Ime: most important thing is we came out healthy and got a run. Jaters: OMG WHY IS JALEN NOT GOING ALL OUT. Ime: I don't like players to attack a crowded area. Jaters: OMG JALEN IS A JUMPSHOOTER HE IS WHAT HE IS. Ime: Jalen is underrated defensively. Jaters: OMG LOOK AT JALEN'S DFBMTLC METRIC AND THE COLOR OF HIS KNEE PAD. Ime: I want Jalen to round out his game with effort, defense and passing. Jaters: HE HAS NOT IMPROVED IN SCORING SO NOTHING ELSE MATTERS SINCE THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT WE DRAFTED HIM FOR. Jesus. So absurd. There's no bigger critic out there than Udoka and they still can't trust. They luckily got the most hyper critical coach and they just can't help but still be paranoid.
He has improved dramatically under ime, defense/playmaking/ball handling. He is not on a max contract. He is a main reason we are number 2 seed. Has 3 sht games where it does not matter whatsoever and is only playing to maintain the Ironman streak, nah let's trade him
Jalen: plays great against top competition during the critical stretch that seals the 2 seed. JATERS, GROUP 1: WTF, WHY ISNT HE KILLING HIMSELF TO DROP 40 AFTER WE CLINCH?! JATERS, GROUP 2: WTF, WHY IS HE PLAYING IN MEANINGLESS GAMES JUST TO PRESERVE HIS STREAK? HE’S SO SELFISH. HE’S GOING TO GET HURT.
I am just responding to you saying he doesn't get hunted. You can watch any game this year. He gets hunted all the time. His defense is significantly better than it has been in previous years, but he still gets hunted. Being hunted doesn't even mean anything it's just creating the best matchup for other team. When you are on the court with Amen and Dillon and Tari and all plus defenders you know who they are going to attack. This is the same thing yall don't realize with Sengun. Sure he gets hunted because the alternatives aren't great, doesn't mean it's successful. We don't have a top defense cus they hunt sengun and it works. Also funny how Jalen's fans narrative change. When he blew up for 13 exhibition games last year and everyone said he was the next star. Now it doesn't count.
Jalen sucks despite being an integral part of why this team being in the playoffs. Meanwhile idiotic fans demand a trade after 2 meaningless games where he clearly he deferred to the other players and was there to keep the streak alive. And a 3rd game where the team didn’t play their hardest.
No one important, like the folks in the front office and coaching staff . I would really like to be a fly on the wall after this playoff run to hear the conversations around the direction the organization wants to take the team and what (or who) it will be prioritizing as far as personnel. I'm sure some of it will be dependent on play-off performance but I also don't think this year's improvements will be discounted either. I have my doubts that the current make-up of the Rockets can have a deep run but I'm definitely routing for them to prove me wrong. We've seen teams win it all building around a dynamic guard/wing, we've seen teams win it all building around a dominant big. What we've seen less of is teams win it all trying to build around both (most recent Shaq and Kobe) come to mind. They're have been some great guard-big combos (Malone-Stockton, Kemp-Payton, Daugherty-Price...) but few of them have won it all. Yes, Jokic-Murray but that team is built around Jokic as the big not both. Maybe Jalen can be to Sengun what Murray is to Jokic, but I think that is a waste of Jalen's talent. Maybe Sengun can be to Jalen what Draymond is for Steph, but I think that is a waste of Alpi's talent. We can make it work with both but is that maximizing the talent and opportunity the Rockets have to build a team that is a true contender? I'm not sure what is the best direction for the team but again would love to listen in on how the Rockets organization will attack the decision regarding the team's future.
It's pretty amazing how he's transformed his body since that last year here in Houston - his was seen as possibly the worst contract in the league at that time because of reoccurring injuries and now he's playing all 82 ....
It seems like Jalen has improved this year. But, when you look at his individual statistics, little has changed over his four seasons in the league. He doesn’t appear to be doing anything better. His defense may have improved, but his offensive numbers have not improved to any great degree. I’d like to see his eFG% improve more than it has. It’s been four years. Is this what Jalen is as a player? It feels like he’s doing a little better, but the numbers don’t really reflect that at all.
That is why I keep my expectations low.....the team has juice enough to make the WCF and make some noise or it can flame out in Round 1 or 2....... I mean Udoka will get them fired up but I have to see the officiating in the Playoffs to make a judgment right there.
I don't think the conversations after this playoff run (unless we win a chip) will be all that different than what they are now. They know what they have and who the 1A player to build around is. They know it. The national media knows it. Most of the city knows it. I don't think we can "run it back" with this starting group again next year and expect a whole lot different. There's a ceiling to this team and another year of experience isn't going to change it much. They'll take a deep breath, see where we land in the draft, and begin to plan around said player. What that looks like....I don't know. I just know it isn't FVV/Jalen/Dillon/Sengun again.
refer to yesterday’s game thread. Knee jerk idiots. Same people claiming Reed is an all star or potential star after 2 games lo
Anyone that thinks we need to trade Green after 3 meaningless games shouldn't be taken seriously. Anyone that thinks Reed is a bust because of his play this year shouldn't be taken seriously.
If it weren't for Westbrook looking to get out of OKC and Harden petitioning Tilman to make that trade, it would be interesting to see how CP3/Harden would've fared that following year.
Again you used an exhibition game as evidence he got hunted lol. The only time he gets "hunted" is if he is sharing the court with DB and Amen. Yeah ok when the other alternatives are some of the best defenders in the world Jalen will get hunted. Is that your point? That he isnt the best defender in the league? LOL wtf. You saying the Rox dont have a top defense is kinda dumb, Rockets already have the 2nd ranked defense, or at least they used to before all these exhibition games. Blaming Sengun on a technicality (aka everyone else is an elite defender) just shows the depth of your analysis. Last year it was an exhibition game for the opponent but not for Jalen. This time it is the exhibition game for the Rockets so what is your point? Jalen is just doing cardio and playing so he doesnt get injured. You want him to play hard and possibly get hurt coming into the playoffs? Man just keep quiet.
we only go as far as jalen takes us hoping for some jordanesque renassaince in the playoffs, but i'm always let down unfortunately
