ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Magic 10/25/2023

I think we are better, because their great hope is Banchero. I think Banchero has always been over-rated. Whether it manifests this year or not, I believe Amen, Jalen, Jabari, an Sengun are all better long term than Banchero. He is a mediocre defensive player, crappy outside shooter, slow, and doesn’t have the dog that our guys have. Wagner is great, but he is a robin for sure. They don’t have a Batman. We may end up with too many Batman’s.

 

They have a very underrated big in Wendell. He took that leap last year and looks to continue that. He was over-physicaling us last year. They have a lot of young guys looking to take that leap. Suggs was great defensive pg last year. Fultz looks like he’s finally ready for a breakout season. They replace Ross off the bench with Anthony

 

The Texans turnover is probably too much to ask for so soon.

But hopefully the new faces on the Rockets have a similar impact on these players.

A coach they really want to play for, motivated, and willing to do anything to improve themselves and the team.

 

Don’t get me wrong. I think they are going to be decent and are getting better. They just don’t have the guy to take them over the top. Banchero was a mistake, although I don’t think anybody in that draft was a superstar.

 

Momster, we need you to suit up for a few weeks at the end of the bench. The Udoker has spoken.

 

Chalk this up as a Win!!!!
1-0
Let’s go!!!

 

That may distract Udoka from his coaching duties

 

That Udokhai....Urukhai.

 

Udoka-sagi / Ime-shima

 

FVV is better than every player you named combined. Isaac will always be known as the guy who didn't take a knee and nothing else.

 

It is a team's game so yeah, I think the Rockets are favored as well, but it is a road game so stuff happens.

Just as Miami went to the Finals with a roster that barely made 8th seed and lost to the Hawks not long ago.

 

I'm not saying we are winning.it's basketball and anything can happen but we got way better than they did and that's facts. The upgrade from KPJ to FVV is better then anything they did.

 

They are under pressure, because after that Home game they are going on a 3 or 4 game road trip.

@Blazers
@Lakers
@Clips
@Utah

 

Man we gotta wait til Wednesday??????? It's like another damn offseason from now.

 

I just wish I could consistently get links that weren't squirrely. Also, wish my wife would stop huffing every time I want to watch a game. That ish is getting old.

 

"Banchero was a mistake" -- how so? He was the prize from that draft. 20ppg scorer with vision and size. Resoundingly more impactful rookie season than either Jalen or Jabari. He was an engine for ORL not just a nervous kid trying to fit in. He wasnt very efficient his first year that I would concede, but in terms of what you expect from #1 picks he was as advertised.

 

Which 19yr old had the best rookie season isn’t a measure of whether the team drafting #1 made a mistake.

He was a mistake if Chet and Jabari overtake him. I mean, that’s very possible.

 

In order for Chet or Jabari to overtake Paolo Banchero they would need to be lead players for their respective teams. Being hyper efficient is great, but when you are tasked with running the team and operating with an insane usage rate as a rookie then odds are high that the team will continue to invest in that design and in Orlando's case they have symbiotic pieces that work extremely well with one another for Paolo to keep doing his thing.

A team drafts players in the top 5 hoping they have the talent to change the direction of a franchise. Some decisions are taken out of GMs hands like your preferred player(s) being taken ahead of your pick, but if you are drafting top 5 the hope is still that the player is going to be a difference maker. Both Jalen and Jabari shine in their own ways, but in terms of sheer value Banchero is ahead of them and seems to be seen as a top 50 player in the NBA as of today according to the preseason player rankings. I hope you're right and either or both of Jalen/Jabari catch and exceed the value Paolo brings to a team or any of our young guys for that matter.

 

It is not a mistake if they all end up being Top 20 players......and the difference is only 1 or 2 spots which is minimal.

I do not think you can blame the GM for that 1 or 2 spots but that is just me and not you!

The Magic like the Rockets in the past picked up great bigs with the 1st pick so they are not the Odens.
(It is actually guards that they had problems with)

 

I disagree. If you look at the stats you will see that Jabari led Paolo in most categories and that was with a horrendous start. Last 25 games he was way better. I’m not saying Paola is not a good player, but he is clearly not close to being a franchise player. I prefer Jabari because he is clearly better at defense, rebounding, 3 pt shooting, and has more dog in him than Paolo. We will see who has the better career when they both fill out physically. I do think the Rockets might struggle for a while and may lose this game until they can adjust to the new defensive schemes. When they do get their defense in sync they will outplay Orlando.