Detroit falls to Charlotte, 105-102

CHARLOTTE, N.C. >> Some NBA players tend to shy away from taking big shots with the game on the line.

Terry Rozier clearly isn’t one of them.

P.J Washington had 20 points and nine rebounds, while Rozier continued to build on his reputation as Charlotte’s closer by scoring 12 of his team’s final 15 points to lead the Hornets to a 105-102 win over the Detroit Pistons on Thursday night.

Hornets coach James Borrego called him “fearless.”

“He’s very comfortable in those moments,” Borrego said. “It’s almost like he is more locked in the tighter the game is. That’s rare at any level, much less at this level.”

Rozier was 2 of 9 from the field before going 4 of 5 in the final 3:11 with the NBA’s ultimate finisher, sixtime champion and team owner Michael Jordan, sitting courtside.

Rozier said he hasn’t always been on teams where he’s the first option to take the big shot, but said that doesn’t mean he wasn’t ready.

“That is what separates the good from the greats,” said Rozier, who finished with 17 points. “If you want to be great you have to have that confidence down the stretch.”

Teammate Gordon Hayward said he’s seen that from Rozier all season.

“He’s not afraid of any moment,” Hayward said.

“He was pretty quiet and then at the end of the game he just went off and won the game for us.”

Raptors coach Dwane Casey expressed frustration with his team’s inability to defend Rozier with the game on the line.

“That’s what he does. That’s what he’s been doing all year. It’s no surprise,” Casey said. “But we’ve got to do a better job of being physical, getting into him, riding him over screens, make him put it on the floor multiple times and make it hard for him.”

Hayward added 17 points and Cody Zeller chipped in with 15 points and a key rebound for Charlotte (18-18).

Jerami Grant had 32 points on 11-of-24 shooting for the Pistons.