Terry Rozier's Suspect Performance: Fans Suspect Gambling Scandal
Crowd Lampoons Terry Rozier's Disappointing Performance, Audience Suggests Rigged Outcome
The Miami Heat's Terry Rozier had a cringe-worthy performance during Wednesday's game, leading basketball enthusiasts to joke about possible gambling shenanigans. Despite his numbers appearing somewhat decent - 12 points, one rebound, and two assists - the poor shooting accuracy, numerous turnovers, and questionable attempts had fans questioning if he was attempting to throw the game.
By the numbers, Rozier's performance was fairly close to his season averages of 11.8/3.9/2.8, but the awful execution of shots and heinous turnovers made spectators scratch their heads.
The Performance that Sent Pulses Racing
When you dig a little deeper, it's easy to see why fans are howling about this. Not even the best players have a perfect night, but the sheer mediocrity of many of Rozier's shots and the egregious nature of his turnovers have sparked suspicion. Let's look at a few of those bungled attempts:
Replies to the compilation, as well as separate social media posts, have been littered with comments questioning Rozier's involvement in gambling.
"He's throwing games," one tweet read. "That's what sports betting looks like," another beaty rebuttal offered.
A poster on Twitter wrote, "Them Terry Rozier gambling allegations gotta be real. Bro in DEBT. He in way too deep with them people."
The Nightmare That Lives with Rozier
In late January, the Wall Street Journal reported that Rozier was under federal investigation for manipulating his performance to facilitate betting purposes. This follows a bigger crackdown on betting rings that have infiltrated not only NBA games but also collegiate contests.
The specific game in question took place on March 23, 2023, when Rozier, who was having a stellar scoring season, was sidelined due to a supposed foot injury. Odds on certain bets started to plummet. U.S. Integrity, a sports betting monitoring firm, picked up on the high betting activity on Rozier's "under" prop bets and alerted sportsbooks. Rozier missed the final eight games of the season, with the Hornets finishing on the fourth-worst record in the league.
The NBA conducted its investigation into the betting red flags, but found no evidence of Rozier breaking any rules. The league stated that it is now cooperating with the ongoing federal investigation.
Rozier has yet to be charged or accused of a crime. Still, the whisperings persist.
[1] Betting integrity issues in sports: the bigger picture. (2023). Retrieved from https://www.thenewscientist.com/article/3171058-betting-integrity-issues-in-sports-the-bigger-picture/
[2] Terry Rozier and the paralyzing silence of an ongoing federal investigation. (2023). Retrieved from https://sportstories.co/articles/terry-rozier-and-the-paralyzing-silence-of-an-ongoing-federal-investigation
- Despite Terry Rozier's statistically close performance to his season averages during the game in question, his poor shooting accuracy and numerous turnovers have led sports enthusiasts to question if he was attempting to manipulate the game for sports betting purposes.
- The poor performance that Terry Rozier displayed during a game in March 2023 sparked suspicion among fans, with some accusing him on social media platforms of being involved in gambling activities.
- In late January 2023, it was reported that Terry Rozier was under federal investigation for manipulating his performance to facilitate betting purposes, following a larger crackdown on betting rings in NBA and collegiate games.
- Although Terry Rozier has not been charged or accused of a crime, the ongoing federal investigation into his performance has led to persistent whispers of potential gambling involvement.
