ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Bulls 12/26/2022

The difference is Washington instead of Nix.

 

Gobert trade would be worse.
DeAngelo Russell Trade.
CP3 for Westbrook.

 

Actually if Jalen didn't bank in a lucky 3 late in the 4th you would have actually OVERESTIMATED it!

Some of that was on Jalen though.
I knew he couldn't stay white hot from 3pt land for long and the 2nd half he was either missing step-back 3's or driving to the hoop 2 or 3 times, but I thought he finished kind of weakly and missed them.

I'll give him this though.
I saw KPJ, Jabari and even Alpie ignore Jalen on the break when he was out in front of everyone (on the right side) and Jalen STILL didn't return the favor and ballhog or freeze anyone out.
He was passing to the open guy, often setting up players for excellent looks and alley-oops..
I also saw at least 3 or 4 passes he made where the guy just couldn't quite finish but got fouled.
That doesn't show up in the stat sheet but it's a winning type play.

Jalen has flaws to his game but willingness to share/pass and vision are not one of them!

 

Silas continues to play Matthews over Josh. He doesn't realize how important it's to give him minutes when Green is struggling. Eric Gordon is important, he does get too many minutes over KJM though.

PS: Offer Tate and the Bucks pick for Patrick Williams.
@ApacheWarrior

 

Jalen still defers to KPJ too much in 4th

 

Jalen's not strong enough both physically and mentally to handle 4th quarter offense. Once he gets swarmed and bodied, he doesn't do very well. Porter for all his faults along with Sengun are not shaken by physical defense under pressure. They can take bumps and stuff and keep going. Jalen needs to find seams in the defense to finish his drives, those seams disappear in crunch time.

I thought Jalen did a good job tonight making the right passes and finding the hot hand, and had great in rhythm passes to both Sengun and KPJ that led to baskets one way or another.

I think Jalen is still way too raw, he will eventually figuring out the most optimal way to play basketball. But it's good to see improvement passing wise from him. I do wish he can bulk up a bit faster, can't really be a guard that relies on drives without being able to shake off contact.

 

Part of this is because he respects KPJ and the fact that he's older than him, part of it's because KPJ has a better handle than him, but part of it (and imo the main reason for the late game deference) is also because Jalen's offensive game is still really limited right now.

I mean his game is 90% 3's (step-back & catch and shoot) and drives to the basket.
He doesn't have a go to move other than his 3 pointers he can use when the pressure gets ratcheted up.
KPJ has a good hesitation game he can go to and he can usually get a shot off.

Jalen was trying and having success hitting a floater for a time earlier this year.
I don't know why he stopped using it.
I guess it would be too much to ask Coach Silas to point this out!

 

Jalen stopped the floater once he started finishing at the rim … he misses a lot of layups because he doesn’t realize just how badly he beat his man and releases it too early scared of it getting blocked

 

Jalen must use the floater otherwise he will lose it. He should use his Euro step. He does have a mid range shot too. He needs to practice.

 

He really needs a varied offensive arsenal though.
When a team knows you're either shooting a 3 or driving all the way to the rim it's MUCH, MUCH easier to defend you!
It's almost like he's a player version of D. Morley's ultimate team vision (nothing but 3's and layups)!


Teams that know how to close off the paint like the heat or spurs can just blitz you on the perimeter and at the rim and not worry about anything else.
It also compounds things by usually not having a credible lob threat on the floor.
Alpie and Jabari aren't ones and even KMj is small enough to where everything has to be perfect to work and a good defender can still affect his shot (we saw this tonight a time or two).

Jalen's pullup midrange he was also using earlier in the season also would be a great counter but he's not comfortable with it yet (like his floater) so as time goes by he drifts back to what he's used to doing (and most comfortable with). Shooting mechanics included!

This is why you need a competent coaching staff, to point these things out and make sure a player doesn't fall back into old habits.
I just don't trust this staff to consistently scout, teach or hold accountable the players, ESPECIALLY the best and most strong-willed ones!

 

Os trollingonum and his hate crime partner reeko… all silent on Sengun hahahah

Props to KPJ btw, great game overall. Hope he plays this way all the time.

 

Too passive to take that responsibility. Hope that changes but has been a trend since last year.

 

Agree totally!
USE IT or LOSE IT!
Like I said when you learn something new and incorporate it into your game as the season wears on you naturally revert to the things you're most used to and most comfortable with.
It's up to the team/coaches to self scout and then drill them back into the player thru repetitions at practice.
Or you'll forget most of what your muscle memory has learned!

What I'm also worried about is Jalen's shooting motion.
Coach Lucas helped him shorten it and it made a big difference.
But the old motion's been creeping back in and I think it's a BIG part of Jalen's shooting slump the last month or so.
I know he has the work ethic to practice these things, he just needs some strong direction and leadership!

 

Jalen Green has the attitude of Robin not Batman.

 

IMO definitely an important cornerstone of the team but I have doubts if he should be the one to build around. Skillwise he got amazing tools but need to reach higher mental level.

 

Considering how good Franz Wagner is playing Vuc trade might actually be worse. Franz looking like a superstar in the making his efficiency is off the charts considering only 2 guys on that team can dhoot 3s at a high clip.

 

Dude is 20 give him time to grow. You csnt expect linear growth all the time. Yeah Green will never eclipse generational players like Lebron, KD etc but I think he can still be a star in his own right.

I mean look at Cade. Dude played like **** all year then got injured at least Jalen had much, much, much better season.

 

Agreed, too early to give a definitive statement on Jalen. Hopefully he will show improvement and become more aggressive

 

Jalen is a great player. My only concern is his easy acceptance of losing. This is not winner's mentality.
Hope he progress there also.