
There’s more on the Lakers:
- Cam Reddish played 21 minutes Sunday night as he returned to the court after sitting out a week to recover from a left knee effusion, notes Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. The rest also helped Reddish heal from a groin injury, and he said he plans to keep working on rehab so he doesn’t have to miss more time. “I definitely have to stay on top of it, for sure,” Reddish said. “But it’s just feeling a lot better. I mean, in general, I just feel a lot better, you know what I mean? Just a few days made all the difference. So, hopefully we can keep that going.”
- With Taurean Prince sidelined by left knee soreness, Ham was forced to make another change to his starting lineup, Turner adds. Ham opted for more offense this time as Rui Hachimura rejoined the starting five. “Rui stepped in and made a huge impact,” Ham said. “He was really, really good in his minutes.”
- Prince is considered day-to-day, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Ham said Prince “has been fighting through some pain for some time now” and there’s hope that a night off will help.
Bulls Notes: Williams, Terry, Carter, Phillips, LaVine
The right ankle pain that has been affecting Bulls forward Patrick Williams might linger for the rest of the season, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Soreness in the ankle has forced Williams to sit out a couple of recent games, and there’s no indication that it’s getting better. Williams talked to Cowley about his condition after playing nearly 27 minutes in tonight’s win over Memphis.
‘‘To be honest, I haven’t had many good days,’’ Williams said. ‘‘It’s just more of, ‘Can I play through it? Is this a feeling that I can play through or not? Can I cut? Can I jump?’ That’s pretty much the feel I’m trying to get, whether it’s pregame, practice or whatever the case may be. ‘Can I cut? Can I move?’ Hopefully the answer is always yes, but there’s times where [it’s], ‘Ah, I can’t really move and cut and jump the way I’m used to.’’’
Williams is getting used to managing an injury again after playing in all 82 games last season. Cowley observes that Williams sometimes doesn’t have his usual explosiveness, which is the result of limitations from the ankle. Cowley adds that next month’s All-Star break should provide some relief, but the ankle pain could be something Williams will have to deal with as long as the Bulls’ season lasts.
There’s more from Chicago:
- With Zach LaVine sidelined for another week or two with an ankle sprain, Dalen Terry and Jevon Carter both saw an increased role in Saturday’s game, Cowley adds. Terry recently surpassed Carter in the rotation, but it appears coach Billy Donovan will be leaning on both of them until LaVine returns. ‘‘During the course of an NBA season, you’re going to have guys out,’’ Donovan said. ‘‘It gives an opportunity for someone that hadn’t had those number of minutes. The injuries are just a part of it. I think our guys should have confidence. Not every guy is going to be in the rotation when we’re whole. I’m pleased with the way the group has responded with injuries. I think we’ve responded well. It’s not to say we’ve always won, but I think the guys that have gotten the opportunity have kept themselves ready when it was time to play.’’ Rookie forward Julian Phillips was recalled from the G League and could join the rotation if Donovan wants to expand it to 10 players, Cowley notes.
- Imaging on LaVine’s right ankle revealed swelling, but he will accompany the team on a three-game Western trip next week, according to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.
- Tonight’s win improved the Bulls to 11-7 without LaVine in the lineup as they’re learning to adjust without one of their main offensive weapons, Cowley states in a separate story. “I think naturally it’s a next-guy-up mentality with this team,” Williams said. “We’ve shown that really over the years, but especially this year. We’ve done a good job of knowing what works, and I think that’s the sign of a good team.”
Heat Notes: Big Three, Lowry, Murray, Trade Options
The Heat have done a remarkable job of weathering injuries, but they’re only 31-31 over the past two years with Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro all on the court together, writes Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. That includes a home loss Friday night to the struggling Hawks, who were missing Trae Young, bringing Miami’s record to 5-6 this season with all three stars available.
“You get used to one guy being out there, or two, and we have all three of us,” Adebayo said. “We’re all trying to play the right way, but also be aggressive. There are going to be some rough patches and we just need to keep working through it.”
The problem, according to Jackson, is the lack of a reliable fourth option to supplement the Big Three, which has caused the offense to sputter. Rookie Jaime Jaquez had been filling that role, but a groin injury will force him to miss his fourth consecutive game on Sunday.
“Teams are doubling Bam and Jimmy every time they touch it in the post,” Herro said. “To be able to watch the film, make adjustments to our spacing, I think we’ll be fine. [We’re] just getting comfortable with everyone back in the rotation.”
There’s more from Miami:
- Veteran point guard Kyle Lowry, who was used as a reserve on Friday for the first time this season, is hoping to regain his starting spot, Jackson adds. Coach Erik Spoelstra explained that the move was made for tactical reasons. “With Jaime out, there are some moving parts with this,” Spoelstra said. “I’m not going to be just experimenting in the second half. This is about winning right now. Having Kyle anchor that second unit while Jaime is out is important.”
- Hawks guard Dejounte Murray refused to comment on the possibility of being traded to Miami before next month’s deadline, Jackson states in a separate story. Before Friday’s game, Murray posted a photo to Instagram of him pointing to the Heat’s retired jerseys in the Kaseya Center rafters, but he told reporters it’s “respect for legends that have played this game the right way before,” rather than an indication that he wants to join the Heat.
- Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel cautions that it’s dangerous to make a trade in reaction to recent acquisitions by the Knicks and Pacers. Winderman suggests that Lowry’s expiring $29.7MM contract only has value if the Heat are willing to take back long-term salary in return, but Caleb Martin and Nikola Jovic might be in play if management doesn’t view them as part of the team’s future.
Celtics Notes: Porzingis, Tatum, Holiday, Trade Deadline
The Celtics lost a home game for the first time this season on Friday night, but the matchup with Denver gave Kristaps Porzingis a taste of a championship atmosphere, writes Jared Weiss of The Athletic. Weiss notes that not only was Porzingis the only starter on Friday who hasn’t been to the NBA Finals, he’s never won a playoff series. Matching up with Nikola Jokic in a potential Finals preview offered a hint of what Porzingis and his team will face when the playoffs begin.
“It’s just pure basketball talent,” Porziņgis said of Jokic. “Pure basketball mastermind. He’s the best player in the world and he’s just so crafty. Kind of almost makes you fall asleep like he’s not doing anything and just slides by you. He has so many tricks and so many things that he can do and then making so many tough shots that are not really tough for him because — I guess they’re not because he’s just been making them for a long time and you have to live with those.”
The Celtics acquired Porzingis last summer to fortify their frontcourt and provide size and shooting for another long playoff run. Injuries have been the main concern surrounding Porzingis throughout his career, but he has appeared in 31 of Boston’s first 42 games and he told Souichi Terada of MassLive before Friday’s contest that he’s happy with how he feels halfway through the season.
“Feeling great,” Porzingis said. “Of course, the medical staff is always on the more cautionary side of things and understanding that we have to look at the big picture. I’m feeling great and ready to go tonight.”
There’s more from Boston:
- Friday’s loss showed that the Celtics need more late-game options than just giving the ball to Jayson Tatum and expecting him to make a play, observes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Washburn, who points out that Tatum is shooting just 33.3% in clutch situations, calls on coach Joe Mazzulla to get Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and Porzingis more involved in the offense when games are tight.
- Nuggets coach Michael Malone believes the Celtics have a better chance to win the East this year because of their offseason additions, per Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. Boston was aggressive on the trade market after falling in the conference finals last season, acquiring Porzingis and Jrue Holiday in separate deals. “Porzingis has length, shot-blocking and is a tough matchup because at the five he can step out and shoot the three,” Malone said. “He can roll with force, he can handle the ball. So, a tremendous addition. And Jrue Holiday, to me, is one of the best two-way players in the NBA.”
- Finding another veteran guard or wing is likely to be the team’s priority heading into the trade deadline, Brian Robb of MassLive states in a mailbag column. He mentions the Hawks‘ Saddiq Bey as a player who would fit into Boston’s $6.2MM traded player exception and suggests the Grizzlies‘ Xavier Tillman if the Celtics opt to pursue a big man.