Rozier’s thoughts as shooting freeze continues. And Keshad Johnson/Riley and Love’s message

Terry Rozier and the Heat keep waiting for his luck to turn, for his shot to start dropping.

He’s certainly overdue.

A career 36.3 percent three-point shooter, Rozier has dipped to 29.2 percent amid an ongoing 4 for 36 slump from beyond the arc. That 29.2 is second-to-worst among NBA starting point guards, ahead of only Minnesota’s Mike Conley.

Rozier, who’s shooting 50 for 171 on threes this season, hasn’t tinkered with his shot or changed the mechanics with coaches, figuring it’s just a slump.

“I haven’t gotten with anyone” to change mechanics, he said on this ongoing Heat Western swing that continues on Saturday night in Portland. “I shoot the same every year. It will work for me. It’s just ups and downs. Once it starts clicking, it’s going to start clicking. I don’t care what my percentage is; I know it’s always 50 percent chance of going in.”

After not starting for 14 games in a row, Rozier started for the sixth time in eight games on Thursday in Utah. But his shot remains in a deep freeze.

He’s now at 39.7 percent from the field, worse than the 45.9 percent he shot in Charlotte before last January’s trade and the 45.2 that he shot with the Heat after the trade.

His three-point percentage would be the worst since his rookie season (2015-16) and his overall shooting percentage is his worst since 2018-19.

While Rozier makes clear he’s happy doing whatever is asked of him, he conceded: “We all want to start in this league. Nobody wants to be a starter and go to the bench no matter what they say. I’m happy being in the starting lineup. It might not be [permanent]; you never know.”

Spoelstra is still hoping the Tyler Herro/Rozier backcourt can reach what he believes is a high potential. Herro has done his part.

“Their speed and their skill level is always top of the list” of why Spoelstra maintains that this backcourt can work. “They will get comfortable now on this road trip, figuring it out, figuring what the coverages are. Most teams are playing an aggressive coverage against Tyler. Most teams are either dropping or switching against Terry. Getting both of them on the move is beneficial to us regardless of what that scheme is.”

This and that

▪ Rookie forward Keshad Johnson is relishing the experience as he enters his third week on a standard contract with the Heat.

“Here is where dreams come true,” he said, citing the Heat’s success with undrafted players.

Johnson said Charlotte called his agent during the draft, but he knew he wanted to sign with Miami.

When he did a pre-draft workout with the Heat, he asked team president Pat Riley: “What does it take to stay in this league?”

A few weeks later, after the Heat signed him, Riley walked up to Johnson and gave him an answer to his question: “Whatever it is, keep doing it.”

Johnson was pleased that Riley remembered his question.

▪ Several players acknowledged Kevin Love’s powerful words during a team meeting earlier this week.

The message was “we’ve got to rally around each other,” Rozier said. “It was simple but it means a lot because it’s coming from him. He’s been around championship teams.

“He knows what it takes. Just his voice. He’s not afraid to speak and say what he’s seeing, say what we need to get better.”