This state is subjective, both OKC sans SGA and Spurs have a young offensive core that has to figure it out .....they need a couple seasons. They are basically getting back Topic' elite vision and elite driving skills, Sorber, 2-3 guys from the 2026 Draft next season. The Rox are reliant on a 37 year old and 32 year old Adams' O rebounds to create something.
I never liked the trade. The team lost its identity and isn’t nearly as tough now. It isn’t Durant’s fault, but the other guys need to step the **** up!
I really liked the energy Tari brought with the starters. You have to swallow some errors from him but in general Tari and Amen are an energetic and suffocating defensive duo. Too bad his health is so unpredictable.
I liked the Tari experiment, but he was exposed on defense the last two games against Portland. He is not a guard. His injury gives Ime the opportunity to give Reed a chance to start. I haven’t been a proponent of that in the past and not sure it will work out, but he deserves the chance after last game when he played the best defense he has all year in my opinion. We needed Tari’s shooting in the starting lineup and now that he is hurt, Reed has to step up in that regard. Amen is progressing nicely as a PG and he and Reed actually play pretty well together. Zone’s won’t give us nearly the issue they are right now when Sengun returns and can man the middle. Adams and Jabari suck at it. I think it would make sense to put Amen at that position until Sengun gets back, instead of having him initiate the action against zone.
Losing Fred hurts the defense and offense, and probably offsets KD's offense. He is biggest factor that will potentially crater this season. The young guys' improvement is the biggest reason for offensive's improvement. Time will tell KD's efficiency by season's end after Ime plays with fire and gasoline.
In fairness, Dillon always chokes in the playoffs and it appeared that Jabrari was good off the bench and played extremely well in the playoffs. We were all misled including Stone as usual. He is a lawyer not a GM and that’s why this team is built poorly and will probably lose again tonight. I can’t be the only one in Houston who sees this???????
Defense, intensity, and leadership do not choke in the playoffs. Dillon brought intangibles that seem lacking from this current squad. Ime should have known that. There's no way he didn't understand the inner dynamics of the team. Yet, he signed off on Brooks.
Dillon didn't even have a positive +/- in his games against us. He has never had a positive bpm, dbpm or obpm in his entire 9 year career. He brings an awesome fighting attitude but it doesn't actually translate to the court most of the time. He gives these really great wow moments that stick in your mind but generally if he is on the court you are scoring less and the opponent is scoring more. The sample size is huge btw.
Ya even this season he has a -5.2 net rating, offense is identical with him on/off but the defense is WAY better when he's off the court. He was a negative both his rockets seasons but before that he actually did have a positive on/off most of his career.
I love Dillon. But on Earth 2, Stone refused to include him in a package for Durant, and Durant is now putting up 26 points a night on 50-40-90 shooting in Miami while we're 22-14 with Jalen Green still out injured, and half this board is furious that we didn't pull the trigger.
To be fair, with Jalen Green and FVV out, Udoka would have to play Reed more and we might have been a better team after all, assuming we would not have signed DFS and Okogie because we still had Brooks and Green.
It's good to have a little perspective. Turns out losing critical players to injury and changing 3 starters might not result in and instant championship.
How the NBA's biggest villain helped turn around two franchises https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/47602565/dillon-brooks-phoenix-suns-dillon-villain-nba
Our record and playoff success this year and the next couple will determine if that trade was good. Right now Phoenix is right next to us in the standings and Green hasn't played yet. Once again, we'll see. Hoping for the best as a long time fan.
