Amen needs a bigger role.

That and he has a great ability to get to the rim and is a great passer. People knock his ability to hit 3s but do we even have a good 3 point shooter on the Rockets?

 

Just funny to me from the period before the draft up until a few weeks into the season many fans rejected Amen and doubted him. These people mocked OTE calling it a “fake” league with “high schoolers”. They called Amen a 20 year old “playing against kids”. They said they found no value in him. But many are clamoring and praising him now. This to me represents the lack of in depth analysis and understanding of players and the game I have been cautioning about. It’s fair to be critical with a logical explanation backed with evidence. But the most disappointing thing about this is their hatred and resentment of these players when they don’t perform or their perceived lack of productivity or talent.

 

Amen would be ten folds better if he joined the Australian league......lelz no contest there.

The real Stephen A does not complain, he doles out.

 

I was looking for an Amen thread to post about his last night's performance, glad I found this thread and your post.

Amen is an insane prospect. I didn't imagine it at the draft, because I was iffy on his league, but he's worth every bit his hype, and then some.

He's just so quick, and can cover so much ground insanely fast. He has a knack for the ball and plays hard, and he sees the game at an elite level on both ends. Defensively, he's already impressive. He gets deflections, steals, generally is very agressive and disruptive. He's also a good weak side rim protector. He will be an All-NBA first team defense guy in his prime.

His shot and (strangely) his dribble need work, and they are severely lacking right now. But despite that, he's already a high-impact winning player. He cuts, moves well off the ball, and is going after rebounds so he's still useful on offense even without the shot. He also sees the floor extremely well. Just a guy that plays the right way, has elite vision, and is an athletic freak. He's not a jumper like Jalen, or powerful like Cam, but moves better than both of them.

Last night's game, even though it was against the Hornets, was a good sneak peek of what to expect from Amen in the future. He played 1-4 both on O and D, and played well. That is so huge for us going forward, because he will bring so much versatility on the court, and he could allow for some unorthodox but very effective lineups on the floor. He was so good that he probably would've had a triple double if he played more in the 4th.

I really like the chemistry between Cam and Amen, that's a big part of our bench and will perhaps be a big part of our future starting 5.

I'm liking the Amen pick more and more with each passing day. Definitely the best non Wemby player in the last draft. With enough touches and a tighter handle, he will be a nightly triple double threat.

 

You just proved my point. Nothing about what Your snarky response has any value. What was the intent of your response? Just mindless shi+

 

The play when Amen almost lost the ball and then hit Cam with a perfect pass cutting for an easy dunk shows both his weakness (ball handling) and his strength (vision and quick instinct).

 

There will be more minutes available once Jalen is traded or benched after the trade deadline. Cam and Amen both need more minutes.

 

They did a couple possessions this game. To quote Scola he looked OK.

 

Just cuz Amen turned out well doesn't mean OTE wasn't a fake league with high schoolers. Look how raw both Amen and Ausar are skill wise, it's cuz they played against kids that only came up to their chest and had their way with everyone for 2 yrs. It's the same issue with Jalen Green, Jonathan Kuminga and Scoot Henderson. Both OTE and GLI objective is to showcase prospects for the draft and not to win games. So these kids don't get the proper training and competition and come into the league shellshocked and lacking the proper training and fundamentals. Just compare Brandin Podz to Scoot Henderson, both got 2 yrs of development in their respective leagues but the difference is night and day.

IMO Rox drafted Amen despite OTE not because of it.

 

Doubt Green will be traded or benched. They stuck with him when he was playing like a scrub so they gonna stick with him now that he is trending up.

 

Not really my point. I already explained in depth months ago that OTE wasn’t just composed of high schoolers. But the point of my post is the lack of assessment of his game and any player that a lot of these fans criticize. The skill and talent was there. And Amen signed with OTE when he was in high school bypassing his senior year. But fans didn’t know that did they? Anyway his passing, court vision, and ability to explode off the dribble was there. But fans didn’t necessarily look at this but kept focusing on “high schoolers” which isn’t even true. Amen was a high schooler himself and not all of the league or most even were high schoolers. There were several 20 year olds from U17 teams etc and professional players there. A lot of fans didn’t do much evaluation of his decision making, physical abilities, poise etc but instead the site was filled with derogatory comments and judgement for OTE filled with myths and misinformation.

 

So his trade value is trending up eh? Nice.

 

Absolutely he does.

I've seen more contribution from Amen toward winning in his past few games, than I've seen in Green's entire career. Including his one good game yesterday.

There's a stark difference between Jalen hunting rebounds (when he remembers do... that whole zero rebound game and all) and Amen having an instinct for the ball and seemingly nearly always in the right spot at the right time.

Both can't shoot worth a damn.

One moves off ball and opens up a vital attribute from the team's best player. The other doesn't.

One also is one hell of a defender already in his rookie year. The other... the less said the better.

I am all aboard the one of Cam or Amen need to be in the starting lineup for Green asap - a backcourt of them in a couple of years? Good golly. Because you can already tell in their rookie year alone - they've improved and making strides. Still year three for someone and ahh that just doesn't happen.

 

We are lucky he is having a few good games so close to the trade deadline. Hopefully it will entice a GM to try out the fools gold that is Jalen Green. We already know 100% for sure he is trash.

 

My hope is that in the second half of this season, Thompson and Whitmore are getting around 18 to 20 minutes a night and making solid contributions to the second unit, while the team stays in contention for the play-in spot.

If this is how it turns out, I'd say their rookie seasons werea great success.

 

Hope he gets better at scoring the basketball though.

We should gradually get way from relying on Green.

 

I think he already has the green light to attack the basket - they've already said he's been asked to be more aggressive. He's not a guy that looks to score 30 a night. I'm not sure he even cares about scoring 20 a night. The problem is that this current Rockets team needs some scoring/shooting. His drives have been stymied a lot of the time by either poor ballhandling and/or just being cut off or defended well on the attack to the basket (as well as not getting calls that were obvious fouls). He's still learning when to attack and when not to, obviously, so hopefully it'll all work out. Just like with Cam, there's nothing to worry about yet.

 

Amen been acting weird here, you're a rook u supposed to be clowned on by the fellas who has been here longer than u. He seemed pissed lol

 

He had a stretch there where he made several good-to-great passes in a row.