ClutchFans Game Thread: Pacers @ Rockets 3/18/2022

Empty stats Wood does it again.

 

What a day. Watson and Correa

 

This is and has ALWAYS been my number one issue with him. I can honestly live with some of the other stuff he does, but he doesn’t put enough pressure on defenses by getting into the paint when considering his enormous responsibility as the trigger man in the offense.

Attacking the basket creates opportunities for the driver and makes the defense have to help and rotate which opens up the court for your teammates. He had a few really good drives today that I was excited about, but still a lot of horizontal action out on the perimeter.

I’ve come to the conclusion that this just isn’t KPJ’s game and that I’m actually more frustrated with the coaches putting him in this position than I am with Scoot.

 

WHY IS HE DOING THAT, ALL HE LITERALLY HAS TO DO IS DRIVE AND IT WOULD BE GOOD. Like physically once he's at the rim, he's more athletic than James, it doesnt make any sense.

 

He's not nearly as strong as James. James could really take a beating every time down the floor while KPJ avoids any and all contact on drives. He'd rather take an akward shot than look for contact.

He also doesn't have the court vision to hit the open man on the perimeter once he's in the paint. He has his mind made up on what he's going to do when he gets to the paint - regardless of how many defenders are there to meet him.

It's a problem for the whole team. Everyone has tunnelvision once they get close to the rim.

We always force bad shots at the rim even if 4 people are there to protect it. We almost never look to pass it to the perimeter for an open 3.

 

What I see with this team is when you look at the box score sure KPJ has 19
Sengun 15, and Wood 32 pts but looking beyond the numbers it’s disturbing why this team doesn’t win.

When Rockets were up 3-6 pts KPJ kept playing a 2 man game with Wood and forced it instead of playing within the set and looking to set up players and getting what defense gives you.

When Rockets were up 12 or so they didn’t capitalize but instead took several outside shots and went away from being aggressive and attacking. Schroeder played poorly jacking up a couple threes and a silly turnover late in the 3rd. Sengun went away from the post and decided to stand on the perimeter for some reason. The Rockets were either tied or up a couple points when Nix should’ve just been conservative in this critical moment and handed the ball to KJM on the break instead of a lob. JC took a difficult pullup 5-8 footer on the break which is an inefficient shot. And KPJ held the ball as he always does in a critical late 4th quarter play. I also don’t get KPJ’s last drive as he just threw it up with no where to go. Looks like Wood was not aggressive in beating his man and putting his body into the defender getting into the paint for a dish. I think that was how the play was drawn up. These were all critical moments.

On defense they attacked Sengun and Mathews a few times with Brogdan. And Sengun for some reason left their Center who we all know can shoot 3s in another big moment in the 4th. Wood left Brogdan untouched on the baseline for an easy reverse layup.

These are all losing plays and losing ways and the Rockets keep making these mistakes often when they are up instead of continuing to put pressure on the opposing team sealing a victory. It seems psychological almost. But we keep asking why we don’t win or conveniently blame Silas but this is why the Rockets lose game after game. Little plays add up. All the decisions add up. Every play counts and this team treats posessions so casually at times. You can’t teach that. That’s players on court decision making. As i said all along Player’s league. Players make the NBA go not coaching.

 

so you dont count Sengun as a rockets player anymore? tsk tsk tsk

 

I don’t see it as Silas fault. I go by what the organization has said in the past and assess it from there which is that they are placing an emphasis on developing KPJ at the point. They have invested in him the last 2 years and we have seen Silas put the ball in his hands late to build and grow his confidence especially in that first game back after the meltdown. I think this is the route the coaching staff and management has taken in terms of growing KPJ who they know is immature, has mental health issues, and not a pure PG. This whole season has been to evaluate him especially when a decision has has to be made on extending his rookie contract. I just think KPJ is not a good player at all and is s bench guy if even that and at some point the Rockets will have to decide his fate whether it’s befitting the season ends of off season.

 

I have absolutely NO IDEA. It’s quite maddening to see a guy with his size and athleticism rarely utilize it to get to the basket. And when he does go to the basket, he barely gets any lift and contorts in ways to avoid all contact and throws up off balance hot garbage too often like at the end of the 4th last night.

I don’t know if you ever ventured into this thread. Porter’s Effort Level. I didn’t see any posts in there from you that I can recall. I made some of these observations nearly a calendar year ago in April 2021 that may have seemed like nitpicking, but they were simply things I noticed and thought he could improve. Back when a lot of others were still on the KPJ can average 20 points and 10 assists this year and would be a top lottery pick in the 2021 draft.

I’ll give him credit, he has improved his 3 point shot and his handle considerably since I made this post quoted below although it’s still mostly a lot of fancy dribbling around the perimeter that too often leads to a jumpshot and not nearly enough getting to the basket.

Like I said, I think I’m getting to an ok place with KPJ and I may go to the KPJ topic to discuss why. After some thought, my issues with him are not actually his game, it’s his role.

 

The problem with KPJ is that his game is pretty much Kyrie lite. Kyrie as your primary ball distributor isn't what you want.

KPJ is a very skilled and crafty scorer. The way he moves often does remind me of Irving but he definitely isn't a primary pg. He might honestly be a great sixth man microwave oven scorer but I don't know if KPJ's pride would swallow that.

 

2 and 4 are the biggest ones that I see. If he could just 2 and 4, he wouldnt need to do those fancy dribbling moves man.

Damn....I'm getting bummed right now. I hate this because you see what he could be, and its just wasted right now. That drive yesterday where kind of faked snaked the pick and roll and went straight to the basket was beautiful.

 

When he made that move I was like "That's Kyrie Irving". He does have a strong future here if he accepts something like a 6th man microwave oven role or a swingman forward Pippen type role. But he isn't James Harden or Trae Young or Luka who can be the primary playmaking guard. Too much tunnel vision often.

Green has a low proabability of being that primary ball handler also. He's going to be of the mold of a Booker, Beal type who can occasionally be that primary playmaker but he's still so young where there still is a window where he could turn into that player and I'm afraid KPJ won't buy into reversing roles with Green.

 

Bummer.

 

I wonder how long before Jalen Green demands a trade.

 

He definitely worked on 1 and 5 so he has actually made some improvements. His jumpshot was pretty bad last year and he would get the ball stolen or lose it more frequently while trying to get into his dribble package. Especially against tougher defenders.

 

I wonder if he can hit a curveball?

 

End of Q3, Silas went with a line up of

Schroder - PG
Green - SG
KPJ - SF
Wood - PF
Sengun - C.

Was surprisingly effective against Carlie's small lineup. They had to account for Sengun, Green/Wood ran pick n' roll very well. Defensively, this was one of our fewer taller lineups, caused some disruptions. I like to see this line up in future games. Q3 ended with a 12 pt lead: 95-83

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From a presentation perspective, TC pulled out lot of the stops. Inviting Carl, St Patrick theme night / Kiss cam, and Space City Seniors.

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KPJ fake back pass layup

Spoiler: game photos

Getting Jiggy with it.