Rozier gets number called for key 3

The Celtics’ 127-123 loss to Portland yesterday certainly left Terry

Rozier with a cloudy look, but the second-year guard appears to be earning more trust from his coaches and teammates.

With Isaiah Thomas drawing his usual overload of attention, Brad Stevens drew up a play for Rozier with 10.4 seconds left in regulation, with the result a 3-pointer that sent the game into overtime.

“Yeah it felt good, I ain’t gonna lie. I seen it the whole time,” Rozier said of the shot from the right side of the arc, after curling off an Al Horford pick. “Actually it’s the second play drawn up for me to shoot a 3 in the fourth quarter and it means a lot. It just shows his trust in the growth we’re having as the season progresses so that felt good.

“It helps tremendously, through the roof,” he said. “It makes me want to do everything — defense, all that. It’s great, especially to have a guy like Brad trust you.”

Until Avery Bradley returns from his strained Achilles, the Celtics coach needs another shooter to take pressure off Thomas. He may have found one.

“He’s a really good shooter,” said Stevens. “I think with more opportunity that will show itself true, but he made some big ones in the fourth quarter. We went to him a few different times out of timeouts, and felt good about him making that one.”

Another week out

Portland’s Damian Lillard recently called Bradley the best perimeter defender in the NBA, though he missed the chance to get tracked by the Celtics guard yesterday. Bradley and his sore Achilles tendon continue to operate under an extreme caution flag, and as a result he sat out his fifth game in the last six.

Stevens, who admitted during Friday’s practice that Bradley probably came back from the injury too soon, said the guard will most likely miss the next week’s worth of games — including Tuesday in Washington, home games Wednesday against Houston and Friday against Orlando, and Saturday in Milwaukee.

“I don’t see Avery this week at all,” said Stevens. “He’s still got some soreness. We’re concerned about the impact of a long term Achilles and what it means on that foot, but also when you compensate off of it. He’ll be back when he’s ready, but I think he’s at least a week away.”

Sickness spreads

Tyler Zeller, who missed his ninth game due to complications from a sinus infection, had taken part in Friday’s practice. But he woke up nauseous yesterday.

And so the epidemic continued to spread, as Jonas Jerebko and Demetrius Jackson both missed the game due to illness.

Looks for impact

Thomas, a lock to be on the list when the All-Star reserves are announced on Thursday, has numbers that are beyond debate. But he depends on the respect of Stevens’ fellow coaches to take that final step to make his second All-Star appearance.

Stevens recently said that he believes a player’s defensive ability should be considered as much as his offense, though his deliberations will be weighted by the quality of each candidate’s team.

“I haven’t got the sheet yet. Try my best to pick the most impactful players, and when you’re trying to break it down between the last couple of spots, you factor where their team sits,” said Stevens. “I put it on the whole game and certainly who strikes fear in me as a coach.”

Court passion

Evan Turner made his first return to Boston as a Trail Blazer, and settled in with his usual aplomb.

“I saw him earlier, and he told me he was going to meet me at the rim,” said Kelly Olynyk.

Stevens, who has talked at length about Turner’s virtues the last two days, admittedly had trouble this season replacing what the swingman brought to the lineup.

“From the get-go he did a lot for us,” said Stevens. “Not only the offensive end but the defensive end of the floor, being able to guard all those positions. Not easy to do, and to do it exceptionally well. . . . He had a really good two years here. I hope he looks back on it — and I think he does in all my discussions with him — that he kind of re-found what he was best at, and his love at doing what he does, and that’s playing basketball and getting better.”