Good game by TJones. I think I see what the OP is doing. Trying to reverse-jinx by posting threads about TJones sucking after good games. Keep it up OP.
5 boards isn't very good, especially since a third of Jones' minutes came when Dwight was on the bench. And it was actually 4 rebounds. One of his offensive rebounds should've been credited as a steal b/c the defender got the rebound, dribbled it off his foot, and the ball rolled to Jones. Rebounding is still a huge problem for him. He doesn't seem interested in it. When a shot goes up, he doesn't run to the basket. Even when lining up during someone else's free throw attempt, he doesn't try to get in the paint. Last night, when Dwight was shooting free throws, Ariza consistently ended up with better rebounding position than Jones. In the past few games, he's been more productive offensively b/c he's playing within himself. When he's been able to get a defensive rebound, he's been looking to outlet and run the floor instead of dribbling up the court himself. The other night against Dallas, he got a defensive rebound, and he didn't throw an outlet pass. As he was holding it, Wes Matthews came up behind him and stole it. And for the most part, he's stopped trying to take people off the dribble and is letting his teammates create shots for him. Last night, I think his only one-on-one move came when he was being guarded by Rudy Gay, and that was in the post.
He's been playing with much more focus and consistency the past few games. He's too inconsistent and passive for stretches, will and should be moved.
TJ has been outstanding since going to the bench. It's going to be hard for DMo to find meaningful minutes as a back-up as long as TJ continues to play they way he is playing. I'm not sure how cemented Capela is as the starter but him and Dwight on the floor together seems to be working pretty damn well so I'm not sure DMo supplants him as the starter either. Having said all of that, it's a long season and DMo IS the Rockets best low post player on offense and a damn good post defender. It's almost unthinkable that he will not become a major part of the rotation once he is back in game shape.
Dwight gobbled up a lot of rebounds and we have guards and small forwards who rebounds the ball pretty well. There is only one ball so our PF's won't grab them like you want them to. They will occasionally snatch 5-10. Oh and Capella gobbles a lot of rebounds as well. Yeah he needs to stick to what he does best.
"My teammates like to rebound so I won't bother" isn't an acceptable excuse. He can get away with that mentality against weaker teams, but in the playoffs, it's a huge liability.
Jones is the best rebounding PF we have, while his rebounding numbers have been down a little this season for his overall career numbers he certainly isnt below average at rebounding. I wouldn't say rebounding is a problem for Jones. He's also placed on the wing while the offense runs, any PF we have must be sitting at the 3pt line and rebounding numbers (offensive) will take a hit. And depending on whether or not he is defending a stretch 4 (Gay/Casspi) should be taken into consideration.
Dmo is a much better rebounder than Jones. You can't look only at the box score. You have to look at how they play. Dmo will box out his man so if he doesn't get the rebound, he at least prevents his opponent from getting the rebound. Jones simply doesn't pass the eyeball test. He doesn't hustle for rebounds, and if you're watching him, it's pretty clear. Last night, on offense, Jones and Ariza found themselves at the 3 pt line pretty often. When a perimeter shot is taken, Ariza runs to the basket. Maybe the rebound will bounce his way, maybe it wont. But at least Ariza gives himself a chance. Jones prefers to stay at the 3 pt line and watch.
I'm sorry but you can absolutely trust stats when it comes to two players playing the same position with the same amount of minutes on the same team. Saying Dmo is a equal is false, saying Dmo is "much better" is a plane lie. Just because Jones doesn't pass your biased eyeball test doesn't mean he doesn't hustle for rebounds, I see him hustle for rebounds plenty. He is simply based off his career numbers compared to Motiejunas, clearly a supperior rebounder. If anything, Motie played a lot last season without Howard, his rebound numbers should have went up but instead they went down from the year prior. Motiejunas is a borderline below average rebounder, and that's a problem if he wants to get a big multi year contract, bigs have to rebound well.
Absolutely wrong. Not only are you failing to consider the other 4 Rockets on the floor, but consider these situations: A perimeter shot is taken by the Rockets. When the shot is released, Dmo runs to the basket, but is unable to get the offensive rebound. A perimeter shot is taken by the Rockets. When the shot is released, Jones doesn't move and watches the opposing team get the rebound. Stats don't capture intangibles like hustle or boxing out. That's exactly what it means.
So you're saying its a statiscal anomaly that Jones consistently grabs more rebounds per game, despite them playing the same position on the same team, and with similar minutes, and with a fairly large sample size? Motiejunas may hustle more according to your eyeball test, but he obviously must not have the instincts or athleticism or strength to actually grab the rebounds. But I guess you can give him an A for effort?
Not statistical anomaly. Jones goes for rebound instead of boxing out which helps individual stats, but hurts team.
TJones isn't bad by any stretch. He just isn't consistent game to game or play to play. He has a versatile skill set with below average bball IQ. I wouldn't be upset if we kept him the entire season if nothing worthwhile could be had.
WTF? Of course stats can capture hustle and boxing out. Those aren't "intangibles" at all. Some of you seem to think that "stats" or "analytics" are just about looking at traditional metrics like shooting percentage, rebounding, etc in a new way, but that couldn't be further from the truth. With motion tracking technology now installed in every arena, and some teams actually building that tech into the unis themselves, things like boxing out, hustle, being in position defensively, and defensive effort can be measured and broken down according to lineup, type of play being run, gametime, whether a team is up or down and by how much, and on and on and on. Every time I hear "stats can't measure that" I laugh. There are very few things that stats can't measure these days, assuming the data capturing technology and the algorithms used are solid. <BR>
Wait, the other guy says Jones just stands around, you say he goes hard directly for the ball on the rebound, but doesn't box out. You Jones haters need to get your story straight.
Ive already explained why I disagree. But I just want to highlight your logic.. Both scenarios lead to the same output, so whats the difference?? Is it Dmo likes to waiste his energy? Perhaps Jones can is focusing on getting back to stop transition D quicker? Either way neither gets a rebound but Jones still averages more rebounds which still means he's a better rebounder...
