ClutchFans Game Thread: Grizzlies @ Rockets 1/13/2025

Nah, but he's got star potential for sure

 

They show up when playing the best

 

2 season series down against good teams... next up, Dallas I hope, February 8th. About to hit a brutal stretch where we have to play the Cavs twice and the Celtics once before then, though.

 

Amen shouldn't drive to the basket on every possession. He made a beautiful floater earlier in the season, and he can make some mid-range shots. Fred can pass the ball out on the corner for him. Amen needs to work on his overall skills in practice.

 

I feel like he should watch a lot of tape of D-Wade. Lot of similarities there. Wade was a better ballhandler, but also significantly smaller/not as much of a plus wingspan.

Something like a bigger, worse-ballhandling Wade is the path to true superstardom for Amen. Don't know if he can get there, it would be a big leap from where he is currently.

 

Also wanted to say--it felt like a bad game from Amen, he was missing shots he normally makes, turning the ball over a fair amount, clanked a few free throws. But you look up at the end of the game and dude still has 19, 13, and 7 stocks on 7 for 15 shooting. When it's not your night and you still come out of it with those numbers...

 

Agreed his defense was solid, problem is he’ll force a turnover and then proceed to turn the ball over immediately after but he will figure it out

 

I was thinking the same thing. Through 3 quarters he was struggling on offense and seemed to have a case of butter fingers. His defense is always there. He really turned it on in the fourth.

 

2nd best.. @OKC last season takes the cake in all aspects

 

Doesn't have the handle or the midrange game of Wade.... And almost certainly will never have either... It's still Iggy 2.0 lol

 

I think you are a knowledgable basketball fan, but you are dying on the wrong hill. Every game Amen is proving you wrong. Every stat proves you wrong. Amen has better stats as a starter in a 30 game or so sample size then Iggy's best year in each category. At this point, I think you're just having fun being the antagonist.

 

Wade didn't have as much of a midrange game as you probably remember. He was highly inefficient outside of 10 feet from the basket (sub-40%), and from 3-10 feet shot a fairly pedestrian 45.7%. He did most of his damage around the basket.

Amen doesn't have the handles Wade did, and probably never will--but he can get better than he is now, and he doesn't need them as much because he's bigger and has a longer stride.

If he's only the new and improved, superior version of Iguodala that would still be a great career for him--but there's a chance he could become more than that if he continues to work his ass off.

 

Jalen Green masterclass and continuing his extended, strong stretch. Sengun making a key bucket and assist in crunch time. Amen terrorizing the other team's best player. FVV not ballhogging any more and shooting good shots. Cam with efficient instant offense off the bench. 3 game cushion for the 2 seed at nearly the halfway mark.

Am I dreaming?

 

The only semi negative thing that I saw was those damn missed free throws. Come on fellas, every one of those free throws could be the difference maker.

 

One incorrect non-call: Dillon should have been called for an offensive foul


Q4 00:27.9 | Foul: Offensive | Dillon Brooks | Jaylen Wells
Comment: Brooks (HOU) leans into Wells (MEM) and delivers contact, dislodging him from his defensive position.

https://official.nba.com/l2m/L2MReport.html?gameId=0022400551
https://official.nba.com/last-two-minute-report/?gameNo=0022400551&eventNum=2182

 

Every game including the last one is only proving my point... What has he proven me wrong about? This is a projection for what I think he will be... This is why you don't just look at stats, but you apply context to them... I've said it before, but I'll say it again... Amen is a role player/beneficiary on offense... He scores in transition on drives and largely AWAY from the primary actions in the halfcourt... transition drives, open catch and shoot, getting a feed to the dunker spot, a pass on a cut to the hoop, or crashing the glass from the weak side and getting a put back... Defenses are literally geared away from him and he's not a primary, secondary, or even tertiary focus of the D many nights... Defenders also sag off of him on the perimeter routinely... He's in a role on this team where he excels and best maximizes his strengths/efficiency.

This doesn't mean he's incapable of creating his own offense or never has... He has, but rarely and it's not where he excels.

100% of his 3pters are catch and shoot and 100% of his 3pters are assisted.

Iggy during his prime was the primary scorer/creator... He was also playing in a role that didn't maximize his strengths offensively... He drew the primary focus of opposing defenses and had to create his own shot way more than Amen has ever been asked to... Amen isn't asked to be a self creator and will likely never be the main focus of the opposing defense.

He's a worse playmaker and shooter than Iggy, but he's a better finisher and rebounder than him.. I've said Iggy 2.0 because of that and also because I think he has the potential to be a better playmaker than him.

Regardless I agree that Wade did most of his damage at the rim... He was an ELITE slasher in the halfcourt... Could use his handle to get downhill and to the rim as good as any guard... Jalen's finishing has more in line with Wade than Amen.... He doesn't need them as much in transition, but absolutely does need it to be significantly better to do so in the halfcourt consistently... If he was Giannis or even Ben Simmons big... I'd agree.

 

yeah I don’t understand this, Jabari fits the core so well. 36% from 3 is solid

 

We play them again???