Tari will be out today, but wondering if Tari has passed JSJ in the rotation when not on B2Bs. I think it is clear that Brooks is still ahead of JSJ. Granted, I've grown to appreciate JSJ's defense more the past couple of months. His ground coverage helped keep Sengun home more and supported the guards more than I realized (i.e., my opinion on JSJ's defense went up, on Green went down). Amen is a better POA defender, but certain lineup combinations need the Rockets to play more of their ground coverage defenders.
I am really like Brooks We always needs Crazy on this team Every Great Rocket Teams needs his type of Crazy Artest, Madd Maxx, etc (IF we had an. Artest . . .we would have beat the sh*t out of Golden State( But Jabari IMO is the future at worse he can be a better version of Capela IMO I need a Better Capela on our championship team Rocket River
I think we need Dillon’s shooting the rest of this year. I don’t like it, but I’m betting Amen comes off the bench when he comes back. Next year I’d be very happy with a starting unit of Amen, Jalen, Tari, Jabari, and Sengun with FVV (25m), Naz Reid (30m), and Dillon off the bench. I really think it is time to look at the Phoenix picks as assets to trade for role players not superstars. Targets should go from Durant, Booker, Ant, etc. to Herro, Collins, Reid, Coby White types.
When Amen returns (aside from ramp up games), I'll bet the lineup is FVV / Green / Brooks / Amen / Sengun, with Tari and Bari playing significant minutes off the bench. I seriously doubt Amen ever sees the bench again.
I hope you are right, even though I would rather see Jabari in the starting line-up and Brooks off the bench. FVV really needs to play off ball the majority of his minutes and in order for that to happen, Amen needs to be starting with him.
Jabari is the most tradeable of the core IMO. Hopefully he has enough value after the season to package with Dillon for a good trade and keep Amen & Tari in the starting lineup.
Jabari is 3 years younger than Tari and does not have the same injury concerns. I agree he has more value on the trade market than Tari, but it would be a mistake to trade him at this point unless it’s for a superstar return, which I don’t see on the horizon this off-season. We should be really honed in on obtaining more 3&D players whether they be starters or depth, not trading them away. If there are no superstars available to upgrade your team, the next best thing (maybe the best thing to do given the 2nd apron rules) is to build the deepest team in the league, capable of playing shut down defense for the entire game and improve spacing on offense. Naz Reid and John Collins would be great targets and maybe a sharp shooter for the backcourt like Herro.
Definitely an asset Definitely has interest around the league I could see him becoming a valuable peice to a championship team What could he do for a Detroit? Miami? Atl? Second teir teams could move up to 1st team with the addition of Jabari and Brooks Rocket River
I agree with this being the likely lineup. This is probably the best offensive lineup for the Rockets. Amen has to start. I'd probably try FVV, Amen, Brooks, Tari or JSJ, and Sengun lineups more than they have been and will be once Amen is back. At least short term, I don't like Tari and Jabari together too much. They have played so much apart that they tend to end up going to the same spot too much on offense when in there together. I want the Rockets to play with 2 of FVV, Amen, and Green all game. I've not liked the other guards as much (though Holiday as a SG gets more grief than he deserves). I've also not liked the defense with FVV, Green, and Amen.
Jabari had a good game last night anyway--not as good as Tari, but still impactful. 13/8/2 on 60% shooting with 2 blocks for good measure. I don't think we should trade him unless it's a consolidation trade for a very clear upgrade who would be here long-term (i.e. not KD). And to me that's like, JJJ? Evan Mobley? Franz Wagner? Maybe Naz Reid (even then I'd rather keep Jabari if possible and trade for Naz some other way). I doubt we can get any of those guys, especially the first three. There are very few guys in the league Jabari's height who can play defense and shoot threes on volume. Jabari is one of the main reasons you can describe us as a "big, athletic team". I mean, Amen is also oversized for a guy who can play in the backcourt I guess, but our frontcourt only has plus height/length because of Bari, otherwise it's pretty average.
The Rockets are a physical, athletic team. Amen, Brooks, Tari, and JSJ are just rough on ballhandlers. Tall, only when JSJ plays or Amen is a SG or PG. I think the physical is more important for the Rockets. Sengun bullies most centers, but refs allow 2 hands on him too much, IMO when teams go small ball.
Most people dont understand the importance of Jabari, and thats fine we arent professional basketball people its not our job to know this. However Jabari's impact extends more than basic stats, its not a coincidence the team def net rating is back to 2nd since he came back but dropped to 4 when he was injured. He doesnt get blocks or steals but Jabari has great positional defensive awareness and he knows how to bother people and contest shots without fouling. Rockets have been missing Amen but the team defense has actually been better because Jabari ability to clog the paint is just elite. Jabari is integral to what this team does trading him unless its for a superstar like say Giannis would be a horrible mistake.
