KPJ: Can someone explain to me why he has become Clutchfans favorite whipping boy?

KPJ biggest flaw is his lack of rim pressure. He can’t draw a defensive because he won’t commit to taking the rock to the rim and either getting a bucket or kicking it out

He’s on favorite player on the team, Sengun second, but I would draft Henderson and move KPJ to the 3

I wouldn’t disrespect him to the bench though. Y’all out of line lol the dude is just doing what he ask and honestly seems like the hardest worker on the team.

Im honestly not sold on Jalen being the better guard. Jalen got god level athleticism but KPJ looks like the naturally better hooper. I wouldn’t just disregard KPJ. I’ll take a humbled and focused KPJ long term over Jalen if I don’t see him putting in the work and improving

 

I agree. For their age group they are fine considering ppp on pnr plays is highly dependant on the big men who are used as roll men on your team. The Rockets are one of the worst teams in the league with one of the youngest rosters. That means a lot of poor inexperienced roll men. The only competent above average on is Sengun. Because he sets great screens and has great footwork and ridiculous touch around the rim. That's why the whole Bruno thing pissed me off because the only thing he can do is jump. He doesn't set good screen. He has bad hands. He has horrible footwork going to the rim and he has horrible touch around the basket. He can jump high and dunk. That's easy to read for defenses when that is literally he only thing he can do.

Anyways, having more experienced and talented bigs is going to increase that ppp. A lot of one is chemistry. This team has barely played together.

 

Not a good first half for KPJ. Doesn’t seem to want to play any defense at all.

 

Umm where to start? So many avenues to take.

I'm going to break it down slowly and in different postings. Because people aren't
reading postings I do of the novel variety.

First the narrative was KPj is being featured as a one man band!
KPj never passes!
OMG!! KPj is a black hole!!
If I have to watch KPj handle the ball the entirety of the game again...I'm going to throw (another) hissy fit!!!!
Jalen Green is never going to excel if KPj won't let the ball go!!
Sengun is never going to improve if KPj won't pass it!!
Jabari is a bust as long as KPj is iso all the time!!
Rockets are isolations all the time....the entire game!!!!!!

I showed that KPj has a USG% equal to what Eric Gordon had when he
played next to Harden. We barely noticed when Gordon had the ball
back then.

22/23
27.7 USG% (Jalen Green)
25.8 USG% (KPj)

So in essence the Rockets can add a super star with high USG%.....and Jalen
Green can increase his USG% next season.

16/17 Harden 34.2 USG%
17/18 Harden 36.1 USG%.....CP3 24.5 USG% (injuries by CP3)
18/19 Harden 40.5 USG%.....CP3 22.5 USG% (injuries by CP3)
19/20 Harden 36.3 USG%.....Westbrook 34.4 USG%

Kevin Porter jr modeled his game to Hardens but he and the league understand
team sharing is more important than one or only two guys doing all the passing.
Rockets have stressed this to KPj and he accepts this. The only reason he is
handling the ball more is because Green, JC, Nix, EG, Tate are struggling to do more.

As that group improves and do more.....KPj will taper off with so much on ball action.
As planned prior to season. Let your Black Knight @$$ digest that....whatever you mean
by White Knight crap. I'm Hispanic and don't claim to be white.

 

@RudyTBag
Second (turnovers is a different discussion)
Harden first year noted as Point Guard by basketball-reference.com
was in 16/17 age 27..(recently posted an article that NBA players peak at age 27.7 y/o)

16/17: Harden: 34.2 USG%......5.7 TOV......19.5 (TOV%)

22/23: KPj.......: 25.8 USG%......3.7 TOV......17.3 (TOV%)

Do you really want to die on that hill? KPj is currently 22

 

@RudyTBag

Player................TOV%.......TOV per 100 poss.....USG%
Harden 16/17......19.5......................7.6......................34.2
Harden 17/18......15.1......................6.1......................36.1
Doncic 21/22.......15.3......................6.4......................37.4 (w/ Jason Kidd)
Doncic 22/23.......11.5......................4.9......................38.4 (w/Jason Kidd)
KPj 21/22.............17.7......................4.8......................24.1
KPj 22/23.............17.3......................5.2......................25.8


You remember getting your first beer but do you remember KPj last season?

KPj 21/22:
First 32 games: 3.7 turnovers per game
Final 29 games: 2.6 turnovers per game

KPj 22/23:
First 28 games: 4.0 turnovers per game
Last 8 games (excluding tonight): 2.8 TOV

We will sort out the turnover debate at seasons end

 

@RudyTBag

Are you hungry for more?

If you are going to take on the champ, you better prepare for more than
two rounds!!

I didn't want to waste all this good stuff on chumps like King1 or Astrorule
or these newbies that don't have any clout. I've been waiting on a big fish.

 

@RudyTBag

Let's talk drives, because that's the tell all among PG/Combo Guards

Current
Players........Drives....FG%.....pass......pass%.....Ast...Ast%....TOV.....TOV%
Harden...........13.8........44.7......6.0..........43.8..........1.5....11.0.......0.7.......4.8
Doncic............21.4........64.9......8.9.........41.8...........2.7....12.4.......1.1.......5.3
CP3..................9.3.........46.9......4.9.........52.2...........1.2....12.5.......0.5.......5.8
Brunson..........18.0........47.6......7.1.........39.5...........1.9....10.6.......0.9.......4.9 ($27.7M man)
KPj.................15.9.......45.0....*7.3........45.6..........1.7...10.5......1.1.......6.8
*KPj doesn't pass?....he has a higher pass% than Harden, Doncic, Brunson during drives

I did a post on drives before and Chop Shop did a video on the entire team
drives. I don't want to hear about the entire team with their little frequency.
**Needless to say I don't watch Chop Shop anymore**

I want to know how KPj is doing compared to guards or combo guards.
He is doing just fine!!!!!!! DUDE IS ONLY 22 AND IN HIS 2ND YEAR OF
PLAYING POINT GUARD! The other guys are truly vets of playing PG

His other turnovers are the refs stressing travelling league wide. KPj
wasnt getting it because of how much was on his plate but now understands
what the refs want more or less.

Others are those weak cross court passes and missing on touchdown passes.
Offensive fouls are turnovers. If he cleans up some of this stuff, then we golden.
I repeat.....he is only 22 years old.

https://www.nba.com/stats/players/drives

 

If he is going to lead, he better start LEADING by example you can't lolligag - hold yourself accountable FIRST - then your word means something.

DD

 

He was the worst player on the court tonight by far. And that’s saying something considering how poorly Jalen shot the ball and forced offense.

 

Yeah, I don't give a **** what that guy says. It's a traditional Houston sports quote passed on from shitty team to shitty team.

When I see him play PG, I'm just like EG.....standing in a corner, watching shitty play, and see this offense crater while he gets his 19/5/5.

....oh and what in the blue hell is this ****? Head honcho? Is this guy on crack?

 

Let's grab this part because I can't make heads or tails of much else that you wrote. Maybe someone can translate for me, and throw some visine my way for the bleeding eyes. Is it just me, or are many of your random stats totally unrelated to the points you are attempting to make?

So KPJ wants to share, and the Rockets want KPJ to share, but the rest of the roster is struggling?

That sounds like what DD has been saying and it is a very convenient take for many of our resident KPJ fans. As a huge KPJ fan myself, I'm afraid that I simply can't agree, but it seems to me that you and Stephen Silas are on the same page.

The system has been designed with the backcourt in mind. We attempted to start Kelvin Catonando over Alperen Sengun. What other evidence do you need? How often do we run a Princeton action with off-ball movement, taking advantage of Sengun/Usman's ability to see the floor, and KPJ/JG/Jabari's ability to attack off the catch? /Story...

I certainly hope so, but I doubt it. That might have worked for Chris Paul, a basketball genius, but even then we took our lumps getting it to work, with a HOF coach to boot. For KPJ's questionable basketball brain, that's a huge ask, and to say that it will happen with any certainty is foolish.

https://www.dictionary.com/browse/white-knight

 

He really sees himself as the alpha dog.

 

"I'm the head huncho"

 

Eric Gordon's usage you say, and leading the NBA in turnovers.

I mean, what else do we really need to say? The main culprit here isn't KPJ, it's Silas putting KPJ in situations that consistently explode his brain. A different system would greatly benefit him, one that doesn't rely so much on he and JG to create off the dribble.

 

He’s just tired from the holidays. The head honcho has to entertain non stop.

 

Had to have a chuckle in the 4th when the Rockets were cutting into the gap and went on a bit of a run.

3 out of the next 4 possessions KPJ plays absolutely atrocious perimeter 'defense' - if you can call it that - just lets his guy waltz right past him into the paint uncontested and 3 easy buckets for the Pels.

EDIT: aaaand CJ just goes straight in for a layup on KPJ. This guy's defense is hilariously bad.

 

A true Warrior takes on all challengers from chumps to newbies to big fish

 

Well he has seniority over the other young guns being they are like the 1st or 2nd youngest team in the league with old man Gordon the only actual competition but that was never his style

He also dictates who will get the ball for most part which we all know having that type of responsibility will manifest what type of energy flows thru the others especially if they get to touch the ball frequent, which is the job of the PG or the popular combo guard label to make sure it happens and set that tone of energy each game

And he has the supreme blessing from Stone/Silas, so in his world he is the alpha male for the lottery bound Rockets, kudos to KPJ

 

I definitely see the positives in KPJ's potential game, and I am happy with his overall development this year. He has done a great job on and off the court. The main difference we seem to have is that you think the rest of the team is struggling because they suck. I think they are struggling because of the way that KPJ is being used in the system we have selected to deploy.

JG/Jabari/Sengun are not comfortable. Eric Gordon is not comfortable.

KPJ is. Why is that? Because he is a better player?

(No...)