Neither did you - don't tell me you were watching Washington Wizards basketball in 2013 and have detailed notes that you're using here. Anyway I don't have to watch or rely on your recollection of the 2013 Wizards. Neither do you! Green played last night and everything was on display - the good and the bad
https://theathletic.com/4192056/2023/02/16/rockets-jalen-green-sophomore/ […] But regardless of how many points Edwards amassed or who won the game, he’s remained one of Green’s closest friends and confidants in the league. After Green’s first game in the NBA — a nine-point effort against the same Timberwolves team — Edwards and Green met privately outside of the Target Center to unwind and talk. Edwards has always been a fan of Green’s scoring ability, and as a gifted athlete himself, he knows just how much untapped potential the 21-year-old has. It’s no surprise to see both of their career arcs often compared. But Edwards’ advice to Green, which has been consistent since that first meeting, has been about lessening the burden Green places on himself. “Just make the game easier,” Edwards told The Athletic. “That’s what I was telling him. Take easier shots. Sometimes, you gotta catch and shoot instead of taking a dribble step back, because I was the same way in my second year. But he’s growing. … Just like me, I’m still learning. Him and I are similar in that aspect, taking harder shots because we know we can make them. But once he makes the game easier (for himself), he’s gonna be super good.” […] “He’s a little more sure of himself this year,” Cavs All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell told The Athletic. “I love his game. For him, just putting on a little more weight and holding his own. But the biggest thing I would say is not being one-dimensional. Finding different ways to score, being active on both ends of the floor. Since he’s been in the league, it’s been losing seasons so not falling into those habits. This year he looks like more of a prolific scorer, the same kid that we saw in high school. Now it’s about meaningful buckets. Finding ways to impact the game at a higher level. But he has time for that. He’s going to be a special player in our league and I’m excited to see it unfold.” Green said hearing positive feedback from some of the league’s most prolific players continues to build his confidence and helps him mentally, even amid Houston’s struggles. “Ant and Donovan are great players,” he said. “Guys like that saying that about me and I’m younger than them, it means a lot. It means I’m doing something right and taking a step in the right direction. But all of that doesn’t matter if you’re not putting the work in at the end of the day.”
[…] Green’s first two years in the league are an interesting case study in the impact team success (or lack thereof) has on roster construction, coaching and the trickle-down effect on young players’ efficiency. For example, the Rockets, in all their woes, are about three points better offensively with Green on the floor versus him being off, a 73rd-percentile impact, according to Cleaning the Glass. That’s an important stat that shouldn’t be lost in the Green discourse — his team being better equipped offensively with him on the floor. For reference, Houston was 4.5 points worse with Green as a rookie. That’s real growth and a testament to his impact and overall gravity. But the rest of his advanced metrics aren’t particularly kind. Green has taken on more responsibility naturally, jumping from a 23.2 usage rate as a rookie (per Cleaning the Glass) to 28.6 this season — in line with the league’s upper echelon of players — but that hasn’t translated to efficiency or consistency. His effective field goal percentage is down from 51.1 percent to 48.3 percent. He’s shooting just 56 percent at the rim this year, which would place him in the bottom 20 percent of NBA players, down from a respectable 63 percent as a rookie. Diving deeper into those numbers, some elements of stagnation from his rookie year to his sophomore season make sense. The Rockets’ offense has been a mess. From miscommunication on simple reads and sets, to over-dribbling and poor shot selection, it’s been an uphill climb for Houston’s young players. When the Rockets are able to play quickly, attack and generate looks for Green, things are fine. He has an impressive 66.2 effective field goal percentage on shots taken early in the clock (between 22 and 18 seconds), according to NBA.com. But the longer it takes for a shot to go up, the worse his shooting gets. That number drops to 54.4 (18 to 15 seconds), 45.8 (15 to seven seconds), 41.3 (seven to four seconds) and 38.3 (four to zero seconds). It’s also evident in how long he holds on to the ball. Green’s effective field goal percentage is 57.3 on shots with no dribbles, compared to 44 percent with three to six dribbles and 43 percent on seven or more. His efficiency on wide-open shots (with the closest defender at least six feet away) is 56.8 which drops to 46.3 when a defender is tightly guarding him and 33.9 percent when he’s essentially smothered. Given that he’s a respectable catch-and-shoot weapon (52.1 effective field goal percentage), getting Green easier looks and developing his game without the ball in his hands should be the way to go. As his colleagues said, it’s about making the game easier for him. For a player who has operated one way his whole life, with the ball in his hands, making that transition can be tough. It’s like trying to rewire someone’s brain. But Green often talks about his desire to be among the league’s best, and his older role models — names such as Devin Booker, Jaylen Brown, Donovan Mitchell and more — show how that off-ball layer is necessary. “I gotta figure that out,” Green said. “I’m still in the learning process right now. I gotta be able to affect the game in other ways other than just being on the ball. Still learning how to be effective cutting, getting guys open. Sometimes, I’ll hit a kill cut here and there and guys will get an open layup. That’s all part of the process.” […] For the time being, making Green more efficient and a better off-ball player corresponds with giving starting center Alperen Şengün’s more responsibility. Houston’s offense is eight points better with Şengün on the floor and their overall effective field goal percentage goes up by 5.4 points, a 98th-percentile impact, per Cleaning the Glass. Şengün’s assist percentage is nearly 20 percent, an eye-popping benchmark for a second-year undersized big man. Şengün is a willing passer. Green needs to become a willing cutter and relocator. It will lessen his load and weaponize him in the right way. Green is so gifted athletically and moves with savvy that you wonder why it’s not a rinse-and-repeat action, but growth and learning takes time and reps. Kevin Porter Jr.’s return, which the Rockets hope won’t occur too long after the All-Star break, should also help if he’s willing to take on more of a creation role akin to Şengün. “He understands his place on the team as far as being a primary scorer for us,” Silas told The Athletic. “But he can’t do it by himself and he knows that. It’s hard to win a game as is and he’s understanding that he needs to rely on his teammates and he’s seeing that without Scoot on the floor, it really is hard.” […] Green’s made progress as a passer and downhill attacker, averaging more points, assists and free throws in his second year. Defensively however, it will take some time. The Rockets are eight points worse with Green on the floor, which is a difficult situation when one of your most important players isn’t quite physically capable of holding his own defensively. But he’s consistently working with the organization to bolster that part of his game. Green wants to work. He understands his position within this team, the standard they hold him to and what’s expected of him. Those closest to him consistently rave about his level-headedness. “Just staying confident through the highs and lows,” Green said. “Last year, when I was low, I would be (like that) for a lot of games. This year, my confidence is still there — no matter if the low points were low. My mindset, my mentality this year is a lot different.” Green’s ascension, just like any other teammate in Houston, is a hands-on process internally. He’s disappointed that Eric Gordon was traded, given that the 34-year-old was regarded as the most important factor in Green’s growth publicly and privately. But Green knows at the end of the day, the buck stops with him. It takes a village to raise an NBA child, but Green can go as far as he wants to in this league. “It’s on me to take that leap,” Green said. “But at the same time, lock in with my coaches and teammates. I can’t do it all by myself. Guidance, blueprint just to take that leap. It’s on me, but I have to do it with my guys too.”
I think if Jalen Green is taking 25 shots per game so that he can score 30 per game in 2028, it'll mean that the Rockets are still tanking....and that's a pretty depressing thought.
The relevant thing from this article - Green (and Cunningham) are now afterthoughts when it comes to discussing the top 21/22 draftees as this dude has Giddey, Mobley, Wagner, Banchero, Sharpe ahead of them
I understand the criticism but to tell the truth, free throw attempts is a very relevant category and turnovers would be led by KPJ if he was still playing due to his duties on the team. This tweet is misleading.
Some people, including those who don't have actual experience, think they're watching a player who only cares about keeping the ball and doesn't care about winning. Chapter 3 included some gossip from folks who believe we've got a terrible player. Watch out, though: that criticism is likely to increase this season. It's the same kind of talk that criticized Kobe for not grabbing enough rebounds or MJ for not giving out a lot of assists. They just don't understand the unique energy of this player. Apart from his rookie splash for about 40 games in the NBA, Jalen has crushed it in pretty much everything he’s set his mind to. Dude is super talented as a second-gen immigrant. He’s got style for days, can move like nobody's business, brings serious game as an athlete, and he's relentless both on the court and off. Coaches dig him as a learner. By the end of last season, he was losing points like a professional and even exhibiting some impressive defensive maneuvers, which a group of critics believed he couldn't do. This season? It looks like he has transformed into an excellent offensive force. give him the keys now and max him!!!
