ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Thunder 10/9/2024 (Preseason)

I agree with most of this except the Amen part. He should be the starting SF, but also get plenty of time initiating the half court offense. He was able to get to the rim, created wide-open shots for his teammates (not his fault they step out of bounds). He obviously is going to be a poor 3 point shooter again this year, but I think he will get better at shots around the free throw line and have a nice floater. If his teammates can knock down 3’s consistently the whole teams will clog the lane will be mute. They were doing it this game and he was still getting into the paint and making perfect passes out to teammates at the 3 point line. 3 assists that should easily have been 6 with zero turnovers is not the sign of a guy that can never be a pg.

 

McVeigh just makes shots. I don't really see his pathway to playing time right now, but I want us to keep him around because dudes that can shoot like he can are always good to have.

Dude is clutch as hell too, today's shot was nothing compared to this:

 

fair point, but I think point guards that can’t shoot are really limited. Agreed he can get to the rim and pass, but I feel like you need to be able to knock down at least a mid-range consistently to keep the defense honest. Until he develops a shot I really think his best position is 3/4. But I hear you.

 

that is a really good take. He does have to develop at least a mid-range shot to consistently be a pg. That will be something the coaching staff will continue to focus on with him this year and maybe even next if we decide to keep FVV another year. Amen is already a very productive starter in the NBA. The Rockets have a bit of a tight wire to walk this year between pushing for the playoffs while still developing our young players to be ready for contention in the next 2 years.

 

OKC, man, that's a roster. It'll be interesting to see if a small market team can win it all in this league.

 

I may be over reacting when it comes to Amen. It was a preseason game. But you only get so many opportunities. One thing that Fred would have done was get the ball to Alpi early and often. Just to establish some sort of offensive rhythm. Players stepping out of bounds or goofing off his passes aside, the offense looked like a complete clown show. And Amen was a big part of that. Everyone going one on one, and he never settled the team.

They all got humbled last night, Ime Included. But as a guy who has really high hopes for Amen, I'll just say that he really pissed me off last night lol.

 

I don’t expect Amen to be in FVV’s stratosphere as a PG this year. The only thing to be pissed off about his performance last night was his shots from the mid-range and his penchant for blowing lay-ups. The Rockets will use this year to slowly give Amen more opportunities to run the offense. Unless there is a trade that becomes available, I see them picking up FVV’s option next year. I don’t really see Sheppard as a pg on offense, but I do think an Amen/Sheppard back court might end up being the future if Jalen doesn’t step up.

 

Comments related to Jabari need to be there too.

 

Folks, the Rockets starting lineup last night was:

A nonshooter in Alperen Sengun who likes to operate in the mid post
An average shooter in Brooks, but one who you probably don't want doing at high volume
A guy who can make 3's, but likes to dribble a lot in Green
An average shooter in Smith who doesn't seem to want to take lots of spot up 3's
The absolute worst shooter in an NBA rotation not named Ausar in Thompson.

That is simply not enough shooting - and these guys actually had decent shooting nights!

The Thunder packed the lane like sardines as they should.

It's questionable as to whteher you can survive in teh NBA playing 2 nonshooters at the same time; the Warriors got away with it when they had peak Steph/Klay/Durant - but that's what you need to compensate.

Also, I just don't think you can overstate how big a drag Thompson is in the halfcourt at times - I mean, if a peak Warriors possession ended in a Draymond 3, that was good for you, given the alternatives. But, Draymond, by no means a great shooter, is roughly 3x as likely as Thompson to actually hit his 3 pointer! He's only slighltly below the league average. That's just better than Thompson by a HUGE margin.

The Celtics for example will often play 5 shooters simultaneously; the Rockets were basically playing 2.5 to 3 in aggregate with taht lineup. 1 absolute 0 in Thompson, a non-shooter in Sengun, and 3 pretty mid shooters in Green/Brooks/Smith. That just ain't good enough and makes htem very reliant on Fred VV which is kind of insane given the alleged young core talent.

 

Alpi should sit out the rest of the pre season. We know what he can do.
Jabari should play with Jock Landale and Adams.
Reduce Cam’s minutes.

 

Landale looked awful last night. I hope he gets back to late last year Jock. We need that third Center, because I’m afraid of Adams getting injured or having to be load managed. I don’t want Sengun to be worn out by the playoffs.

 

This. He needs an offensive X-O guy to help him maximize the talents of his players.

I am still giving him some slack because last year's priority was culture changing, especially on the defensive side. And this is only two preseason games. But I expect much better offensive sets this season. Without competent offensive coaching, we can't properly evaluate the values of the young guys.

 

Jabari- soft on defense and doesn't like to help either. You'll catch him squatting down every time on the court on offense and defense doing nothing. He will never get injured because he's just a spectator.

 

So much expected overreaction. Offense was terrible last night because we didn't run an offense. I suspect that will change soon. I think OKC has a chance to win it all this year so yeah, we didn't look good. Give it a minute.

 

Same team as last year showing signs of the same problems. Slow starts and poor showings on the road. I think people are too doom and gloom about this preseason game. They are who we thought they were.

 

Outside of Will Hardy and Mazzulla, our coaching staff is still predominantly the 2021-22 -- 51 wins Celtics coach roster. They have the playbooks. Dare I say, even Silas had gems. Performance ultimately is by the players. Their reads and when to pass it out when other teams defense load up.

It's pre-season, while I don't mind players trying stuff, look for the easier plays, instead of forcing whatever individual move(s) they may have practiced in the summer. Let it come naturally. Try to improve that team chemistry.

 

It is preseason but I will be damned to hear that all Udoka has to say about the Offense is that it should be face paced and little new wrinkles......

I guess I do not trust too easily. It does not sound good.

If all he does, is relying on Sengün and FVV and Amen defensively again, I am going to puke.

 

Where is the Jack McVeigh is the Rockets' Franchise Player thread?

 

https://bbs.clutchfans.net/threads/...ockets-franchise-player.324297/#post-15397946