Terry Rozier has stepped up for the Celtics this postseason


The leader in net rating so far this postseason isn't LeBron James or Steph Curry. It isn't even Isaiah Thomas or Al Horford. Nope, it is backup guard Terry Rozier, who has posted a league-best +94 net rating thus far:



Rozier was inconsistent through much of the regular season, finishing with averages of 5.5 points and 3.1 rebounds on 36.7% shooting from the field. He has upped those numbers to 6.9 points, 3.4 boards, and 42.9% shooting (including 45% from three) in what have been much more impactful playoff minutes.

Those traditional stats don't really do him justice, though. Rozier has simply gotten the job done when he is called on. In his 128 minutes on the court, the guard has not coughed up the ball even once: he has dished out 11 assists and has zero turnovers. On top of his sharp shooting from the perimeter and his strong ball security, Rozier has been a great rebounder for his size. He always seems to sky for any and every rebound in his vicinity, and even Brad Stevens said that Rozier has been one of their best defensive rebounders as of late:



The sophomore out of Louisville has been making big plays for the Cs. He had a strong outing in a must-win Game 3 against the Bulls and has since been used with confidence throughout the game and in big fourth quarter moments. Rozier seems to be unfazed by the spotlight:



This has been on display again in the second-round of the playoffs. Just recently in Game 2 of the Celtics-Wizards series, Rozier knocked down a huge game-tying corner three:



He finished this contest with 12 points, six boards, four assists, a steal, and a +25 net rating.

Boston has clearly been playing their best basketball when Rozier is out there. The 23-year-old is proving his worth and has firmly secured a role coming off the bench for the Celtics. His impact has been right up there with Jae Crowder and Avery Bradley, which is saying a lot (although Bradley's defense is truly unmeasurable):



Rozier will look to keep up his strong play Thursday night as the Celtics visit the Wizards in Washington for Game 3.


Follow Erik Johnson on Twitter: @erikjohnson32

Photo by Getty Images/Brian Babineau
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