Donatas Motiejunas ROCKETS vs PACERS

Terrance Jones just seems over-matched guarding opposing power forwards. At least D-Mo has the height to bother other post players. I'm thinking McHale is looking much more at the defensive end than the offensive end right now.

 

I think it will be better to put Asik in for that role, and have the rest of the 4's to come off the bench.

 

DMo is more crafty inside the paint and he can shoot 3. Jones is raw. A nice asset.

 

One of the things I think Hakeem is helping him with is harnessing that remarkable quickness and using it in a controlled manner. That's always been a major problem for Donuts, who often spins like a top and then blows the layup. The guy has enormous talent and perhaps this will be the season where he gets it all figured out. We should be so lucky.

 

I agree with this. I feel that the games are going a tad bit too fast for him as he is still doing a lot of thinking. Once the game slows down for him (as far as outlook), he has a chance of becoming a special NBA player.

 

I think Dmo needs to start and get 20-30 games with close to 30 min a game.

 

I wonder if Omri Casspi calls Motiejunas "the Dreidel"?

 

Yep he had one move in that last preseason game and it worked beautifully but he just blew the layup. It's like he already has the instincts to come up with the right moves and counters but his brain has taken the "move" and the "shot" and separated them into two separate behaviors. Technically they form a behavior chain and once he nails that down he's gonna be scary good.

 

I agree, I think that will be the number one thing that would help him develop and be consistent.

 

I don't know much but hopefully one of 2 things happen:

1. D-Mo gets his 3 point shooting up to 32% and becomes a serious low post threat;
2. Jones gets his 3 point shooting up to 32% and becomes a serious threat on the defensive closeout to attack the basket off of the dribble.

32% shooting from beyond the arc was chosen because that percentage forces the NBA defenses to forcefully close out on the shot. Less than that and they will not seriously defend.

 

Dmo stands to gain the most from Olajuwon IMHO. You could spot a few moments where he thought about using the hakeem moves during that game.

 

I'd love to see him get more touches in the post.

 

He will get them, if he makes the layup opportunities that he is getting.

 

Don't think this one was here yet.

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gotta say, im happy seeing Dmo doing some good defensive stops.

 

If he is going to play like that this season, the Rockets open PF position is filled. Not enough evidence yet though.

 

32%? I never knew you were such a big fan of Patrick Patterson and his deadlier than 32% from 3point land mid range game.

 

If shooting 3 pointers and mid-range shots was all you needed from a player than Patterson would be awesome, unfortunately that's just one very small part of the game and it's the only thing he's good at.

 

Aren't you guys being a little too tough on D-Mo? I must be watching a different game because I saw substantial improvement on someone I called "flaky" just a few weeks ago. In these pre-season games, Donuts has been pretty effective on offense and decent on D.

Besides, he showed some toughness coming back to play in the second half after that nasty fall in the first Pacers game.

 

So, too, that Olajuwan fella. What ever became of him?