About this time last year everyone was screaming for Jalen to be benched. No need to write off Jabari just yet.
Conclusion. It is time, for JaBEARDi.. <I have no photoshop skills to provide an image for it. Bari with Abe Lincoln beard>
To those of you who continue to blast Udoka: The clock is ticking on Jabari. Udoka is pulling the rug slowly instead of knee-jerking. Jabari's minutes have come down significantly since the Golden State game (24 mpg since vs. 33 prior). As long as that trend continues, I'm fine with him continuing to start as long as Tari and Amen continue getting 25-30 mpg. If Jabari continues shooting 27% on wide-open 3s, he cannot remain a rotation player. Just be a little patient. Rockets have only played 11 games.
Many of the shots he's missing are wide open. He just needs to see a few drop to get his confidence back. I can't see Eason or Amen in the starting lineup at the 4. Just Bari's length defensively helps a lot more than any statistic can show. I'm sure of that.
I honestly don't know why Jabari has yet to be a 40% catch and shoot 3 guy yet because that was suppose to be the easiest development for him coming out of the draft. I saw him posting up in summer league last year and I see all those workout videos of him trying to be like KD, but my god he needs to be working on the fundamentals. He can be nearly a max player just by hitting 3s on a league average level and be above average on defense. Yet he's somehow failing in both regards despite his talent.
The only thing he can do offensively is a turn around mid range jump shot over a smaller defender. Can’t finish at the rim, can’t hit open jumpers, can’t create off the dribble. Huge offensive negative for the little he’s asked to do.
I think Udoka may have given Jabari a longer leash tonight because of the pathetic opponent. Let's see if this was an outlier. The trend is what matters. Secondly, who gives a care about Jabari's mins compared to Alpi's? Is this not a Jabari thread? What does Alpi have to do with it? How many mins do you want Alpi to play? 31 is slightly above his average. IMO, this viewpoint of revolving everything around Alpi is so distorted. I'm sick of hearing people say or imply Udoka disrespects him in any way. The Rockets just guaranteed him $185 million. He is not a victim.
No in order to be KD light you would have to get your own shot off the dribble. Jabari could never do that. He has always been catch and shoot or turn around jumper after getting a pass in the high post or walk up 3 in transition. The difference is in college he hit them at a high rate.
