Oh no doubt I agree with you. It's embarrassing in this instance, it's embarrassing in Westbrook's instance and it was embarrassing on the occasion they did it for Harden.
I like that the turnovers are decreasing little by little and that with an actual shooter on the floor in Mathews his assists are up. On the scoring front, someone needs to have an intervention with him and make him realize the step back 3 isn't for everyone.
Yes it is a nice gesture. But on a higher level, it is very problematic that young players in a bottom team are obsessed with their stat line so much(and it is not even a stat). This is a mindset and it is not a winning mindset. On the other hand, the rebound stat is almost useless at the point simply because teams mostly prefer to run back, rather than chase an offensive board. Since it is a traditional stat, it is kept but it does not carry much weight. I am hoping the rebounds where there is no competition will not be counted at some point. (and rebounds have less of an impact on the game, than points scored or assists anyway) Regardless, when you start to care about your stat line too much, it starts to hurt team. Some players do not take their chance for a long three buzzer beater at the end of quarters even in close games. That might be less harmful, though the next step is prefer not to pass if it does not lead to an assist or more commonly dump the ball to another player with shot clock winding down, rather than the correct play. It is not conicidence that Westbrook is not a winning player. His mentality is utterly wrong from a team and winning perspective.
I agree to an extent but for a team that just lost 15 in a row, I think you celebrate even the small wins. It's not like KPJ got 5 rebounds that way - he got a single rebound cheaply. Let's not make a mountain out of a molehill - appreciate the team wanting to celebrate each other's accomplishments in an otherwise dismal season. This isn't indicative of a larger plot to focus on stats over wins....just cheap fun for a team that needs it to prevent the losing culture from being toxic.
They had dam near drag him to get that last rebound he was not even looking to get it. So that shows you he was not even worried about a stat line, you are just looking for a reason to complain, the fact that he was not in there fighting for that rebound shows how of base you are.
He is improving and that is all you can ask of any player. His turnovers were a problem, he got that and cut them big time. His assts are going up. He’s looking for his shot less and for Woods more. Also looking for all other teammates. Helps that Theis is out He’s picking his spots more wisely but is still shooting poorly and just not making winning plays when driving to the basket, that’s where the next improvement needs to happen which I think he can do. After that he needs to work on three ball and midrange, the world is his oyster if he can capitalize.
I normally wouldn't like that type of stuff, as blatantly obvious as that one was, but it was KPJ's first triple-double. He deserved it, and he wasn't really even chasing the rebound. His teammates had to tell him to go get it.
yep i would like him to be more decisive in drives, more aggressive attacking the rim, then again his finishing around rim often looks real suspect
Yet THESE Rockets in THIS starting lineup ARE winning. And they are having fun doing so. Just because YOU do not like the aesthetic means jack. I will take my Rockets beating teams by double digits over your perceived winning mindset.
OP Comment: Definitely seeing a huge difference between his level of play and team energy/morale now compared to what I saw that day in Denver. Like these guys legit acted like they had no love for each other on the sideline. Now they all look and play like brothers. Night and day difference. This KPJ is what I imagined I was going to see when the season started.
Yeah, they genuinely seem to like each other and they still play hard which I have to give credit to Silas for if nothing else. I have actually watched games this year which I did not think I would.
Not mentioned much at all but Sengun having the awareness and then “assisting” on a rebound just shows he is a next level assist guy.
The smart posters can see that this applies to one Jalen Green, too. It is cliche, but trust the process. Finally we have shooters out there, and our Wood/Sengun C combo is really nice. I still find it highly concerning that it took Silas 15 games to figure out something so basic.
