"Forgot his basketball abilities in Charlotte": NBA fans roast Terry Rozier for underperforming in Heat debut 

NBA fans roast Terry Rozier for underperforming in Heat debut
NBA fans roast Terry Rozier for underperforming in Heat debut

Terry Rozier's Miami Heat debut didn't go as planned. Rozier, the Heat's biggest acquisition since the departed Kyle Lowry, could produce only nine points in Wednesday's 105-96 home loss to a shorthanded Memphis Grizzlies without nine rotation players, including four starters.

Rozier shot 3-of-11 on the night, registering five assists and four rebounds, but those came with three turnovers. He came off the bench for the Heat as their sixth man, presumably to give him time to adjust to new surroundings.

Rozier's move was expected to move the needle for the Heat's offense, but a score less than 100 on just 40.2% shooting was met with significant criticism online for the trade. The trolls also hit out at Rozier for his underwhelming night:

"Terry Rozier looks like he forgot his basketball abilities in Charlotte," one fan wrote after the game.

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Rozier has barely spent 24 hours with the team, so some early struggles are to be expected. It was also his first game, but he still showed flashes of what he can bring to the Heat's struggling offense. The defensive attention he commanded was significantly more than Kyle Lowry.

Rozier was also exceptional at driving to the rim. His ball-handling skills and shot creation should come in handy in the long run, especially when he settles down and builds chemistry with Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro.


Bam Adebayo's reaction to Terry Rozier's Miami Heat debut

Terry Rozier's Miami Heat debut had more lowlights than highlights, but there were some promising glimpses of how the offense could thrive with him. His pick-and-roll game with star center Bam Adebayo was one of the major talking points.

Rozier and Adebayo seemed comfortable with each other's game, which the latter pointed out in his post-game media session. Adebayo also reflected on Rozier's performance:

“He’s usually more aggressive, but today was his feel-out game, trying to figure out plays and sets.”

Heat fans likely need not worry as much because Rozier's skillset fits next to Butler, Herro and Adebayo. He's also a solid defensive presence, as seen during Wednesday's game against the Grizzlies.

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra has helped figure out roles for undrafted prospects before, so there's optimism that it's a much easier task for him to get the best out of Rozier, a proven threat. It will be interesting to see how things go down for Rozier in Miami as he steadily learns the system and schemes.

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