ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Hawks 10/19/2022

This is the thing. KPJ looked the best because his play is designed, to make him look good. But if you look close, every basket he scores is nullified in baskets team didn't score because of bad playmaking, and baskets he gives up because of it (wether is bad d or turnovers). Also his Harden like playstyle makes it difficult for Jabari/Sengun. And what Silas did? Gave him lobthreat center. Everything coach designed is towards KPJ. He should be main guy off the bench and we should get vet PG. But I'm afraid we would win too much games then

 

You can't dismiss us as fast as the girl from WaterWorld, but it's close.

 

Tell that to Steph, Luka or Lebron.

Did you not see JG's growth last yr?

SMH

The Silas doubters in full effect.

 

Really boneheaded turnovers by youngsters trying to cap too much. Defensive lapses leading to layups. Im not in love with the substitution pattern for game 1, but hopefully that gets better as the players determine their PT. Jabari shot like sht last night - if he's our sniper and is going to take that many 3's per game he needs to do better than 3-11 (and still guys crying for "he's wide open in the corner FK KPJ LOL). Jalen needs to go to the basket with authority and command the foul calls he was getting in PS and stop forcing shots. Tari needs all the time they are allocating for Mathews and no way JC comes off the bench AFTER Mathews that makes no sense whatsoever. Cool to see that KPJ is still the heel.

On to the next one.

 

If he made just one more 3 and his line was 4-11 we are talking about a 37.5% which would be pretty good for a high volume shooting rookie. 3-11 isnt horrible it is subpar but I would cut a rookie some slack after his first NBA game that was also on the road…

And after seeing his percentage in college (and considering that a large proportion of those shots were contested or if the dribble) I am not worried. We have seen how open he is on most of these threes. He will hit them in time.

 

Relax. Nobody is worried. Just making observations. We can play the "coulda shoulda woulda" game with every player on the court last night. Jabari is this teams best shooter right? We need to rely on him to hit open shots. No big deal. He did other things ok on the court last night most importantly not turning the ball over. Hope to see him hit more shots in the next game.

edit: Jabari taking the ball towards the hoop was a quasi revelation in itself. Would love to see more of that resulting in points.

 

About as expected, I always said this is still a bottom 5 team roughly and very inexperienced, we'll see these guys make mistakes and slowly grow throughout all of the season.

Jabari looked really good outside of the fg%, he wasn't hesitant at all and demanded the ball a lot when he was in a good spot, also had some decent drives (has to finish more strongly tho).

Sengun showed the issues many of us mentioned, especially with his weaker body and pace, but I was pretty disappointed in his lackadaisical passing.
It honestly sometimes seemed like he is high on the internet praise and thinks he has to make a behind the back highlight pass all the time, even if it doesn't help in the situation at all. The worst was that one possession where he's outside the 3pt line, Gordon runs by for the handoff and instead Sengun tries a behind the back bounce pass handoff that made zero sense, as everyone knew he'd hand it off to EG who's 1ft away from him.

KPJ looked alright on offense and had some nice passes (especially alleyoops, some of them bricked by kj&Bruno), but overall him and Jalen have to really work on making less sloppy passes and seeing open teammates in the corner.

 

JG possibly got the ROY if he was coached by MDA last season. I never forget Silas plays Green at corner like PJ Tucker.

 

What has Silas to do with lets say Luka? He gave him the ball. Silas gave ball to KPJ. Difference is, Luka is godmind in bball and KPJ is an idiot. Maybe its Luka who created Silas not the other way around

 

How was JG and Jabari’s defense all game?

 

jabari missing contested 3's is one thing. he looked out of sync on his mechanics and this was also his 1st game not only overall but also coming back from injury

meanwhile a vet like kpj missing a wide open teammate 2x on the same fastbreak is ridiculous. 'advance the ball' is basic bball 101 kids learn at age 8

 

sorry fellas, traveling. SEVERO and I will return by mid-week next week

 

Can't help but feel that Bruno was put in the starting lineup to appease or help out KPJ. The team looked fine with the "normal 5" I dont understand why Silas retooled it at the last minute.

Reminds me of last year when we went with those God awful Wood/Theis lineups. We desperately need to trade Gordon for someone who fits the team mold and stop forcing KPj to be a thing. He either works or he doesn't, stop playing less talented players because they might "fit" better next to him. If the thought is that Sengun just doesn't work in the modern NBA then why the hell did you draft him to begin with?

Was excited about the season but man that was an annoying and puzzling game 1.

 

Yup, somebody gotta step up to get it right, that should be our coach.

 

No more severo, they could stay around the borderline…n we just want you back.

 

Yeah, the defense needs help. The Hawks shot 50 percent as a team even with Young shooting poorly on a ton of volume. That’s not going to let you win many games.

 

Jabari was surpassed by Collins, wasn't as sharp as usual at rotation, lacked game rythm, but I think Green did a very good job over Trae Young. He's going to defend most of PGs, cause Porter can't defend that position and probably Tate can defend some SGs but not the PGs.

 

I think. Maybe. The rockets are going to end up eventually trading kpj or bringing him off the bench for about 25 mpg. I just do not see him as a starting PG or guard for a top 5 team in the nba.

 

That's funny and you are absolutely right.

I never stopped believing in Stephen Silas, in his inconsistent ways.

 

Agreed, had a hunch.

His niche has been scoring and secondary playmaking but not taking tons of shots.