Brad Stevens blames himself for Terry Rozier's errant 3-pointer vs. Hornets

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Terry Rozier made a pretty questionable decision late in the Boston Celtics' loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday night.

With under 20 seconds remaining and the Celtics trailing by three, Rozier drove the lane on a semi-fast break with only Hornets guard Devonte Graham between him and the hoop. But rather than pass or attempt a shot in the paint, Rozier dribbled out to the perimeter to take (and miss) a contested 3-pointer. Charlotte grabbed the rebound to seal Boston's fate: a 124-117 loss in a game the C's led by 18 points.

But rather than admit Rozier made a bone-headed play, Celtics head coach Brad Stevens insisted he deserved blame for failing to call a timeout as the play broke down.

"They're face-guarding Kyrie (Irving) at half-court," Stevens said in his postgame interview, as aired on NBC Sports Boston. "At the end of the day, that should not be on Terry. If anything, that should be on me. So, I don't blame him for that. 

"He attacked. The clock was running down, we're down three. We've seen him hit shots like that. But at the same time, if there's a finger to point to, it would be at me because we had a timeout left."

While he let Rozier off the hook for that play, Stevens still was critical of his team's shot selection during a massive 30-5 Hornets run in the fourth quarter.

"We had an 18-point lead ... and then we just started shooting shots we weren't shooting prior to, and our defense got a little more attackable," Stevens said. " ... Whenever that happens, I think you can look at it and say, 'We all could have done better.' "

It was a diplomatic answer from Stevens, who has had plenty to gripe about over a six-game stretch in which Boston has allowed 114 points or more in every contest.

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