ClutchFans Game Thread: Grizzlies @ Rockets 10/21/2022

It was fun seeing the team fighting in the first three quarters, especially when we sustained the barrage of three pointers from Memphis in the third quarter . The fourth quarter management will come from experience, but also hope Silas can step up.

 

I hope Jabari could get more rebounds and focus on tough defense if his shots are not falling.

1 rebound for this game is not good.

 

My observations
KPJ dribbles like he's the only one in the arena, just him, doing dribbling drills
That is all

 

That’s new age basketball, you didn’t know?

 

I see Memphis has a 95.7% win probability with a seven point lead and time expired. Some teams really get no respect.

 

Kinda like you in court but let's be honest nobody is hiring a midget with no credibility to represent them

 

I know the Grizz are young too, but their dudes are already built like tanks. Made a difference tonight against our normal lanky 19 and 20 yr olds.

 

Some thoughts after tonight:

1. We'll be debating Sengun all season. I personally am less concerned with him starting (though I think he should) and am more interested in seeing him get the time needed to develop. Where Sengun struggled last season was against muscular bigs; Jokic, Embiid, Towns, etc. (these are the matchups where I think Bruno will pay dividends) Adams fits in that mold, so to see him have a good game against that backcourt was encouraging.
2. Although it doesn't show on the stat sheet, I think Sengun's D is helped when he's aided by players that can get up and contest close-to-the-basket shots by big men. Jabari, Tari, and KJ I felt all did (do) that well. In a sense, I have always felt Tate was the worst backcourt guy to play with him, because the you have two relatively unathletic and undersized guys which is a lot to overcome against athletic and versatile big men.
3. I love KPJ when he's able to get the ball and move immediately into his motion or shoot off the catch. As a PG, he's best when he gets rid of the ball right away. The worst trait he has is when he dribbles the ball up and holds onto it for a while, or tries to go iso. He is sloppy with his isos, takes a long time with them, and rarely executes on them. I am more confident with him dribbling the ball up the court and taking an immediate stepback three or going straight for the rim than I am when he goes on a lengthy dribbling showcase and tries to cross guys up.
4. Even though Jabari struggled, I like that he's getting over 10 shots and is involved in the offense. It is going to take him time to adjust to the league and I'm willing to go through the learning pains and hurdles while he has the freedom to shoot the ball, make plays, and struggle.
5. I loved the offensive aggressiveness from Jalen. I'd like to see Silas stagger rotations a bit more where Jalen stays in with players from the second unit vs. having the front court come in and out of the game as a group at very specific points.

Overall, this was a great game. I didn't think we had the offensive skills to put up this type of performance, and if this team is capable of shooting close to how it did tonight with some regularly, it will be very tough to beat.

 

@JayGoogle i just rewatched the last few minutes when the Rockets "played good defense and made it harder" on Morant

4:16 - blows by Green who is picked by Adams (this happened to everyone a billion times), Sengun contests, bangs into him, no call, miss

3:44 blows by KPJ who is picked by Adams - kpj recovers, he snd Sengun comtest, Morant passes to Konchar but its a hard pass and he fumbled it. Jumpball, then the simply ridiculous Morant chasedown of Green.

3:14 triple team of Morant, wide open 3 by Bane who misses.

2:20 blows by Green who is, yup, screened by Adams - but misses a layup contested by Sengun and Smith.

143 blows by KPJ who is picked by Adams, hits the floater.

I'm not going to go back and catalogue Morant's successful possessions, but watch the highlights, they all look the same as this.

High screen by Adams -> he is in the lane. It happened to every single player on the Rockets who tried to guard him pretty much every time.

He's Ja Freaking Morant. Other than the 1 double or triple team, there is literally not one Rocket (or, actually person on earth? ) who was individually going to stop him tonight going over the screen.

That's just NBA.

 

You honestly don't have fun watching all our 19-22 year olds with prenty of talent and promise?

Multiple Grizzly fans explicitly said after the game on Reddit that the Rockets looked like them basically 3 years ago. Can't expect a team this young to win. The fact that we are competing against two of the better teams in the league and not being blown out is promise.

 

Yeah, there should be a few pick and pop at the top of the key to get him going early and not just stationed on the 3 pt on the wing for most of the game on offense.

 

Nope Konchar.

 

Your mouth.
So dirty, yet pretty.

 

Its like they're Bayesed against the Rockets

 

You don't blow by someone with a screen. Usually people refer to "blow buys" on one on one off the dribble without any screen help. You can say he didn't fight through the screen hard enough but it's Steven freaking Adams.

 

He have a very good team this year, We are tougher and not selfish(no Christian Wood) and we have 3 guys was can score 20 points a game each night, I believe Sengun is a 20 points and 10 rebounds guy and Porter and Green will each average 20 points a game each night. Now we need to work with Jabari's shot, he needs to dribble to the basket more or post up small players if his shot is not falling. Eason needs to play 25 minutes a game.

 

I know but I started typing it a bunch and didn't feel like going back and changing it

Adams probably had 20+ killer screens. No exaggeration

 

My problem early on in the game was that Bari was sagging on those picks. Morant had 2 wide open 3s bc of it. That is a flaw in scheme.

 

If Jabari was not being given open looks, I'd agree.


These are just wide open shots he's bricking.

 

He makes Morant pretty unstoppable. Because Morant will always find the space in the paint with his acceleration and fluid ball handling once Adams clears the initial defender.