I'm okay with Amen coming off the bench as long as JG is playing well

Because Manu proved he was better off the bench. Amen has shown is he much better with the starters. He complements Green and Sengun perfectly, helping them unlock their potential. The comparison is silly.

And, I’ll say it — Manu was overrated. He got a ton attention because he was such an unusual case. Amen, conversely, has the highest ceiling on the team. The idea of benching him now that he’s show his upside with Green and Sengun is ludicrous.

 

I want Sengun, Sengun and Sengun playing the most..... They are our best prospects and franchise players.....

 

Our and Jalen's offense are peaking with Amen starting 5 games. The theory that 3's would help more doesn't even have a 1 game sample behind it. And I typically believe that theory.

Something is different. The efficiency we're losing from lack of spacing is being made up somewhere else: that's a fact for this stretch. We can debate what it might be, but factually it's happening.

So if this persists, Amen is going to be in the 0.01% of perimeter players who's so impactful outside of his shooting that it can cover the shooting efficiency gap.

I can't fathom how you go to Amen and say: though you're defeating the prediction I'm still going to bench you because I want to give Jabari a second chance to prove me right.

It's just not going to make sense if we win at a better rate with Amen. I'm not sacrificing a single win for a theory. I'd rather sacrifice games by empowering creators other than Sengun and FVV. That has way more potential for us than going back to that disgusting offense we've been running.

Jabari should beat Brooks out. In truth, that's the player in his role. Amen is going to be adding something that no one on the roster can do. We've practically changed the system.

 

lol

 

Had the Spurs brought Duncan off the bench, that would have improved spacing. I wonder if they considered that?

 

This team fully consolidated might look like a team that has like a 8 man rotation with 7 dudes playing 30+ minutes a game with some combo of the core 7 getting those 30 minutes and maybe one other vet.

The problem with that type of rotation is if injuries happen dudes who haven't sniffed playing time in a while are all of a sudden asked to do a lot.

 

FVV/Jalen/Dillon/Jabari/Sengun is the starting 5 for the rest of the year so long as they are healthy. There won't be any changes to the starting lineup this year and there doesn't need to be. It's an evaluation year and Amen's performances in Jabari's absence are definitely going to factor into that evaluation. So many things will get looked at this offseason when there's time and another draft pick to dangle.

 

Great point! We already have seen what Amen off the bench looks like so now when Jabari comes back we get to see how that works. He would probably get more looks offensively too.

 

I'm okay with Gehrig coming off the bench as long as Pipp is playing well.

 

I love when guys with no idea what Ime is thinking make definitive statements like this. If the Rockets keep winning and their offense playing like it is now, why would they mess with it. Amen is scoring better than Jabari, rebounding better than Jabari, and plays better defense and passes better than Jabari. Jalen plays better with Amen than with Jabari. It's just a really bad take.

 

Can one of you stat guys compare Jalen's numbers when Amen starts vs. when Amen comes off the bench? Jalen's hot streak last year coincided with Amen going into the starting line-up. I don't think it's a coincidence.

 

Jabari should be the occasional starter depending on matchups and Amen is his replacement.

 

i think jabari as the sixth man is the way to go. he can sub in for any of the starters and we maintain team balance.

 

He will take Fred’s spot next year with Reed backing him up. There’s no rush this year, Jabari should start when he comes back.

 

....statements like that make me not want to listen to another word you say. I lived outside of San Antonio during the Manu years and caught a lot of their games - if anything he was underrated. He was the ultimate team player - if the team needed a stop, he would somehow be involved in getting one, if a team needed a score, he probably hits some impossible shot to get a bucket....if a team needed a rebound, he would somehow end up with it. He kind of had that Larry Bird thing where his nose of the ball was such that he was always the guy making the big plays when the team needed it the most....but he wasn't a scorer, a defender, a rebounder, etc. He just exploited the opponents weaknesses and did whatever his team needed in the matchup. Probably one of the smartest/craftiest players I have ever seen outside of Bird. The Spurs don't become a dynasty without him - bottom line.

 

That's all fine. Doesn't mean he wasn't overrated.

Let me ask you this -- who was more important to the Spurs' dynasty, Duncan or Manu? I'm not saying they don't win like they did without Manu. I'm saying they don't win anything without Duncan.

This is all being discussed within the context of whether or not Amen should come off the bench. The point I'm making is the the proper comparison isn't to Manu, but rather Duncan, who was their franchise player because that's Amen's upside.

 

I agree, I can't imagine how bad Fred would have to play to get them to sit his max ass down. And Jalen is showing some consistency, hoping it holds up over the rest of the season. There's a snowball's chance in hell that Fred's option is picked up this summer and I think that's when we'll see our next evolution. Personally I'm hoping to see Amen-Jalen-DB-Jabari-Alpe get the nod. By the time Amen's ready for the bag Brook's contract will be expiring. Maybe you're just sliding Reed into the starting line then too? That's way down the line but Reed-Jalen-Amen-Jabari-Alpe would be a crazy ultimate goal lineup.