Jordan didn’t explode til Pippen got there… Jalen didn’t explode until Amen got there…? Don’t flame me I’m just giddy with homer glasses at the moment.
Also want to point out FOR THE SEASON Jalen Green has a higher scoring efficiency than the universally praised Jalen Williams with also a higher scoring average.
Oh no, so you're saying Reed Sheppard won't be Michael Jordan? How heartbreaking for anyone who thought that....
I always felt by your third year you develop into who you are going to be for the rest of your career. Jalen reached that late into year 3 and he's in full force now in year 4. Jalen has arrived. We have a star.
All of this is fair, and I'm glad we haven't traded him. But for those expecting a mysterious dip in performance, I hear them too. He will keep his variance, career-wise, and we can just hope to decrease the depth of the valleys. Maybe Amen really does help him somehow.
For young dudes especially on win now teams like this where coaches are up your butt if you relax for a moment on defense, these type of peaks and valleys for someone as talented as Green but lacks the conditioning and experience on high expectation teams is expected. If my theory of his cardio conditioning is improving because of Ime's coaching style, he is starting to get used to the level of defensive effort combined with still having energy on offense to have a more consistent jumper. Hopefully. But make no mistake, in the modern era of guards hoisting up 8 threes a game regularly, Green will have bad shooting games. As long as it's just sprinkled in between multiple high level games like this, then we know "he's made it".
The answer is actually extremely simply and obvious... -This is the best he's ever played in any season in his career on both ends... -This is most "good" games he's ever had in any season in his career... -If there's one consistent trend outside this season in regards to "good Jalen".... It's that he plays his best post all-star break... His averages have always been good post ASB the first 3 seasons... Well if that's true this season.... Then given how he's already played better than ever since late November.... Well then you're cooked.
Nah Jalen figured out how to be more focused... he improved his mindset and is reading the game better... And making more shots now.
So you think he's turned the corner then? You think this is for sure this time? He still isn't at his averages he had his second year. He's at his highest FG% and 3P% (due to this hot streak). So just so I'm clear....you think that Jalen has finally figured it out and will be playing like this superstar version of himself moving forward? People have plenty of reasons to doubt him. I'm not sure why that's even a question. I'm not hoping he's done this or that. I'm just assuming the shoe will drop because it always has. His March stretch was longer and better than this one. I'm glad he's playing well. I'm just not dumb enough to blindly believe he's "figured it out" when history has always shown otherwise with him. I'm not going to bang a drum the minute he has a cold game or two either. I judge him by his body of work only. Not his cold stretches or his hot stretches. By his averages. And right now, they're fine. Let's see if next year he's actually at 25 PPG on 45%/35%/85%. Who knows....he might get there this year. He probably won't though. I'm a realist. Not a blind optimist. He's improved for sure. But he isn't there yet.
Growth and progression isn't linear... He's 22 years old... You don't just look at averages... Is he building upon his good performances from the prior season? Yes unquestionably.... Is the process getting better? Yes... What's the quality of these "good" performances? He's still nowhere near his "prime"... If Jalen were to continue playing like this "superstar" level he's been since the New Year... Then he's a top 10 player this season lol... it's more realistic he's able to maintain what he's been doing the past 20+ games as far as averages go.... And that's an all-star level perimeter scorer. And as I already said... If there's one thing that's been consistent about Jalen in past seasons... He plays his best post ASB... if that holds, then you can reasonably expect another boon to the averages and efficiency you're looking at.
For this season he is averaging 22 points per game on 43/36/88 and TS 56%. Pretty much career best numbers across the board, and not exactly outlier numbers either. The only real outlier is his free throw shooting percentage at 88%, which could just be a fluke, or an indicator of improved shooting mechanics and focus which is also why he is also shooting a bit better everywhere.
He is only 22 lol, its crazy people expect consistency at his age. People who are good from day 1 are generational talents, for other players it take them longer to develop the discipline, maturity and work ethic necessary to have that kind of consistency.
