Don't. Right now..... 1. Dwight is hurt. 2. DMo is playing out of position. 3. Ariza is not shooting great. 4. Bev has screwed away much of the season and is just now rounding into form. 5. JSmoove has been jacking too many jumpers. 6. Harden is playing his a... off and driving this team to success single-handedly. 7. Terrence is playing very, very well while we are playing uptempo and opponents are bouncing off Harden in multiples. Don't overdo it. I give honest assessments of this team and it's players. No biases against anybody. If somebody does well, I'm going to acknowledge it. If there's something missing and I see it I'm going to point it out. If I have doubts I'm going to express them. If/when I think Terrence (or any other player) really turns a corner, I'll be one of the first ones to say it. I was one of the first one to point out that he hit his outside shots last night and shot them with confidence. That is a significant departure from what he has done for the balance of his career up until now. Just like last season when Terrence was nailing his 3-ball early in the season (November) and I stated I hoped it would continue so do I hope today that his outside shooting that he displayed last night will continue long-term. I hope that is the case. I have no reason not to hope or want that. But am I confident at this point that it will continue long-term? Am I confident that when we play bigger, better, playoff and championship caliber teams that Terrence will do this well?? At this point, no, I am not. Terrence has played a very limited number of games this season. All his numbers and efficiency against the WC playoff teams that we have faced are very pedestrian. I have watched every second of all these games. He's looked mediocre in the limited minutes he's played this season against potential WC playoff opponents.
Keep digging. Don't act like this is new or that something has radically changed in TJ's game. Everyone saw this but you. The question has been one of potential and you have been pretty much literally the only doubter and a loud one at that. You were wrong. Suck it up and admit it for once.
I think that there IS one new thing in Jones game that is huge. Hes turning into a legitimate rim protector. In years past I felt like many of his blocks were to quote bballholic "fools gold." He had a lot of weak side blocks that were a product of playing with other rim protectors. When guys thought they had gotten by Howard or Asik Jones would come from behind to block shots. It was still a valuable trait but it inflated his appeal as a defender beyond what he really was. Now we can actually play him as a primary rim protector. It helps that he has legit wing defenders on the floor and usually J Smoove as well, but I have finally noticed that he can actually protect the rim without Dwight or Asik backing him up.
I have always loved TJ. A lot of immaturity up front, but you could always see the skill set. He is developing nicely; however, DMo who was really "coming on" is now shrinking since TJ has returned. Is it a confidence thing, a jealousy thing, incompatibility, what?
Has Jones been working with a shooting coach? his shooting motion looks like it's been changing. The ball looks like it's coming further forward so its more of a shot than a catapult. Hr'd definitely got better hands at the rim though, he used to always get blocked, now he can work those angles a lot better.
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Batman.... I agree with you on Jones and i was not the biggest Jones fan... His attitude has changed... Doesn't have the deer in the head light look.. But the one thing that really gets me is fans of certain players... Know one is not saying that DMo has grew and has come along way... But it kills me that everyone has an excuse for him.. 1) Arms too short.. 2) Refs not liking him 3) Playing him out of position... The same players that DMo is playing defense against is the same players the other bigs are playing against... T_Man
The better Jones plays, the better Harden's MVP argument. Terrence missed so many games, it will (rightfully) appear James carried a team missing so much talent due to injury. But mainly. .. The better Jones plays, better for Rockets winning.
It's okay to say Jones is feeding off of Harden's success but let's not discount the fact that he is an elite finisher around the basket and a very strong rebounder.
Have you seen our games? Well, when TJ contributes to wins just like DMo was the X-factor earlier on in the season, we'll rave about them. And be disappointed when they slump hard (like Dmo right now). Have you seen our games? We need every bit of those points, rebounds, blocks to pair with Harden's play. A TJones injury would be disaster right now, even if we have the MVP.
