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ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Pelicans 10/14/2025 (Preseason)

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by Clutch, Oct 13, 2025 at 7:36 PM.

  1. anynameiwish

    anynameiwish Member

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    Maybe I sounded like I was bashing Capella, but it wasn't my intention. I wouldn't bash any NBA player. After all, these guys made it to the top league in the world in their profession, whereas I cannot even claim I'm in the top league in my town.
    My original comment was his salary being too high for his (current) production. But maybe, following the analogy above, I should shut up about that too, as I sometimes think my salary is too high for by production too. :)
     
  2. ashleyem

    ashleyem Member

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    Amen still has a long way to go before he can become a 20 ppg scorer.
     
  3. ashleyem

    ashleyem Member

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    Not much but unfortunately his trade hard-capped us. I love Clint but is he really that big of an upgrade from Landale or Dante?
     
  4. daywalker02

    daywalker02 Member

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    Capela is a Nostalgia signing.

     
  5. JW86

    JW86 Member

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    Nice W, though hopefully some of the issues are because it’s pre-season and not giving it 110%. I do not understand the issues people have with a double-big starting line-up, especially against the Pelicans. Some thoughts:

    1. Jabari is easily the MVP of the off-season and so happy to see the confidence is fully up. It definitely helps Jalen and FVV not being there gives us other guys an opportunity to create their own shot, drive and just get a shot up in general. I don’t mind the misses, this is Horry in 94-95 type of production. So happy to see his work and our faith in him pay-off.

    2. Senhub was in full effect at times, but for christ sake, can we study some Rick Adelman tapes to see how it works?!! Everyone just waiting on the outside and guys who cannot stretch the floor just cannot be in unless they set picks for others to get open. So please, Ime, get some of these guys to move to get open.

    3. KD was in chill mode, though I credit their defenders and our offense - double big line-up - for lack of space to work with. I can imagine he will plenty of nights where he doesn’t try too hard, also to save his body and we will even sit him to make sure he’s ready for the play-offs. This is why I don’t think we might necessarily get as many wins as last season. Also because it’s very clear our guys are not used to work with a KD, so often he was open and or asked for it as he was guarded. We either saw it too late, didn’t pass it to him, threw a bad pass or didn’t cut afterwards that left him under pressure.

    4. Our passing is really atrocious, hopefully that’s one of our priorities to work on. We just threw some horrible ones, crazily enough Reed is a big perpetrator of this, and just cannot get it over the top of their defenders. Also some just lazy, in the lane where they just don’t throw it correctly, some clear misunderstanding of the right angle, arch and knowing who’s in front or behind the guy they’re passing to. Also jumping in the air and passing last second, gotta got that out of our system.

    5. Tari was a breath of fresh air at times, but man he’s really looking to get his and or show he can be the guy huh? I can kind of understand and he does bring the hustle, also some very craft lay-ups that were kind of spectacular and he’s doing on the regular now (scoop ones on other side of the basket to shield it from getting blocked).

    6. Okogie with the two fouling of jump shooters, Aaron only getting 3rd string minutes, Reed with small man syndrome... our guard rotation is really ****.

    7. Capela has his moments, but ehhh…Adams was great, but he’s really slow.

    8. Davison tried to look for his shot a bit too much.

    9. Fast break defense, boxing out and keeping guys out of the paint was really an issue. Hopefully just pre-season.

    10. Amen was on and off, better decision making at times is necessary, but that 3 at the top of the key and FT shooting was beautiful. Also throwing that pest Alvarado to the ground. NOP commentators saying he threw a punch, luckily the refs kept their cool. He was merely throwing the guy off of him and swung his arms, so it’s whatever.
     
  6. Easy

    Easy Boban Only Fan
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    Core 5 efficiency last night (TS%):

    Amen 88%
    Reed 73%
    Jabari 67%
    Tari 61%
    Alpi 45%

    Total 67%

    Only Sengun wasn't scoring well. But he's been drawing double teams and dishing to open teammates, one of the reasons why we've been so efficient.
     
    OremLK likes this.
  7. SeldomSeenInLife

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    Landale's contract was $8M per season, if I remember correctly.
     
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  8. A_3PO

    A_3PO Member

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    KD isn't part of the "Core 5"?
     
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  9. MrButtocks

    MrButtocks Member

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    The core refers to the players we drafted, not the vets. Last year we had a Core 7. With Jalen and Cam gone we're down to Core 5.
     
    Easy likes this.
  10. Kevooooo

    Kevooooo Member

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    It’s preseason so I don’t take anything away from it. But I am concerned about our ability to move the ball around without FVV. KD is not going to want to be the primary ball handler for 3/4 of the game. Reed has looked good enough, but competition isn’t quite regular season level yet. Holiday looks to score anytime he touches the ball. Tari is often erratic and not a great playmaker or secure with the ball.

    I do think we should look to find some kind of veteran ball handler like FVV that can hit a decent amount of threes but most importantly is low turnover.

    when we are running, nobody can stop us. But if they pressure our ball handlers they could make it difficult for us to set up offense.
     
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  11. ipaman

    ipaman Member

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    Only with rim protection and lob threat which isn't nothing considering the front court lacks in those areas. Landale did stretch the floor better but I feel the rest of the roster can fill that void if necessary.
     
  12. j@amc

    j@amc Member

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    Yes, yes he is.
     
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  13. OremLK

    OremLK Member

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    Amen was insane last night. If it had been a "real" game, I would call it one of the best offensive games, per-minute, of his career so far. 2 for 3 from three (one of those above the break), 9-for-9 from the FT line really jump out. Hope it's a sign of things to come!
     
  14. Dankstronaut

    Dankstronaut Way, way out here.

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    Hard disagree. I think it pretty much comes down to usage. If they gave him Jalen’s usage it would be a lock, he might even push 25ppg if the shooting continues to improve.

    I think he’ll score more than 20 with great regularity this season.
     
  15. SeldomSeenInLife

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    Amen scores so many "cheap" points, and that's a really, really good thing. Easy layups off cuts, off ball movement, and drawing contact. Any athletic player can look like an all star in the fast break, but Amen is showing off an ability to score in the paint, and now behind the arc, that is impressive for a guy who came into the league laying more bricks than Juan Esponito's masonry company.
     
  16. Patience

    Patience Member

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    Yeah, Landale was terrible. Nice guy, but no lead was safe with him in the game. Capela may not make big plays anymore, but he is a basically competent rebounder and rim protector who can occasionally finish a play at the rim. That’s all we can ask for to buy some minutes from Adams and Sengun. Landale was unfortunately a big liability on the court.
     
  17. A_3PO

    A_3PO Member

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    I think Amen will master the art of regularly drawing fouls now that the ball will be in his hands more often. He could eventually end up shooting 6-7 FTs per game during the season.
     
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  18. bustamove

    bustamove Member

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    LOL that's a first calling Amen a bricklayer

    FVV and JG were bigger bircklayers for sure
     
  19. SeldomSeenInLife

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    Oh, I was mostly referring to his rookie season 3 point shooting. :)

    I love FVV, but the man often forgot that Jabari Smith Jr existed on nights when FVV and JG were shooting terribly.
     
  20. bustamove

    bustamove Member

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    he had bad percentage but he was only taking less than 1 attempt per game

    so he wasn't really missing alot compare to others
     

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