He's coming off injury. If there is a big on our roster that has All-Star potential it is him. I'm still waiting to see two things from him which is basically triple threat from the mid-post, which would make Patterson a primo player. 1. Some old-fashioned post up action from Patterson. Keep looking for the simple two-man game between him and Lowry. Catch, feel the defender from the backside and make his move for the turnaround J or to the basket for the finish. 2. The face up play where he faces the D, ball up high, surveying from the high post and instead of going to the jumper, he hesitates, fakes up and drives to the basket or shoots the pass to the corner or to the cutter. Patterson has the potential to execute both and take his game to the next level. Hill, Thabeet, and Dally obviously cannot do any of this. But Patterson keeps jacking that jumper and it's not working and he's jacking it too quickly instead of letting the play flow as he faces the hoop. I'm sure it's his injury recovery but all the same, I want to see so much more from him because I know it's there. And it doesn't seem like we've got a two-man iso play right now for the post up game for him. Sure wish McHale would get that in. I know he's got it in his reportoire. After all, he was an All-Star running that play during his playing career.
The jumper was his strength last season before the injury and when he was able to spot up and finish plays that Lowry and Hayes set up. We don't have a high post passing option right now. He needs to becomes that. He's the only big on our roster, other than Scola, capable of catching and facing at the FT line extended and making a play. And his back to the basket game needs to be exploited for him to become a complete player.
I saw patterson as more horace grant than anything else. This guys you're trying to describe never will materialize to me.
Perhaps not. If that is the case, he's another role player, which means another replaceable, trade-able asset.
Thats the case. he is a role player. He doesnt have any special skills. He's not oversized for his position nor is he a super athlete. He's just a solid player.
1- We have few evidence of him being anything more than a jump-shooter and a garbage man. 2- His back to the basket game needs to be explored, this is where I'm most curious about his development, however, it's an overestimation to say it needs to be exploited, you exploit it when you know he has plenty, so far, he has been limited. 3-According to what Morey has talked about him, Patterson is not projected to get his offense attacking his defenders off the dribble nor facing the basket in the post, he doesn't have that type of quickness a la Landry, so I wouldn't hold my breath for this.
It sounds like the Rockets are looking to develop Patterson into their centerpiece player this season but the ankle has held that back for now. http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=211063&page=4
We've seen him play for 3/4 of a season, I'll judge him in 2-4 years unless something drastic happens.
I knew he wasn't a big PF but he seems smaller to me this season. I'd say he is slightly undersized for the position. His sculpted physique misleads the eye but he is neither tall enough, quick enough or strong enough (in the post, I'm sure dude can benchpress a car but who cares) to be that great of a player. I still think he can be a near double-double guy (14-15ppg and 8 rebounds). I do think if he gets it together, he can be a hell of a weakside shotblocker.
PPat has a ways to go. He's still coming back from that surgery. Right now his problems are probably mostly mental. Needs confidence and playing time. He had no training camp, y'know?
Yeah, I understand that. I'm just saying he needs to show more than just a spot up jump shooter to not become a JAP (just another player).
He is not a post up player, never has been and probably never will be, the only post player on the current team is Scola. DD
His ceiling can be Clarence Weatherspoon in his early days... Unfortunately he's looking like trade bait or cap relief in the future
His post moves don't look very smooth. Stiff, in fact. He tends to dribble in place rather than actually back his defender down. Doesn't seem to have good leverage. Probably because he doesn't drop that ass.