ClutchFans Game Thread: Thunder @ Rockets - Vegas Summer League 7/9/2022

i agree. i flipped from the default rockets spaces to Frank's.

 

Need a floor general and Deke as a backup

 

It was great until they gave the OKC fan Joe the mic. LOL

 

Christopher is a regular season player. He needs to be the 3rd or 4th option to thrive.

J Smith II will figure this out. Alperens passing will get him going. He is a dog on defense.

Silas should have designs for TyTy to get 3 or 4 floaters a game.

 

Jabari’s mentality is ELITE.

Winning plays
Winning attitude
Winning mentality

I absolutely love that and it’s even more impressive when you consider he’s only 19!!!

 

Jabari will get pushed around
He will get knocked off his spots
He will get bullied

He’s only 19

But once he gets some strength training and balance training it might be lights out

 

I just realized, thanks to this space, that Jabari and Tari were guarding OKC's starting center.

 

I thought Jabari played a pretty good game tonight. His rebounding and defense we very very good. His shot wasn’t falling and he was nervous but you just know that when he does get it going, it’s gonna be a super weapon. He’s got such a high floor and only 2 months into being 19. Folks have to have patience. I do have my doubts on whether this coaching staff, this system, and the poor creator/facilitator guard play on our roster will maximize his talents. Stone really has to consider bringing in a veteran point guard.

Eason continues to impress me the most of our rookies. He swallows up rebounds and can guard everyone; nonstop motor. He’s got some good range on his shot. Super athletic; can get to the rim; he’s got good handles for his size. This is the kind of guy you want on the court for as many minutes as possible. Kwahi.

If Holman doesn’t already have a fan club, can I start one? 2nd solid game; his shot was falling and he played well on the defensive side of the ball. Surprising athleticism for his size. Keep that man on the court; I want to see more!!!

yeah Nix had a better game but he’s just a guy. TyTy has all the tools; just needs to shoot at a high percentage. If he can do that, he can get rotational minutes in 2023.

Josh Christopher needs to be the 1st guard off the bench for big rotational minutes this year. Love his game; love how he adjusted in game 2 as more of a facilitator for his teammates.

 

Give Tari legit minutes right away

 

I Didn’t say he was a bust. I questioned why Rockets drafted him if they wanted a bonafide second scorer after Green. Coming into the draft we knew who he was. He isn’t a one on one player and he couldn’t handle the ball. He simply was an elite shooter and defender in college. I never expected much from Smith other than a solid 2 way player. I didn’t expect all star or all around elite player. I always thought Ivey and Murray were superior players. Im not surprised Smith has struggled offensively. Considering the other players better offensive game in college and their performance thus far their trajectory seems great and I have little doubt the other top 5 guys wouldn’t have much success scoring in this league. Smith is a different player. Couple of His biggest weaknesses was one on one play and finishing at the rim. As a fan i hope he becomes a serviceable player. Maybe a star but rational part of me doesn’t think he can due to his lack of one on one ability.

 

In the spaces, OKC Joe didn't know the Rockets too well. Tonight's game, yes Chet and Jabari were the tallest and played the 5. Summer league lineups don't represent NBA game lineups.

His question about Jabari or Sengun raised eyebrows; since one is a 3/4 and the other a 5. Jabari is not our center; even if defensively he can match up to some. On the OKC side, it's possible Jaylin Williams come off the bench; but that guy is 6'9" 240 lbs. So if OKC wanted they can easily have a bigger body at the 5 and slide Chet to the 4.

Also his take about Bari or Chet going to the g-league for a few games was crazy unrealistic.

 

It was kind of a revelation that Jabari can play the 5 fine defensively and hold his own rebounding. Also that Tari can play the 4. That's a lot of versality. We even saw Tari on Chet a few times.

 

It really gets better because Nix was guarding him on a few plays, too. lol.

re: Apathetic's spaces : I about lost it when Oklahoma Joe said Wood had good defense. They let him talk a bit too long. I started begging for the next speaker. LOL. The other one was yeah... he wanted Chet and Jabari to go to the G-League to build their confidence. I think DEA eventually raided his house after that call in.

 

Thanks to JR for the transcript. Took a while, but got the Stone interview/segment up.

 

As a fan of all 3 prospects I'm worried for Chet. Dude had 1 good game and then was never the same afterwards even with rest.

Am extremely happy we got Jabari I think Chet gonna go the Bill Walton route.

 

In an attempt to be objective which is nearly impossible as a rockets fan... I'd say the key difference in their shooting % is Smith stopped Chet from having a good offensive game every single time he guarded him whereas Jabari just missed the same kind of shots he will take each game. Defensively Chet will continue to get those help side blocks and Jabari will continue to play versatile defense.

 

Lol serviceable player. Just lol
Also double lol at projecting someones career based on summer league play. Btw Chet has no done so hot so far in the Vegas league.
I get it your mind was made up before summer league started and everything he does or doesn't do is just going to add to that opinion.
Also in describing Smith you described what this team needs to a T. With kpj, green and senguin we barely had enough touches so someone like banchero who needs the ball will never get enough touches in Houston. We need someone like jabari who can play great defense which is our biggest weakness and also who can score without needing the ball in his hands to create.

 

Ra-fell needs to add more defensive energy and become elite on at least one side of ball.

Trade for Myles Turner and Matisse Thybulle.

That will dial up defensive energy to 20.