http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/3589414.html By W.H. STICKNEY JR. Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle Competing for a spot on the Rockets' roster is a source of pride for John Lucas III, whose father made a name for himself in the NBA during the late 1970s as a Rockets guard. Saturday night as the injury-plagued Rockets missed another opportunity to win without Tracy McGrady, Yao Ming and other injured players, Lucas took another step toward perhaps achieving his lifelong goal of nailing down a permanent job with the Rockets, who play at Atlanta today. Lucas was on the court for more than 17 minutes. At crunch time, he was handed the reins of the offense as the Rockets tried to escape an eventual 86-80 loss to the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets at Toyota Center. "I felt like I played good," Lucas said, "but I hate to lose, so it doesn't matter how I feel about the performance. We should've won that game." Lucas, who despite having missed all but one of the previous seven shots he took, sank a 20-footer with four seconds remaining to provide the final margin. He also had three assists, a couple of steals and a rebound to go with four points. Asked afterward to assess Lucas' performance, coach Jeff Van Gundy said: "I needed him to make some shots. The biggest thing we needed is him to make some shots." But Van Gundy appreciates Lucas' effort. "He's into the game, he tries hard, he has defensive deficiencies, but I like him a lot," Van Gundy said. "He's a great kid. Whether he can stick will be dependent on many things, (among them) his ability to make shots, and to improve defensively." Since he was a Rockets ball boy, Lucas has dreamed of playing for his dad's former team. After an outstanding college career first at Baylor and later Oklahoma State, he was overlooked in the 2005 NBA draft. "He was really down about not getting drafted," his father said. "I was telling him, there are a lot of people who make it in the NBA who didn't get drafted. A good example is homegrown (Galveston native) Damon Jones (of the Miami Heat). Not everybody ends up like Calvin Murphy (the Rockets Hall of Fame guard) and myself." Lucas, a 5-11 guard, signed with the Rockets four days after Christmas. In his first NBA game, he got two rebounds and one assist in the final 1:25 of a game against Golden State on Dec. 31. His first two NBA points came at Washington on Jan. 3, along with two assists and his first steal. A day later, Lucas was waived. On Jan. 8, he was signed to a 10-day contract. That deal is about to expire, but Lucas, 23, is unfazed. "When you think about stuff like that, that's when you (get) off your game," he said. "I have no control over that. That's something that's going to take its place. My whole concern is just to go out there and play every game like it's my last. That's my mentality. That's always going to be my mentality." The elder Lucas, a former player, scout and coach in the NBA, thinks his son has performed well. And in the long run, Lucas said, his son could fit in as a solid reserve point guard in the NBA. "I'm grateful to the Rockets for bringing him home," the elder Lucas said. "John's been taught like a pro player all his life. He wasn't trained to try to just make it. "John's trained to be a pro. We're happy that he's in the league. But by no means is he satisfied. Other teams have expressed interest in him. But, he bleeds Rocket red. He's like his dad, he bleeds that Rocket red."
I like this Lucas kid, he does a lot of high energy things that our team can use. Might as well sign him til' the end of the season, with the way these injuries have been lurking around, we'll probably end up needing him anyways.
Great Playmakers are not always great scorers or defenders. The Rockets are desperately in need of a playmaker point guard, one with speed and energy who can pass the ball to the scorers at the right time and in the right place. Looks like Lucas might develop into this player.
He does remind me of Andre Barrett, undrafted, small, cat like quick PG that will have a hard time sticking because he can't shoot well enough.
You can tell that JVG wants Lucas to succeed. But just look at JVG's comments. It is all about "shooting." If JL3 can make some shots (the open jumpers), he will make this team. I think he brings a lot to the table to help the team, but ultimately him making shots will keep him on the floor.
I don't no if he can shoot since I haven't seen many games of him yet. Looking at his NBDL stats and college stats, he was a good shooter.
I watched plenty of JL3 at OSU and he is definitely a good shooter and a good clutch shooter as well. He needs playing time and some stability like more than a 10 day contract. He may not get it. JL3 may not ever make it in the NBA but it will not be because he is not a good shooter it will most likely be because he is not big enough to play effective defense against NBA players.
I noticed this during the NOK game. He always seems to rush those shots and never gets himself into a shooting groove. I think it's just the adrenaline of trying so hard to give his all to the team, but I think if he would learn to settle down, set his feet and hit that open shot calmly, he could be at least as deadly as Luther Head from behind the arc. Same thing with Luther, actually. He RARELY misses a shot when he doesn't rush it. Most times when he misses it's because he's trying to jack it up in 0.3 microseconds like Ray Allen or something.
It's funny how he would call out Lucas for his shooting... But won't call out the coache's pet (Rybo)...considering that there both high energy guys.....
