Hot Ross delivers spark off bench
Teammates aren’t surprised by their sizzling role player
Ask any Orlando Magic player if he is surprised by the recent offensive outburst of Terrence Ross and he’ll look at you like you are crazy.
His teammates see him in practice every day. They know what he is capable of doing. So to see him provide a spark off the bench is no shock to them. In fact, they love to see it and as Ross gains more confidence in himself, so too grows the confidence his teammates have in him.
During the Magic’s road loss to the Washington Wizards Monday night, it was obvious. The Magic players started looking to get Ross the ball. Ross responded with his second consecutive game of 20 points or more, delivering 21 against the Wizards.
During the past two games, Ross has scored 43 points and his shooting has been impressive. He has hit 15 of 26 field goals (58 percent), including 9 of 13 3-pointers (69 percent). Pretty ridiculous numbers for a guy who looked as if he was going to be a bench role player.
He’s still a role player, but his role has become far more important to this Magic squad, which fell to 6-8 after the loss to the Wizards. His defense has also been solid, with Ross averaging one steal and nearly one blocked shot per game.
“T-Ross? He’s a baller, man. He’s doing exactly what he’s supposed to do,” Aaron Gordon said of Ross Monday night. “He’s one of the best scorers on this team, one of the best shooters on this team. He’s always firing and he’s been killin’ it.
“I’m always looking for T-Ross.”
If he keeps this up, Ross could be a finalist for the NBA’s sixth man award, assuming first-year Magic coach Steve Clifford doesn’t decide to begin using him in the starting lineup. Why would he? The spark off the bench is a great momentum boost for the Magic, whether they’re already rolling along or are in need of some quick energy.
Ross just brings an extra positive to the Magic flow, as the home crowd loves it when he enters the game and since a seven-point low Nov. 2 against the Los Angeles Clippers, he has scored in double figures in six consecutive games and made 52 percent of his field goals (38 of 73).
“I’m just playing my game and doing whatever I can to help the team win,” Ross said. “Coach is putting me in more positions to help, so I’m just happy to be a part of it.
“I just keep doing my routine and trying to build up my consistency, so I can keep providing that [spark].”
He did say he has noticed his teammates looking for him more on the offensive side of the floor.
“That’s how it goes sometimes. I just keep doing my routine so I can keep providing that [offensive spark],” Ross said. “Any time the team is playing well and you’re making shots, you feel good.”
Ross is loving life again after a rough year with injuries caused him to miss all but 24 games last season. He was battling a sprained right MCL and a non-displaced fracture of the right tibial plateau, which he suffered in December. He returned in April for two games, but he was a shell of the player he had been in the past.
Ross worked hard in the offseason to get himself back to an elite level. Throughout his career, he’s been a guy who has done whatever his team needed and that certainly hasn’t changed.
“It was tough sitting there watching all last year, so to be out there being able to help feels good,” Ross said.
Clifford acknowledged Ross’ presence on the floor even before the Clippers game.
“You need guys who can come in and that you can play through and they can put numbers up and that’s what Terrence is,” Clifford said. “He’s had a good offseason. … He missed a ton of games last year, so I feel like he’s really getting into rhythm right now.”