ClutchFans Game Thread: Grizzlies @ Rockets 10/17/2012 (PRESEASON)

People need to give rookies on any time a little more slack. Dude, they've been practicing with everyone for what, two weeks? They are brand new to the system, to an NBA system (although Iowa State and Kentucky both played pro style offenses last season, it's a little different than the real thing).

Would you expect a freshman in college to come into an upper level course right away and do well, showing up all the upper classmen? Only some will - a small percentage. Most will be lost for awhile and maybe after a month or two start to get the hang of things.

It is just amazing that after a week or so, people would be hard on a rookie. You should be more worried about progress. Are they getting better? And also how the people who've actually been in the NBA for at least a few years are doing too. Rookies though in the preseason? It's pointless to nitpick **** already unless they're doing really well. Most rookies are slow to learn a new system, new teammates, new environment, etc. It comes with experience.

 

Yeah, thats what sucks. Royce has so much upside - predicted as a ROY Candidate but gets no minutes. He is behind cause he missed camp but I think he should still be put out there a bit more. I hate when people with upside don't get to prove themselves.

Now, Terrance Jones - wow. He will be great. Him and PPat are a great combo playing the 4.

 

Actually, I think the better analogy would be a professional job. How many people, realistically, after graduating from college, are going to go into a new job with a lot of experienced people and a completely different environment, and somehow learn everything for that company as well as the work they have to do, and then be expected to produce just as much as an experienced person RIGHT AWAY? It doesn't happen much, only rarely. But people don't throw them under the bus. The develop them and allow them to grow their real experience.

Pro Sports is about the only profession in the world where people actually expect most rookies to produce right away. It's ****ing insane. Only a small percentage actually do, no matter what the profession is. It usually takes a little bit of time before they start producing really well.

 

Thank You for the video.

 

Is this your assumption or is this stated somewhere? ROY Candidate??

 

This. In the professional world you don't even know what you have until you have worked with someone for a year or so. My sister interned with a major company twice, and then got hired into a rotational program where she works a multiple different jobs in the company for like 2 years before she even goes a certain route in the company. Can't imagine how it would be if after 1 week in one of her rotations they said, "You don't understand our system as well as the guy who has been doing this for 20 years. You are fired." That would be utterly ridiculous. They develop their employees and see how they fit best . She will be with them for like 3 years before even picking a career path in their company.

No, lets all crucify the kids for not owning the top players in the world the first time they take the court running a new system with new team mates vs a massive upgrade in skill, after what has probably been one of the most stressful summers of their lives.

 

I’m with you in a lot of points about rookie’s development.
But I see a big different in attitude in the rookies
Jones is absolutely concentrated in the game and he plays like a senior.
Dmo is not ready yet, but he wants to progress soon, he was very angry in the first pre season game when he looks slow. After that he attacks the basket with all his heart. That’s fantastic. He wants to improve soon.
I don’t see the same attitude in Lamb, but you’re right to soon for this. He has the body and the shot.
And with Royce is another story. It is not easy teaching a guy, who believes that he know everything.
It’s a shame because Royce is the funniest player to watch, he is a great passer, he has great hands, a super strong body but no discipline, no idea where to run. I hope I’m wrong with him.

 

I hear a business man talking right here. Good analogy.

 

So, who should Royce be taking minutes from? It's clear that last night McHale was trying to play the guys he wants in his rotation once the season starts. He was trying to develop some chemistry before the season starts.

I also would like to see more of Royce, but once the season starts he's not going to play in front of Patterson, Jones, Parsons, or Delfino, or even Morris. I would be shocked if Royce doesn't get sent down to the Vipers for two or three months. If he performs well with the Vipers I could see him return to the Rockets after we trade Martin. I would much rather see our young guys play every night for the Vipers than to sit on the bench with the Rockets.

Also, the Rockets looked great last night. Very encouraging.

 

T-bones.

 

T-Bones.

 

Exactly.

Hah, your sister might work for the same company I work for. We have a similar thing (I'm not part of it, but I know people who are or were), but it's a major major company. I interned three times during college (two 8 month internships too) for the same company and even then when I got hired for the full time one after college, I was like "okay..this is still a little different now."

I was able to do some things well from the get go because I'd essentially worked almost 2 years prior for the same company, but even then it took me a good 6-8 months before I felt like I was doing something real with respect to the veterans on my project.

The expectations for rookies in pro sports is rather unreal.

 

T-Bones and Lamb Chops. Man, I'm hungry!

 

Watched the parts of the game with royce to check out his defense. Really wasn't too bad. He had what? 4 shots taken on him maybe? 2 of which he was on his man, hand in face, and the guy missed, the other he fouled the guy, and the last was at the end when they launched a three from way out and 5 people jumped up for the rebound and a guy shot the ball and someone else fouled him. He had some sweet passes, and one mistake when dribbling, and he needed to get back faster, granted there was like 30 seconds left in the game and up by like 10. He also needs to go to the rim harder.

 

fun fact, i think Royce is 100% from the line this year.

 

I agree. His defense last night wasn't terrible, and better than in game 1. He had a nice defense possession where his man completely bricked a shot while royce was right on him. He's not a great defender, but it looks as if he's improving a little bit. I am not seeing where people thought in game 2 for the 5 minutes that he was lost all the time. He was lost a few times, but he seemed to be moving around a little more on the offense end and apart from a few defensive possessions/rebounding opportunities, he was okay. Not great, but an improvement, which is what you want to see from a rookie.

 

Great! Thanks!

 

+1

Lin's usage under D'Antoni once he started was insane, on a condensed calendar due to the lock-out. I don't remember I've ever heard he complain or use it as an excuse for any losses. A lot of commentators commented on how tired he looked on the court toward the end of some games but Lin never asked to be taken out. On the contrary, he insisted on staying in because some of those game were close. So where does this criticism come from?

 

Yeah, and for some strange reason, i want to eat donuts in the back of a Rolls Royce.

 

For me, in this game, it seems that McHale opted for testing what would be the final rotation of the team. At least, what he considers to be the final rotation so far.

It seems logic, since it is the final game of a stretch, and we have 1 whole week for the next one. All experiences were to be done in the previous ones, and this last game seemed to be a game where he would test the initial conclusions he's reached so far.

On the next stretch of games, I expect him to return to experiment in the first games, giving more minutes to White, Livingston, DMo, Forbes, Machado, Morris (hopefully is recovered) and perhaps testing others as Smith and JJJ, whose seems to no to be part of the final roster, for now.

Then, in the last couple of games of the final preseason week, play with the final rotation that will start the season, giving the real minutes that each player will see then. Thus, he would be able to see how the team looks like on court, and he can tweak one thing or another before the season starts.

I think McHale has 2 things to decide in the next 2 weeks:

1) Who is gonna make the roster.
For now, it seems that Brockman, JJJ, Smith, Forbes and Livingston are contending for 2 spots. Machado seem pretty much in, as a 3rd stringer PG, from the playing time he is having this preseason. Also, it is always good to have 3 options for PG, since 1 injury could mess things out.

2) Who is gonna make the rotation.
McHale already told in his last interviews that the rotation will likely consist on 9-10 players, since he wants to implement a fast paced style. So far, it seems that: Lin, Martin, Parsons, PPat, Asik, Delfino, TDouglas and TJones are likely to be part of it. Dmo also, not due to his current playing, but because he seems to be the backup center so far (despite being way too soft and making us lose hugely on the defensive end when he is in).

So, Lamb, Morris and White are, for me, competing for the final spot in the rotation. The 2 of those that do not excel in the next games, alongside with Machado, and the others left, are gonna be 3rd stringers, probably seeing some time in D-League.

I think that's pretty much what the trend is for now. What can shake thing up is:

- someone not expected starts to play superbly and establish himself firmly in the roster: White? Livingston? Morris?

- Morey trades KMart. In this case, Lamb will enter by default on the rotation, seeing several minutes, perhaps behind Delfino. Since KMart is on his last year, and there is no indication that we are willing to renegotiate his contract, the wise step perhaps is to trade him. Even if he has been our main scorer, and we will struggle without him, better to get something in a trade now than having KMart free to go next year, and 1 season lost (no lottery, no playoff or no deep run in playoffs). Better to suck this season, and get a chance of being a title contender some day with a high pick, than losing 2 seasons (this one and the next) just fighting for an average position at the end. That's what I think.

-an injury.

So, if I was Morey, I would trade KMart. If I was McHale, I would extensively test White, Lamb, DMo, Morris, Livingston, Forbes, JJJ and Smith in the next couple of games. In case he's already decided to cut someone, then I would lose no time with him and do not play him much (as he seems to be doing with JJJ and Smith).

Very curious to watch the next games!