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Prediction: Sengun’s defense is going to improve magically

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by CXbby, Jan 18, 2023.

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  1. CXbby

    CXbby Member

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    One of the biggest reasons Sengun has been divisive is because of his defense, people question whether he will be played off the floor in the playoffs. This was always an overexaggerated concern imo, due to his high iq, quick hands, high steal and block rate in the Turkish league. His stock rates have translated somewhat to the NBA but his overall defense has still been subpar, though better than some make it out to be as a lot of the faults are team oriented.

    However, as his usage rate rises and the team runs more offense through him, and as his star rises in NBA circles like it has this week like a rocket launching, I predict that his defense will all of a sudden improve as if by magic.

    This is because the NBA is a star’s league and an entertainment product at the end of the day. Think back to his rookie year and how many god awful bad calls he got. That’s because he was a no name foreign rookie that no one came to arenas to see. Even this year as a second year player he still gets short changed by the refs an inordinate amount of times, because he is a chubby looking euro who couldn’t possibly block that shot or steal it from that allstar guard. Sengun actually tries to make plays on defense, but not only do refs not give him the benefit of the doubt, it’s the opposite they make bad calls on legit good plays. Case in point his obviously clean block on Westbrook was called his first foul last night vs the Lakers. He has had to reign back his aggression on defense due to this so that he can stay on the floor more (also because he has such a short leash from Silas) causing his steal rate to decline from last year.

    All that is about to change as the NBA recognizes him as a legit star and the heir apparent to Doma and Jokic. Silas eventually won’t dare foul him out with 4 fouls again which will make him more aggressive on defense. And the refs will not automatically assume his block and steal attempts are fouls as he becomes more of a household name and refs familiarize with him as a “sneaky shot blocker”.

    So by no improvement of his own, his defense is going to improve automatically. And by the way, he will also improve on his own as well. Proof of this will be as he becomes more of a star, his foul rate will decrease and block+steal rates increase. And if you don’t like that then you don’t like NBA basketball baby.
     
    #1 CXbby, Jan 18, 2023
    Last edited: Jan 18, 2023
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  2. DatRocketFan

    DatRocketFan Member

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    Sounds very conspiracy like. I think he's gonna improved through hard work/high bbiq and the team as a whole gets better at defense Making sengun look better than he does now.
     
    #2 DatRocketFan, Jan 18, 2023
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  3. cml750

    cml750 Member

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    Good points. A real coach with a real defensive system will make a huge difference for him as well. A coach who will not accept guards playing zero defense on the perimeter is desperately needed.
     
    #3 cml750, Jan 18, 2023
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  4. CXbby

    CXbby Member

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    It’s not a conspiracy if you open your eyes, he legit gets a horrible whistle, and he was a no name player. The second half of that is changing now, everyone is learning his name, the first half will follow next. But yes, what you said will also happen. The combination will make him a much better defender, by his hard work, and by the NBA allowing him to/giving him the benefit of the doubt as a star player.
     
    #4 CXbby, Jan 18, 2023
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  5. CXbby

    CXbby Member

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    A lot of things will improve his defense, his own improvement, a better defensive system, better defensive players around him, but those are all obvious. I’m saying the quiet part out loud that people may not have thought of.
     
    #5 CXbby, Jan 18, 2023
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  6. CXbby

    CXbby Member

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    Jokic and Sabonis both started off with 6 fouls per 100 possessions their first couple of years in the league, then as they became allstars theirs foul rate plummeted to 4 fouls per 100 possessions. Yes they learn the game over the years and cut down on stupid mistakes, but neither of them got any faster over the years and part of it is definitely the star whistle. Sengun is at the same 6 fouls per 100 possessions this year, I’m expecting this to also decline to 4 per 100 possessions over the next two years as he gets MORE aggressive on defense.
     
    #6 CXbby, Jan 18, 2023
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  7. BamBam

    BamBam Contributing Member

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    Sengun’s defense is going to improve magically

    [​IMG]
    :eek:

    Totally agree with OP....

    Go Rockets!!!
    .......
    .......
    .......
     
    #7 BamBam, Jan 18, 2023
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  8. Os Trigonum

    Os Trigonum Contributing Member
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    magic.gif
     
    #8 Os Trigonum, Jan 18, 2023
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  9. CXbby

    CXbby Member

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    Another example is when he got called for a foul on jump ball at tip off the other game. That was a legitimate fair call. Except, it would not have been made on any star player. Because who wins the jump ball is insignificant to deciding the game while giving a star player a foul the first second of the game is significant, the punishment does not fit the crime and it would never happen to name players, only to scrubs.
     
    #9 CXbby, Jan 18, 2023
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  10. anchel

    anchel Member

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    I get the respect part, but he has to be smarter too, and -as well as the whole team- play harder, have a better activity level and be more focus. I'm not sure if he will improve at that with more offensive responsability (the process is normally de opposite). My hope is that he's a smart guy and a winner, and a new coach who inputs a different culture, with vets around him, will help him a lot there. Experience and improving phisycally hopefully will improve his effectiviness at contact situations.
     
    #10 anchel, Jan 18, 2023
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  11. Verbal Christ

    Verbal Christ Member

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    Hopefully because as of today he is a negative on defense just like everyone else. He will have some games where blocks will stand out, but he's not really a last line of defense kind of guy. His lateral quickness in space and ability to defend the PNR is not good. His box out and rebound game is great. Its really not the end of the world UNTIL you see his entire package in meaningful playoff games and modify your scheme to fit him into any scenario. As he continues to take and make jump shots and 3's his offensive game will evolve to the point where you can deal with deficiencies in other departments. Different coaching and veteran presence will undoubtedly help the whole roster, but his foot speed and quick twitch muscles should be the main areas to focus on (thats OK! No need to freak out over it - its ok to discuss his flaws currently and ways they can be improved, but I dont think magic has anything to do with it :D)
     
    #11 Verbal Christ, Jan 18, 2023
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  12. maj21

    maj21 Member

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    He’s gonna improve with more experience. Adding strength and improving his IQ are some things that’ll help. He won’t ever be able to protect the rim nor be able to switch. Imo he’s an F right now on defense, but maybe he can reach the D to C range. Guys like KPJ and Jalen have the tools to become good defenders, but Sengun just doesn’t have the tools unfortunately. With his offense, I’d take a C level defender with guys around him that can help cover his limitations.
     
    #12 maj21, Jan 18, 2023
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  13. Furious Jam

    Furious Jam Contributing Member

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    Sengun is small for a center and slow for a forward - that will never change. Instead you've got to build a defense around him - long, switchy guys who can hit 3s when he draws double teams. Tari and Jabari are in that mold, maybe Garuba too - got to work on their shots. Playing him at center with either Gordon or Tate as forwards leaves you with nothing whenever KPJ or Jalen get beat.
     
    #13 Furious Jam, Jan 18, 2023
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  14. dobro1229

    dobro1229 Contributing Member

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    Title is funny but yes I agree with the points.

    My comments and concerns have been more about the timeline for his growth as well as the timeline for coaching and perimeter defensive improvements. As we get into the Summer if a coaching and perimeter change has not happened, I’m afraid that the free agent situation will happen first. Then all bets are off with other coinciding roster moves including trades.

    I love Sengun and want to see him grow as a Rocket. However like we see with so many young talents that start their career in a rebuild, they don’t typically blossom until their next team because the owner and GM get desperate. Think SGA now with OKC or Levine with CHI. I think Jalen is the more likely player to get requested from other teams this summer but I just don’t have that level of confidence in Till.
     
    #14 dobro1229, Jan 18, 2023
  15. AlperenSengun

    AlperenSengun Member

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    Seeing how the calls go will be interesting. The real magic will happen with a new coach, considering all the team is horrible defensively.
     
    #15 AlperenSengun, Jan 18, 2023
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  16. TheRonin

    TheRonin New Member

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    If he works on his own silly fouls, that come here and there very often and additionally if the overall team defense improves, his defense will improve naturally
     
    #16 TheRonin, Jan 18, 2023
  17. AroundTheWorld

    AroundTheWorld 98er
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    The other aspect which will "magically" improve his defense will be not having to be coached by Silas and not having to play with KPJ, eventually. And Green needs to give a damn on defense, eventually, or be benched. Any Center will look bad if the guards do not actually guard at all.
     
    #17 AroundTheWorld, Jan 18, 2023
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  18. Downtown Sniper

    Downtown Sniper Contributing Member

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    I can only imagine what his defense will look like, when he doesn't have the worst perimeter pairing defensively funneling everyone with the ball past them.
     
    #18 Downtown Sniper, Jan 18, 2023
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  19. sealclubber1016

    sealclubber1016 Member
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    I don't think Sengun will ever be "good" defensively and I pretty much feel the same way about Green.

    But it's hard to accurately judge any one players defense on this joke of a team. NBA defense is complex and has a lot of moving parts, any broken link in the chain will cause problems, but can be hidden to a degree with an otherwise strong system (Steph Curry). The are nothing but broken links on this AAU team.
     
    #19 sealclubber1016, Jan 18, 2023
  20. daywalker02

    daywalker02 Member

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    [​IMG]
     
    #20 daywalker02, Jan 18, 2023
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