The Latest on Terry Rozier's Ankle Injury
Hornets guard Terry Rozier missed the team's season opener Wednesday night due to a left ankle injury.
During his pre-game media availability Wednesday, Hornets head coach James Borrego foreshadowed Rozier's absence, saying that it is indeed a long season and he did not want to prematurely rush Terry back into live-action.
"There's still some soreness there [in that left ankle] and we just have to work through and see where that comfort level is... It's a long season - 82 games. It's a marathon. We are not going to win a championship overnight. One night does not define our season and tonight is not about that, it's about the long haul. We're going to be cautious with him... It's a long season and he understands that."
The Hornets definitely missed Rozier's presence at times during Wednesday's nail-biting 123-122 win over the Indiana Pacers but other players stepped up to help fill the void.
LaMelo Ball's 31-point, nine-rebound, seven-assist outing - that included seven made three-pointers - was the obvious standout along with Gordon Hayward's 27-points. But the interesting point James Borrego made Thursday afternoon was how much of a "luxury" it is to have a guy like Kelly Oubre Jr. to fill that hole during Rozier's absence.
Oubre's 14-points on 5-17 shooting was far from an impressive stat line in Wednesday's win but the timing of Oubre's buckets and hustle plays help ignite Charlotte's 24-0 third-quarter run.
On Thursday, the Hornets listed Rozier as questionable heading into Friday's game on the road against the Cleveland Cavaliers. It is apparent that the team is taking the conservative path here with Terry's ankle as it is such a delicate injury that could bother Rozier for an extended period of time if dealt with improperly.
Following Thursday's practice, Borrego echoed similar sentiments as he did prior to Wednesday's game.
"We'll be smart about it [Terry's ankle]. He's continuing to be evaluated and we will make a decision tomorrow."
The Cavaliers are projected to be one of the NBA's worst teams for the 2021-22 season so take that into account along with Borrego's reluctance to rush Rozier back unless he's "100 percent."
Weighing on the side of caution is a wise choice this early in the season. When you add the fact that Rozier is entering the first year of his new four-year/$97 million extension, it won't surprise anyone if Charlotte doesn't take any risks in just the second game of an 82-game season.
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