It’s nuts - SGA just dropped 40 going 2-11 from 3 with 8FTs lol Williams 11 FTs We can only wish we have 2 players to get over 6FTs a game
Even if the refs don't want to help us, give us Chet Holmgren and Amen/Green can do that. No one will be able to regularly stop them from getting to the rim if the rim protector is outside the paint. We usually have the opponent rim protector in the paint and a second guy sagging off someone ready to help faster than other help defenders. It's a knife fight in there for us. Without Chet, OKC was 23rd in TS% and 16th in Offensive rating, pretty much like us this season. At that time their C's were not stretch 5's, they were not serious vertical threats and they weren't excellent screen setters. They just took up needed space in the paint if they didn't have the ball. Despite being the 9th best 3pt shooting team in the NBA, they couldn't overcome that. Despite having a superstar scoring 31ppg on 64.1 TS%. When you run into a packed paint and you've been the aggressor all game, they're not going to call fouls. Whether I find it fair or not, I know they won't call those for us.
I agree with this post except that Zach Lavine and Tyler Herro are both much better players than Jalen Green. Peak Bradley Beal was also much better. Current Bradley Beal is significantly worse. Jalen is a useful NBA player. He can score and isn't terrible on defense. There is way too much Jalen Green love around here though. There is also way too much Jalen Green delusion and hope. Jalen's true shooting percentage as a rookie was .547. Jalen's true shooting percentage this season (with much more talent around him) is .547. If he continues at this trajectory is TS% in 3 years will be.....547. That's not very good. Neither is Jalen Green. I also get tired of posters telling me about Jalen's defense based on their "eye test". Jalen's defense has improved a lot but it's gone from bad to below-average. I have yet to see an advanced statistic indicating Jalen is an above-average or even average defender. He is clearly the worst defender among our top-7 rotation guys. A below-average defender who is inefficient offensively is not a good player. The fact that he is not good while playing every single game is not really that great a thing either. The Jalen Green extension was a mistake. Jalen would be very valuable to a rebuilding team like the Nets where he can provide some exciting moments tor a fanbase that needs hope. For a team with playoff intentions, he's a dud. Jordan Poole is clearly the most similar player in the NBA to Jalen Green. Jalen is less bad at defense but less efficient offensively. Neither makes very good decisions. Hopefully, Jalen will be playing for Phoenix next season an Devin Booker can show our fans what a good NBA 2-guard looks like. Hopefully, Jalen turns it around and finishes the season strong. I would love to be wrong about the future. What Jalen has done this season though isn't particularly encouraging.
He is what he is. I think both extremes on either side are bad or toxic. Jalen hasn't shown anything that would lead anyone to believe he's going to be a superstar or a star. His style of play is unsustainable and susceptible to hot streaks and cold stretches. Which is why his average always seems to even out at the same spot every year. I absolutely hate modern Twitter analysis of "in his last 17.375 games he's averaging hurr durr". He's averaging what he's averaging. That applies to everyone. Not just Jalen. I think his defense is about level with Sengun (in that it's not good but when he tries it's fine). He's better than Jordan Poole and I do think production wise about level with Lavine. If Jalen was given more free reign, he'd average what Lavine does. He's not allowed to be as free, thus his points are lower but the team is better. Which is ultimately why I hate the SG archetype. It's like a short stubby wing. And doesn't have the ball control of a PG like Brunson. I'm low on Anthony Edwards for what it's worth for this reason. Give me a Brunson or a Cade any day over an Edwards who is a gunner first and a passer a distant second. If you're going to have someone like that, someone like Edwards (or even worse Jalen Green) is a half measure. Someone like Brandon Miller or Kevin Durant is a much better solution. They're taller and can defend more positions. I don't think he holds almost any real trade value. Like if you're the Suns, is getting Jalen moving the needle for you at all? You're going from Booker to faster worse Booker. What would you rather have? Your picks back + Jalen or your picks back + Reed or your picks back + Cam? Does Jalen + Picks have way more value than just the picks alone? I think his value is trading him to someone like the Raptors or Nets for a role player and maybe a protected FRP and some seconds.
Lavine has a true shooting percentage of .633 which is elite for a guard. If Jalen were that efficient, he would be our franchise player. Jalen is more durable and obviously younger- both are valuable traits. He has the potential to be significantly better defensively. He's just not there yet. We are better than the Kings because the talent around Jalen is better than the talent around Lavine. Sengun is a much better defensive player than Jalen. Several tiers above. Jalen is the only below-average defender among our top-7 guys. Jalen would have trade value to certain teams. Not all teams have the same goals. Some teams make calculated decisions to lose to improve their drafting position. All teams want to maintain fan interest and excitement even when tanking. Jalen can be amazing to watch. He would be a great first offensive option on a tanking team. He still has All-Star potential even if I think it's unlikely. If Phoenix decides to rebuild and could reclaim their draft picks, Jalen would be a terrific fit for their situation.
Lavine is underrated now haha but yeah he chose some below average teams..... Lavine's forte is long range shooting, I don't see him being special in other areas now that his athleticism is going to fade gradually..... Green is not a shooter. Period.
Sengun Jabari Tari Dillon Green Green as full-time PG this game. Brooks/Tari/Bari can't handle the ball much so we're REALLY going to see what happens when you put the ball in Jalen and Alpi's hands. Magic a very good defensive team too. Good test for Jalen.
Jalen Green turning a rough start into a great half is pure mental toughness. Udoka turning JG and Alperen into some demons.
I wanted it gone for the longest time. But now I admit it's absolutely hilarious watching it disappear to page 10 for a week or two, then miraculously it appears again with the usual suspects acting like they haven't been MIA for the longest time and as if it was only last game they made a similar post praising Jalen. Rinse and repeat.
Feels like Jalen is getting more and more comfortable in the pick & roll with Alpi and Steve-O. His shot has absolutely deserted him these past few games, but I really do like what I'm seeing from him as a creator since Fred's been gone. As a playmaker, is he perfect? Hell naw. Is he good? Debatable, I guess. But I believe he's definitely noticeably improved in this area and these reps are going to really help him going forward, even as his playmaking responsibility returns to normal after our other ball handlers come back. And plus, when his shot comes back, it's not like he'll forget the things he's learned in this stretch, so I'm excited for that!
I actually like how he has been playing. FG% be damned, we have zero play-making guards, and JG has done an admirable job with the added responsibility. Fred does a lot of **** on defense too that goes unheralded, and JG has had to try and pick up some of that slack. Isn’t always pretty, but JG is hanging tough. Alperen too. I am pleased with both.
I think this season has proven that both Jalen and Alpi can hang with the big boys--and be integral parts of a winning team. I have faith that one or both of them will take the next step very soon, and even if not they can be wonderful complimentary pieces that can swing any playoff series.
One thing I do not think is really mentioned much in this thread is that the overall talent in the NBA has declined from the prime Lebron/Steph/KD era, so a guy like Jalen Green when compared to what we saw 10-15 years ago is kind of an average player, but when compared to younger guys today he stands out a bit more. This year we have seen Harden and Steph drop 50 point games, Lebron at 40 years old has pretty much the same stat line as he did at 27 and will finish top 5 in MVP voting, KD is still the best player on the court most nights and it is not close. CP3 is nearly 40 and still starting, Curry at 37 is still an elite super star. We were accustomed to a group of guys that dominated for the past 15-20 years that will go down as some of the best players ever, the bar was set pretty high.
