Booker and Tatum are low bars for what Green can become. I've not seen a player with his combination of craftiness and athleticism...since maybe prime Wade. Even then the comparison isn't quite right. Lebron didn't have that shiftiness. Jalen is old school. He's more in that Irving/Drexler/Jordan style of smooth glider. He really is unique. The Rockets have gotten extremely lucky in two drafts. The Pistons saved them from drafting Cade and the Magic saved them from drafting Paolo. Jabari and Jalen have physical attributes that no other players currently in the league have (save for an aging Durant). The Rockets could use any of the Top 3 or 4 talents in this draft depending on how Nick Smith pans out. Its looking like they could end up in the 6-8 spot though. I would trade up for Amen/Scoot.
I think saying that Booker and Tatum are low bars for Green to achieve is a bit much especially for Tatum. Tatum is going to be in MVP conversations for the rest of his prime. He's that level of player. I'd be ecstatic if Green becomes Tatum level. Green has some inherent disadvantages he has to overcome. I think he can but they are disadvantages which primarily center around his frame. Luckily for him he has that AI/Morant style pliability that allows light small frame dudes to still be elite offensive players.
Green needs to gain some weight to both absorb contact and body people defensively. That's probably his biggest hurdle right now outside of his loose handle. Tatum is better in the low block due to his bigger size but if you have me that vs Green's ability to beat people off the dribble I'll take Green. I'm taking both Ja and Green over Tatum as far as potential is concerned. Jabari is a better comparison for Tatum. Obviously doesn't have the handle but his ceiling as a shooter vs Tatum's....not even in the same league. Folks are really really really low on the potential of the Green/Jabari combination. Them along with Tari are the only things the matter on this current squad. Everyone else is expendable.
Yeah so this is the meat of the point. Almost without exception you need AT LEAST one "HIM" to win a ring. Lots of championship squads have 2 of them. I want to win rings. The Rockets want to start getting better next year. Even if they dont the dont have their draft picks. Betting on the Nets picks to be high lotto isn't wise. Its INCREDIBLY important JG grows into that player. But i'll bow out here, with guys being like "Tatum is a low bar for JG" lol.
I don't remember seeing comparison of Green to Drexler. Clyde wasn't an elite shooter. He's strengths was his smooth athleticism that made him a devastating finisher. If Green can develop Clyde's smart play making, he can be that kind of a star. Drexler averaged 8 ppg on 45% FG% (25% from 3) as a 21-year-old rookie. He had a big jump in his second season.
Starting out with 17 ppg and 21 ppg could be a blessing and a curse at the same time as you have to constantly put up better numbers over years, puts pressure on the guy while starting out with 8-10 ppg nobody is really expecting much from you as a player.
I think THEY think that if they were Miami fans during Wade's sophomore season, they would have seen that Wade is almost ready to win a title.
Green is 20. Again…. 20. He makes shots that no one makes. He is ambidextrous. He hits the 3 when he is disciplined in his refined form. That comes and goes because he is nowhere near physically or mentally grown. You can tell he us a pure shooter. He has shown the unique ability to hit shots at the end of clocks. He is an elite athlete, as in top of NBA all time elite. He has shown a lot as a passer recently. I look at his shooting and in ball handling the same. They started off really good at the beginning of the season and both have backslid a little bit. To be expected. In 5 years, he will still be young. This guy has an insane ceiling. Overall growth or growth in certain areas is not a linear thing unless you want ti just look at it season by season. Let’s wait till the end of 2022-2023 and talk about whether we are disappointed or would rather have Mobley. I believe that the singular most important NBA skill is the ability to generate and convert a good look. For you or a teammate. Green may be the best in the NBA at that in a few years.
the starting lineup is 2 20 year olds a 19 year old and young player playing PG that is not a PG a disinterested Gordon. bench is 2 20 years old again. a rookie and a 21 year old martin. he is averaging the 9th most ppg for a 20 year old ever in the nba. with players like shaquille oneal, lebron, durant in front of him. I am completely happy with his progression and think he will continue to get better.
He's playing worse than post All star break last year - shooting worse, turning it over more. Shot selection not good. Lots of aimless dribble penetration resulting in nothing About the only thing he's gotten better at is drawing fouls. You can argue his assists are up, but the TOs cancel it out imo Lot of these things are on him not the crappiness of the team . He's regressing.
He has been in a recent shooting slump. Everything I said in my post is factual. Be negative all you want. It's your team as much as it is mine.
Some nights you see a superstar and then some nights he looks like a poor imitation of Jordan Clarkson
Sole place of 7th all time now in 30 point games before your 21st birthday. Next up to pass is Carmelo Anthony in 6th. Playing worse and worse!
It's the home and road splits. Jalen Green is literally an entirely different player playing at home, versus playing on the road, and the sample sizes are not small either (10 home games and 16 road games). Home Games Green averages 25/5/5 on TS 63.1%. Every single stat is up across the board, and even shooting noticeably better from free throws. Road Games Green averages a measly 19/4/3 on TS 49%. Even his free throws are worse on the road. I'm really not sure what is causing this divide, I don't recall the last time watching a Rocket play this differently at home and on the road. However, the Rockets have a very long home stand, so I will be curious to see if Jalen Green is on his way up again.
Character-building win for Jalen (and Jabari too). Nice to see he can do that to the 2nd best defense in the NBA just before his 21st birthday.
