Every NBA player needs to have a calling card. Amen and Tari's strengths and weaknesses are clearly on display. It's not like those guys get a lot of touches to do so either. Jabari isn't demonstrating a whole lot of strengths. He's a capable switch defender, but not elite at all. That's a pretty limited contribution for a starter. I don't even know what the argument is to start him over Tari other than he's taller and was drafted with the #3 pick. I find it hard to believe that anyone is actually impressed with Jabari's play so far.
Jabari as a 7/8th man would indeed be great. In fact, we have the option to do that very easily. For whatever reason Udoka continues to hurt the team, and Jabari himself, by giving him starter treatment.
When Jabari looked his best as a rookie it was at the small ball 5 that Silas would sometimes employ. I think if he's ever going to be a truly effective player it will be gaining some weight and some strength and being able to guard 5's on the defensive end instead of getting cooked on the perimeter with switches. He isn't athletic enough against 4's offensively either. He can take advantage of 5's which will force the other team's 5 out of the paint. We haven't seen much of it currently because Ime's offense is reliant on the 5 being the screen setter for Fred and Jalen.
Udoka is someone who harps on accountability yet has started Jabari who's been unproductive the entire time Ime has been here. It took 9 games for Redick to bench DLo who is far more accomplished than Jabari(not saying much of course).
never paid attention tbh. I know there were a lot of positive things said about him but it was moreso about how hard he got them to play and how he held them accountable and disciplined. essentially the same here but the difference is the talent level. a team like the Celtics can be ran by themselves with the personnel and IQ they have. Who knows how instrumental he was, they didn't miss a beat without him.
LoL no it's not "clear to everyone" because the team is starting him and there have been multiple instances of people saying someone won't do well in the NBA only for those guys to show regular development soon after. The only thing clear is you think Jabari Smith Jr is a bust. Noted. Btw, above average defense literally makes up for below average offense. That's a neutral player as your fifth best starter and youngest starter. You really don't understand the NBA if you're angry about this.
He is starting so we have a more balanced lineup. FVV, Sengun and JG all take a lot of shots if Tari also starts who is gonna score from the bench? Our bench guys are Tari, Amen, Sheppard and Adams/Jock. If Tari starts he wont get a lot of touches and will be ignored most of the time just like Jabari. Of course Tari will be all over the place but then when the starters get tired you really gonna depend on Sheppard and Jabari to carry the scoring load? lol Theres a reason Manu and James Harden stayed on the bench even if they were better than the starters over them.
Even then at the College Level he was pretty robotic and not fluid. But yeah he did look more like KG and Durant against weaker competition.
Jabari was the 5th best PF rebounder last year. He shot about league average from 3. He is a good defensive player. That is a productive starter who has improved each year at age 21. You guys don’t have a clue. We are only 9 games in and his start has been frustrating, but it is way too early to start talking about benching Jabari. It’s not like anyone is excelling in Ime’s putrid offensive schemes. Sengun has struggled too. Guess we should bench him, huh?
Except we've seen Sengun have success and show he's capable of being great. Bad comp. Congrats to Jabari for shooting league average last year when he was drafted to be an elite shooter.
Just going to ignore his top 5 rebounding at 21 years old, huh? Bari is just this week's ClutchFans' scapegoat. Last week, if was FVV. Next week, who knows?
