Another injury signals our destiny: is it realistic to bench Amen ever again?

Come on JR, you know me. I was just thinking about the forward rotation when making the thread and brought up Green and FVV before you did. Can't edit polls after posted.

 

An unexpected outcome of Amen starting:

With Green/Sengun/Amen handling the ball so much, when they swing it to FVV my brain first goes "oh god which shooter are we going to have to hope makes this shot". But then actually FVV is the best spacer on the Rockets for his career (not his current season stats which reflect a ball-dominant PG). I feel like we just signed our best spacer mid season. Even though he's shooting 32% from 3 or he was 2 of 9 tonight, they guard him like he's a SHOOTER. That's so refreshing. With all this attention drawn away from him, he's basically going to be guarded by lesser calibre players moving forward.

Which once again brings us back to.... If Amen/Green/Sengun is thriving - your only job is to put your 2 best shooters around them who are not negative defenders. That's it. When healthy, the two shooters we have that demand their defender don't give them space are FVV and Jabari. Even if Brooks shooting 38%, you could see they don't respect him as much as Jabari for spacing. I will say Brooks is getting more respect than he ever got. However, Brooks is the only bad rebounder on the team and one of the worst fast break players in decision making and efficiency. My completely unverified eye test has claimed in the past that Brooks' shooting declines when we play faster and I'd like to see if that happens in this coming stretch. If that's the case, Brooks stands out like a sore thumb.

A very interesting twist, to me at least because I don't think anyone will beat Jalen out of his spot anymore. Amen and Green transition is effectively going to function as our 2nd best points creator after a much less frequent and more selective FVV-Sengun PnR. The problem with that PnR wasn't that it sucked, it was just not good enough to be one of the most frequent plays run by any team in the NBA. At that volume, the efficiency of that play is not something worth holding on to.

As I said, this injury is not just an injury. It's going to make a decision for Udoka that, frankly, he didn't have the balls to make last season or this season. Hate to see injuries but I almost feel like the universe is watching out for us and Jabari will find his way back into the starting lineup for Brooks - barring a trade for a big forward better than him. I don't think it's FVV who will lose his spot and frankly, I don't think it should be even though he's played like ass this season. Green/Amen/Brooks can guard ANY 2/3/4 in the NBA and it's nice to now use FVV as just an emergency vet who nails open shots and can take over PG duties in the rare instances we need to calm down and protect a big lead or something.

Wizards was a good warm up game for them.

 

Be careful guys, you don't know how many people were offended last season when I said pace can improve this team. 3 different people insisted increasing the pace simply would not lead to improved efficiency or move the needle. Accused me of wanting to just do something for Green rather than care about the team (although I told them, at least 4 of our core are better in high pace). Accused me of coming up with the whole thing just so that I can criticize someone else instead of Green. I have all your posts and especially you "Mr O", I know you're reading this.

We have arguably 2 of the top 5 athletes in the NBA (Green and Amen). Even if you put your fastest defender on them and endlessly scout it, you're not safe beause your 2nd fastest defender is a snail compared to Amen or Green. Everyone's second fastest defender is too small or too slow. This mismatch will boost our offense and change our identity.

 

We're approaching end times for the mindless drivel of: "these are the players we have so these are the shots we're going to get and unless we make more 3's or acquire a star, there is no other way to make progress or move the needle. stop saying bad words about my father Ime! We're nothing without him!"

Watch what happens in the coming weeks and then when Jabari re-joins. Meanwhile, I don't think people realize there are some factors which can lead to very shocking results here:

1) Inflated scoring numbers throughout the league
2) Refs letting defenses play hard inside the arc, leading to more deflections
3) Elite rebounding
4) Amen/Green historically elite tandem in terms of speed

This could very well lead to a historically elite transition team (statistically at least). There are some historical markers here. If you go from average transition team for a season to possibly one of the best of all time, that's what you guys love to call moving the needle. We haven't even explored Tari in this scheme at the 4 and whether Sengun/Adams can step up their outlet passing if Ime allows 1 extra TO a game in exchange for these 5-6 new points he's getting. Tari/Amen/Green in transition soon. Damn.

Does that not move the needle enough for you? Should we take our lunch box and sit in the corner while we wait to acquire your dream top tier player who you can't stop blushing over? Or are you not done obsessing over the defense?

Listen to me when I tell you negative Rocket fans: Ime will do it, you will love it and you will forget you acted like it was impossible. Again.

 

I agree with you but this is a hypothetical exercise. We're asking what you would do if Amen knocked it out the park and is getting recognized league wide as a star.

Still start Jabari?

 

Fair but I don't think our record in 2 months will give Ime the luxury of tinkering with an equally successful lineup with the playoffs just one month away and chemistry established.

It's going to be tricky. Amen could average 18/10/5/2 and a top 5 defender in the NBA. It will draw immense ridicule. Can't Jabari be calmly re-inserted at training camp? There will only be 1 month and playoffs remaining when he's back from injury.