No tug-of-war: Hornets guards Graham and Rozier form a strength through synergy
More Devonte Graham doesn’t have to mean less Terry Rozier. And more Rozier doesn’t have to mean less Graham.
If there is a lesson in the Charlotte Hornets’ 106-91 victory over the Golden State Warriors, it’s that: This starting backcourt, though cobbled together 10 games into the season, can function in a way that serves both guards and the team’s greater good.
They combined for 58 points, 16 assists and 14 rebounds on Wednesday. Graham made a career-best 10 3-pointers, scored 33 points, and had nine of the Hornets’ 30 assists. Rozier hit half of his 20 shots, finishing with 25 points, seven assists and seven rebounds.
They aren’t just co-existing, they are thriving off each other’s skill sets. Graham might end up the NBA’s Most Improved Player, and if so he owes a shout-out to Rozier for being so adaptive and flexible to make this work.
“This is the way the NBA is going -- two guards who can both start the offense. Like C.J. McCollum and Dame Lillard” in Portland, Rozier described.
When Graham showed so much progress off the bench early this season, while shooting guard Dwayne Bacon struggled, the logical thing to try was moving Graham into the starting group. But would that throw off Rozier, who signed a 3-year, $57 million contract in July as the intended replacement for point guard Kemba Walker?
Rozier didn’t just accept Graham joining the starters, he embraced the idea, coach James Borrego said. Rozier playing off the ball much of the time isn’t new and isn’t threatening; that’s what he did in college in Louisville and before that in high school in Ohio.
“It’s a very mature and professional approach by Terry. He wants to win and he believes Devonte gives us the best chance to do that” as the point guard, Borrego said. “It takes pressure off of him and Devonte when you have two dynamic backcourt mates like this.”
Like Walker-Lin?
Borrego likes the idea of playing two point guards together at least part-time. He often played Walker and Tony Parker together in fourth quarters last season.
But veteran power forward Marvin Williams said Graham-Rozier reminds him of when Walker was paired with Jeremy Lin in the 2015-16 season, for the way those two could interchange facilitating and scoring. That created a predicament for opposing coaches that on their better nights Graham-Rozier resembles.
“It’s fun to play like that -- two guys out there being aggressive, but also making plays for others,” Graham said.
This works because Rozier doesn’t feel threatened by Graham’s ascension, and because Rozier is a good enough defender at 6-foot-1 to guard bigger players on a regular basis.
“I’m not new to it,” Rozier said. “I’m used to (playing off the ball and defending shooting guards) and we’ll just keep getting better.”
Long-term option?
Is this a long-term solution? Probably not. At some point the Hornets figure to draft or sign a bigger guard with the intent of him being a starter.
But even then, a player as adaptive as Rozier will have a place whether as a starter or off the bench. You want players with his wide skill set and selfless approach.
“I play for the name on the front (of the jersey) and not the back,” Rozier said. “I’ve always been that way. Always.”
