We are way ahead of what we expected this team was going to be this season. Second ranked defense in the league a quarter of the way of the season defines what this team is going to be moving forward. We just have to work our way to be a more efficient team offensively the rest of the way and continue to give Alpi and Jalen reps to build their confidence on that end of the floor. I think it would be a mistake to make a big swing right now in the trade market and give up one of our core players. I think Tate and a 2nd rounder for an efficient scorer is the most I would do this year.
3rd in the West just before Christmas and made the NBA Cup Semis. Anyone would've taken that before the season started.
Man, you're way too late!! Its knees jerkin all over the place!! For instance, this is a knee jerk thread!!
I like where the team is at...but I don't like where Jalen is at...I don't talk about FVV that much no matter he is inefficient or not, because he is not in the future plan anyway...but Jalen, I do think we should find a way to trade him before his value tanked further.
I like where we're at but if our ultimate goal is to win a title, we're gonna have to pray everyday Chet gonna have injury riddled career like Yao and T-Mac.
With Hartenstein, OKC doesn't need Chet to beat the Rockets and win the Western Conference. If Chet returns and returns to form, oh brother!
Our defense is real af. I love this team and i hate that so many people hate so many players on this gritty squad
I love where we're at but I'm simultaneously aware that the schedule gets harder and we won't be out-hustling as many teams as the season progresses. I'm also aware that right now we're a lock for the playoffs but with the 3rd worst TS% and 3PT% in the league we are definitely getting swept in the first round. Our key rebounding edge - grabbing our own misses - will shrink dramatically in the playoffs. Transition will be harder to come by. I'd like to make us a bit more competitive. Really want us to acquire a big shooter. At least for expiring contracts and multiple 2nd rounders. No impact on team chemistry just adding one person. In a dream world we hire a lead offensive assistant or consultant too.
It was only last season Sengun embarrassed Chet and had OKC putting him on the bench. Players just sometimes have bad matchups. Harty definitely seems to be that guy for Alpi unfortunately.
Definitely playing way over our heads. Jan will bring us back down to 5-6 seed where i think we will end up. Hoping for a top 4 finish though. It wouldn’t make a lick of sense to me if this team is somehow a 50 win team. But so far they’re proving me wrong.
The luxury of OKC having both guys would mean they could better adapt to opponents in the playoffs, where specific matchups are more important than during the regular season. In the first game this year when Chet was healthy (and Harty was still injured), he destroyed the Rockets while Alpi was pretty bad. It just depends. Teams are loading up to make things more difficult for Alpi and it gets in his head sometimes. I don't give Harty credit for Alpi's flaming disaster in the 1st half. On offense, it was mostly on Alpi simply failing in the moment, being soft with the ball, not hardening himself up and not adapting to the force, length and speed of OKC's defense. He must learn and be better under these circumstances.
We should always pay attention when we stop progressing. Our defense is still playing great, but our offense is getting worse. We are not a sure thing for the playoffs. If we can’t make a trade then at least shake up the lineups and/or minute distribution. Except for a few hot games, FVV has sucked all year. Jalen as well. Trying the same old sh*t game after game is regressing not progressing.
It's OK to be happy with what we've seen, I am Its equally delusional to act as if there isn't a massive offensive star roadblock between us an being an actual title contender. Green isn't that guy and never will be. Sengun flashes it at times, but I've seen him offensively stifeled too many times to think he will get quite to that level. I'm not sure how we get that guy, but it's an obvious cloud over all the success we're having. Winning while still missing the most important (and hardest to obtain)piece to winning a chip.
Rose colored when we're 3rd in standing just 4 yrs in rebuild? Whats rose colored about that those are all facts
What age did Lebron, MJ and Jokic win a ring? Why you expect our team to be title contenders at age 22?This team is years away from contending in fact they are ahead of schedule by a massive margin. We should worry about that piece when the Rockets are in a position to win not when Sengun is 22 and Amen is 21. Our group is too young. When they are 25-26 they hit their prime thats when you worry about getting that piece if you dont have it yet.
Mark My Words, OKC not paying all those guys the max. No way, Jalen and Chet will get max on the market (unless Chet really is injury prone then who cares) so their best time to win is right now with how the new CBA is. We already saw Minny had to get rid of KAT because of it, no way Bennett is going to pay the tax for that team, their GM operates like that too. As for the Rockets, they are in a good spot I agree with the OP, they don't need to be desperate.
You have to look past the record/standings and look at player development. The Good: Jabari seems to have taken a leap this year. Tari and Amen have taken huge leaps and Amen is on his way to being our best player. The Bad: The first piece of the rebuild, Green, is looking like a massive red flag. Segun, slightly better but still some concerns. It looks like Reed needs way more time than the team was hoping for. The Ugly: Roster construction is abysmal from a shooting perspective. Again, look past the WINS and LOSSES, focus on the players, player projections, and assets. It's a mixed bag right now but I have hope that the sky is clearing and it's becoming apparent who continues on to Phase 3 and who shouldn't. That clear direction along with draft capital should help fill the gaps and make an aggressive push in Phase 3. We have to wait and see if the Rockets wish to start Phase 3 this year or next.
