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Jabari Smith Jr.

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by austinite, Apr 25, 2023.

  1. daywalker02

    daywalker02 Member

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    I never thought him as athletic, yeah he could dunk from time to time but he does not seem to have much hang time.

    He has a few shots up his sleeve but I am not seeing creativity out of him.

    His dad was just a fringe NBA player, he is probably an NBA starter at worst, that is already the high of the Smith family.
     
  2. invocux

    invocux Member

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    It's been exactly 81 games how is it mental? If it's really mental we are looking at a gargantuan loser that will never be able to turn things around. Maybe he should take xanax before games.
     
  3. AroundTheWorld

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    I want to say I am rooting for this kid. He cares. He should not beat himself up too much. Keep working, and you will improve.



    You can tell the losing is bothering him. I prefer that to someone laughing and being happy after a loss.

    And Alpi - our franchise player - is supportive of his teammate.



     
  4. j@amc

    j@amc Member

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    I think you're right. They've asked to extend his range out to the NBA 3-point line and his body just can't do it (yet). He's up against his physical limits.
     
  5. JayGoogle

    JayGoogle Member

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    The team kind of changed too, we got a bit smaller actually...we replaced KPJ with with FVV and KMJ with Brooks, both smaller players

    KPJ is not a small guard and KMJ was a big help on the boards and plays a lot bigger than Brooks does.

    Amen will help but he's really only being played for the experience right now. He really can't be played for long stretches of a game, hopefully this changes as the season goes on.

    This is why the team was really going after Lopez, team is pretty small. We need another 6'9 and above guy.
     
  6. Imanimal

    Imanimal Member

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    At his size he’s considered athletic by NBA standards. The hope is that he perfects his shooting which does actually have potential and becomes Kevin Durant lite. Will that happen….doubtful but the Rockets will keep rolling him out there as that was the purpose for drafting him. At this point of his career (which is very early) he sucks, but he will need to work his arse off in the offseason and perform next year which will be his last as a Rocket if he doesn’t start hitting open shots.
     
  7. Cstyle42

    Cstyle42 Member

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    1st game against Paolo... against a team that drafted a player that's not you causing you to be drafted 3.

    2nd game against Wemby another #1 pick that was happy he drafted by the Spurs and avoided playing with you.

    That garners enough edge you'd think but the reality is these guys are paid. I know we can say he's growing or developing but basketball is still basketball. Show up and play your game and finish teams off.
     
  8. Aruba77

    Aruba77 Member

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    Bari has the work ethic. And I think he’s learning mental toughness. I’ll admit that I’m concerned with the lack of touch on his shot. He is not as good of a natural shooter as I hoped. But he has the work ethic and the dog in him. There’s nothing stopping him from becoming a very good player. I don’t think he’ll be on Paolo or Chet’s level, but he has the tools to be a 2nd option on a good team. It’s only two games into year 2. I’m gonna hold my judgement on Jabari; he’ll turn it around.
     
    NewAge, AroundTheWorld and cmoak1982 like this.
  9. NewAge

    NewAge Member

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    the kid really cares. he’ll break through, I believe.
    However, others are right: this is not a development league, they are getting paid and they need to produce.
    Maybe have Jeff Green finish games until this kid sorts things out, that’s what I think they should do.
     
  10. prs325

    prs325 Member

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    i think he's missing Tari also
    He feeds off Tari
    Tari makes him better
     
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  11. invocux

    invocux Member

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    I know that look that's Colonel Kurtz from Apocalypse Now. This is "Is life really worth living?" look. He's starting to believe that he might not be the one he thought he was. "I'm doing everything i could but it's still not working. Maybe they are right maybe i'm just a below mid level NBA player and will always be." His demeanour screams "These men who fought with their hearts, who had families, who had children, who were filled with love... but they had the strength... the strength... to do that". He feels like a bug a pointless organism that needs to be exterminated for its own good. He is gone we lost him.
     
    #231 invocux, Oct 28, 2023
    Last edited: Oct 28, 2023
    AroundTheWorld likes this.
  12. YaoMac09

    YaoMac09 Member

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    Dude needs to do 2 things this season:
    1) Hit 3s above 35%
    2) Actually play good D

    Don’t worry about anything else before then. If he does the above he’ll at least have a role on a championship team instead of whatever he is right now.
     
    AroundTheWorld likes this.
  13. hlmbasketball

    hlmbasketball Member

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    Alpi is a really good dude, good teammate, I just wished he was taller or more athletic
     
  14. AroundTheWorld

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    Do you believe that Bari is 6'11?
     
  15. hlmbasketball

    hlmbasketball Member

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    I think he's more like 6'10. What makes him seem taller is he has a thin frame, Alpi is 6'9.5 - 6'10 but he has an elongated neck, so he's actually 6'9.

    It is what it is.
     
  16. AroundTheWorld

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    Who looks taller to you there?

    As to "I wish Alpi was more athletic" - he won a tip against Wemby yesterday, and he did this:



    Oh, and he had like 25/14/7 or something.
     
  17. prs325

    prs325 Member

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    People tend to slouch when defeated
    Jabari definitely shrunk
     
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  18. hlmbasketball

    hlmbasketball Member

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    Alpi can leap but he does not have the ability to duplicate it quickly. Recover!

    I measure athleticism by how quickly a player can recover? how quickly are they laterally? How fast can they get from the player they are guarding to help their teammate? THATS WHAT I DETERMINE AS BEING ATHLETIC IN THE NBA.

    You can look at Amen and Sengun and tell there are obvious differences athletically
     
  19. hlmbasketball

    hlmbasketball Member

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    Alpi can leap but he does not have the ability to duplicate it quickly. Recover!

    I measure athleticism by how quickly a player can recover. How quickly are they laterally. How fast can they get from the player they are guarding to help their teammate....THATS WHAT I DETERMINE AS BEING ATHLETIC IN THE NBA
     
  20. AroundTheWorld

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    Okay, I see the goalposts moving. Can Jokic do the thing you are now asking for? Jumping really quickly twice? Which center can actually do this?

    Surely, Amen and also someone like KMJ can do this better than Sengun, but also better than any center I can think of. Bari can't do it any better than Sengun.

    Here's a nice little video for you:

     

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