ClutchFans Game Thread: Pacers @ Rockets 10/10/2023 (Preseason)

Biggest takeaways:

1. Sengun usage leap is here, 8 shots 10 fta and tied for most assists on the team in 24 minutes, we are really going to lean into him.

2. Jalen missed all his threes and nearly all his free throws but I actually thought he played great. Effort on defense was better but mainly it was his decision making on offense, hit the roller on every opening even though most didn’t lead to assists. Jalen playmaking leap may be real…

3. Last 20 games from last season, summer league, training camp, now first game of preseason, Jabari improvement a real trend, he was the biggest question mark in the starting lineup imo.

4. Jock was the worst player out there after me gassing him up all off season as one of the best backup centers in the league, clearly still getting back in shape and in rhythm after his injury.

5. Thank you for signing with us Reggie Bullock, great injury insurance for Cam Whitmore.

 

Didn't get to watch (at work) -- amazingly balanced scoring, just looking at the box score (!)

 

Yeah but its our first game with Jock

 

Yeah but its our first game with Jock

 

Its Pre -Season but Sengun's defense has to step up. Green played so-so. Whitmore is different

 

Players of the game for me were Jabari (improved handles, getting his shot, shooting more smooth), Tari (continues to look like our best 2-way player), Sengun (super efficient, elite passing, long range shooting starting to come around), and Cam (stroking it well, good on-ball D, G-League? I dont think so).

Amen looked tentative. He’s gonna be amazing but he had that welcome to the NBA look a bunch of times. You can tell how valuable his size is gonna be for us; he had like 9 rebounds without even trying.

Jalen looked tentative and shows no confidence in his shot. Defensively he was better and his passing and play making looked good tonight. Still I don’t see evidence of a big leap yet.

FVV’s shot wasn’t falling and we are all gonna get tired of him being blocked at the rim, but he was good for our ball movement, facilitates well, played good D, and to me is gonna be as advertised.

Landale will be serviceable, but he’s just a guy.

No comment on Dillon Brooks.

Tate looks healthy and played well.

I want to see more Matthew Mayer.

 

Still can’t believe Cam didn’t go in the first 7 picks of this draft.

 

Was there a corner three attempted by us in the entire game?
It should be an efficient shot but it didn't seem like we managed to scheme anything out there.

We looked far better at moving the ball but still concerns on FT shooting and perimeter shooting.

Feels like we are going to out score teams in the paint but still lose games to teams out shoot us from three.

 

Very true - hats off to him drawing back to back charges AND nailing the 3 on the other end.

 

Who would have thought game 1 of preseason you would see Jabari pushing the ball up the court and being aggressive trying to get to the hoop in transition and look somewhat competent at it?

 

For two years I’ve been hard on Jalen but I’ve never been worried about his shooting coming around, it’s always been about his decision making. He didn’t take a single bad shot today and made all the right passes. He didn’t play a great game because of the missed threes and missed free throws but those come and go, the decision making is what can be replicated every single time, hoping he keeps it up and I know he will because Udoka won’t let him off the hook if he doesn’t.

 

I thought the defense looked much improved.
Alp looked very good out there defensively

 

Preseason of course, but I like what I'm seeing. Making winning a habit.

 

Best preseason game I have seen in years. Minus the Dillon dildo smack it was highly entertaining. Good FT shooting, passing, shooting, aggressiveness. Exciting!!

 

Almost everyone played great (except for Jock) but Jabari and Sengun front court has me excited.

Sengun isn't a stiff on D anymore and Jabari is hitting his shots. Rox go a surprise a lot of people.

Also vet presence of FVV, Brooks, Green and Reggie Bullock are exactly what this team needs. All these guys play hard nosed D and don't mind getting down and dirty for the W.

Brooks with the record breaking ejection for Theis' failed erection is also funny AF.

 

I dunno, at year 3 he needs a consistent jumper already. Look at all his comparisons, Booker, Lavine, Beal, they all have a very reliable jumpshot that open up their game.

Jalens making great decisions, but that consistent jumper is going to make or break him

 

Last year we had a pretty strong preseason too, but a lot of the same bad habits from the year before carried over--it was just that the opponents didn't care as much.

This year I can already see more structure in the offense and ESPECIALLY the defense, the ball is moving around faster and Udoka is super animated and engaged on the sideline, even when the fourth stringers are in.

Seems like accountability and discipline will be a focus for our young squad. Just gotta try and stop crackin' nuts.

A very promising first game. As others have said, even during the real season the main thing I'm looking for is improvement, not wins. If our guys develop properly, the wins will naturally come anyway.

 

I like Mayer. Dude hustles. He's like a mix of Mark Madsen and Steve Novak with better handle.

 

I still don't like his form. Still has too much of a wind up and a slow release. All that extra arm movement just means more potential for error on the shot. Guys with quicker, compact shots are the ones who improve the most. Those with the slow, winding release pretty much stay who they are unless they do a major overhaul.

But I will say, overall, I liked how he played tonight. He attacked the rim quickly when he got the ball and made strong efforts on defense. Those are both big steps forward in the right direction.