The goal for this year is the same the last 3 years, find a way to get out of the first round. If we do that it's a successful year. We need progression of improvement. GO ROCKETS!
I'm not understanding how you can be so hard on Smith who has shown he can shoot, score and play really solid defense in the playoffs yet be so high on a guy like Reed who was essentially unplayable in the playoffs. He couldn't play any defense, couldn't get to the rim and he couldn't hit a shot. He was abused by the beat up Lakers and old Lebron.
While I liked the addition of KD initially, his presence set back too many of the young guys. They deferred to him much too much to the detriment of their own game.
He gets an above-average amount of steals and blocks for sure, which helps make up for his on-ball defense, which... I don't know man. It's somewhat subjective when you're talking about on-ball defense because the available metrics aren't great, but my eye test says he's not good in that area right now and needs improvement.
Dont look now despite the doomers I think the Rockets are currently 3rd best team in the West despite having a young core of 23 and younger. OKC: Still no 1 and just got 7-3 giant Aday Mara, Sorber, Topic as reinforcements (fuuuuu!) SAS: Wemby best player in the world Nuggets: Jokic is still good but his supporting cast sucks. Murray and Gordon has shown their age, Cameron Johnson has sucked and Bruce Brown is Jsean Tate. Wolves: Just destroyed their team with Lamelo trade. Lost Naz Reid and added Mr Glass Jr. Fully capped out, zero picks and zero depth beyond Joan Beringer and Ayo Dosunmu. One injury and they are done. I think Rox compare favorably to other Western teams outside SAS and OKC. Of course health will always be a concern but I think as long as it doesnt hit both KD and FVV at the same time the offense shouldnt be as bad as last year. Adams was actually outplaying Sengun before he went down, having him back would be huge. Not sure about Sengun but Amen, Jabari and Reed look like they have a lot of upside remaining, I expect improvement from these other 3 this year. Bruce Thornton looks like he is a good bench scorer, can def be an upgrade to Aaron Brooks. Things look even better in 2027 as Rox should have expiring contracts of DFS, FVV, Adams as well as the frps of both Nets and PHX. With the new rules in play these two picks could both end up high lotto picks.
So using the playoff data: Smith 17.5 PPG - 38% FG - 37% 3PT 54% TS Reed 12.5 PPG - 30% FG - 29% 3PT 40% TS Now granted it is a small difference but Smith even had a positive +- unlike Reed who was a net negative. The ORtg went from a 90 with Reed to a 111 with Smith. The playoff data suggests Smith was much more playable than Reed.
I like the glass half full take on things... Its a refreshing change from the doomscrolling this offseason.
Jabari isnt well coordinated and isnt a freak athlete but saying he cant defend when he is 6'10 with 7 ft wingspan is stretching things too far. Jabari is a PJ tucker style defender, he doesnt get blocks but he bothers shots at the rim and at the perimeter. You can see him here being very switchable and versatile, he can guard guys 2-4 very comfortably and 1 and 5 sparingly. Some 1s way too fast and can leave him on skates and some 5s way too big and push him around but other than those he is a very solid defender. He bumps up the Rox defense by around 2 spots mostly by himself. He is like the opposite of Reed he wont get steals and blocks but he doesnt give easy penetrations in the lane and he is always contesting shots. The guy always has a low stance, always ready to bother shots both in late and perimeter. Fundamentally he is just solid on D, and way more effective than flashy guys who go for steals and leave the lane open. People who say Jabari is a bad defender just dont know ball. Yeah he is just a 3nD, but newsflash 3nD bigs are very valuable and highly sought out for every good team. Knicks literally won with Kat being the 2nd best player.
You're going off 5 games? Sometimes I worry about you guys. BTW both those statlines are terrible not sure how it is disproving my point about jabari. Two playoffs in a row playing awful. But no you don't judge potential by a 5 game series lol
If Jabari added some muscle and learned to attack the rim, I’d be thrilled. His 3-pt shot is already pretty good and getting better, but he remains an absolute pu$$y when it comes to going strong to the hoop.
Is Amen a better PF than Jabari? YES Is Sengun a better Center? YES. So what are we doing? Wasting roster spots for other players out of sentimentality. Forcing Amen to play point guard when we can trade KD and Jabari for a young guard and small forward who can shoot. Start Reed and this roster will make much more sense. We wont do this but we should. I would be ok with Jabri if he came off the bench especially if we dont keep Tari. I see him getting better but not better than Amen would be in that same spot.
Yeah, he's not much of a "defensive playmaker", he is not out there generating chaos for opposing offenses like Amen does at his best, but he is solid and not very easy to attack for most players. I definitely consider him a two-way player. Something I've been thinking about a lot is wondering whether Jabari could be convinced to bulk up and make his mission in life to basically become a taller Al Horford. His physical traits--wingspan, athleticism--aren't that different from a 30-something Horford, he just doesn't have Horford's strength. I think it would very beneficial for Jabari's career if he could become a starting caliber stretch big. He would have to accept that he will never be like KD, but a true 3nD stretch center is worth max dollars, or very close to max dollars, which would be a significant jump from where he is now. Horford, for example, was getting paid over 25% of the cap from 2016-2019. (Jabari is getting paid 14% of it next season.)
I really don't understand people completely selling out on Reed. Dude has played one year basically, had a pretty good year. If he was a rookie and put up those numbers, most people would go "That's a promising player." I think people are upset because he's playing on a contending team, so now the expectations go to him having to produce and play big in big games and in big playoff games...which...he has played big in some big matchups this year. Not sure why people just conveniently forget that. I think the important thing is, he improved from his first to second year, lets see if he comes back in his third year and improves again? Unless some big superstar is on the trading block our best option here with players like Amen and Reed is to see and hope they develop here rather than trade them away and look like idiots. I'd rather them fail here than anywhere else.
Fair enough. I didn't say he was a bad defender. He's above average. I just don't see an avenue for much improvement. On KAT, he's much more valuable because he provides those skills as a center. That's a unique skillset from his position. I'd actually like to see Jabari play more center. His defensive effective field goal percentage is best when he's in that position. That said, I don't think he has the size or build to play major minutes there.
It's Clutchfans unless your are a 20/10 player in your 1st year . .. you are a bust My concern is that the Rockets lack the personel to properly bring these kids along Amen should be hoisting up 500 shots a day until the season starts Maybe Reed needs to dribble exercises Jabari needs to bulk up. He eventually will imo but sooner would be better than later --- If he could get to that OTIS THORPE size he'd be a beast Sengun needs to become even stronger. He still a little soft in the middle and dammit they all need to be shooting 200 free throw a day Let's look at the rest Jae'Sean Tate - I thought he could become like Dort - but that is his ceiling to me. Josh Okogie - I just don't know. Aaron Holiday - is Aaron Holiday - minimal upside but he is consistently him TaRi Eason - I see alot of upside - Things I like is I think HE GOT THAT DAWG in him. He needs some Dillion the Villian in him --------- What he lacks in Talent I think he can make up for in Effort and attitude. . . he has to let it loose JD Davison - I dunno Rocket River
Probably nobody you're right. I'm not sure what point you're trying to make here. Are you trying to compare the preseason to the playoffs where the competition ramps up and the best of the best in the league are playing for the ultimate goal of winning a title?
Because its only a hand full of games. Even if he shot 50% in the playoffs its 5 games. You need a larger sample size. You think Reed and Jabari will shoot underr 40% next season?
To me, the upside is that KD and Amen played out of position all season. If the team could find a way to make those 2 the starting forwards along with capable guards, I think they would make a leap.
