Are there additional style points being awarded that I haven't heard about? Points are points no matter how you get them. He consistently scores points and as you said he's very efficient at it. He can shoot 25 free throws a game and not get any FG attempts and it wouldn't matter. Bottom line is that he scores points with limited shots. How many times a games does he simply go past his man and lean into him to draw the foul? Those aren't plays ,that's just him going 1-on-1. So you're saying that he only gets the ball 20% of the time yet he's still scoring 22 a game for us and doing it efficiently. That's a bad thing? How many players in the NBA can produce like that with limited touches? Martin wasn't brought here for this season. He was brought here to play with Yao. You don't think that Martin spreading the floor will benefit Yao? You don't think Martin will be effective receiving kick out passes from Yao? You don't think that a 90% FT shooter going to the line a high number of times per game benefits the team? Who are the guys that Martin has had trouble with? I can give you a laundry list of PGs that have killed us this year, but we haven't really had trouble with SGs since Martin arrived. In 18 games we've had a couple of opposing SGs score in the low 20's but that's to be expected. If Martin is as bad defensively as he's made out to be, how come opposing SGs aren't lighting us up every night? Either he's better than you give him credit for or the SG position across the league is really weak. Either way it doesn't really seem like a problem.
Get over it. You're obviously not in Houston . Even Jeff Hagedorn the Rockets radio play-by-play announcer refers to Kevin Martin as k-mart.
He's very skillful creating contact and drawing fouls, but that's another thing. I think he's weak mentally because he has struggled in every difficult moment we have had, specially at the end of the games. And not a little... if he's not making shots, he won't make any. The body language is like he's defeated for the situation... Hopefully I'm wrong, but right now is what I think.
Nuggets game is my only ray of hope... Hopefully is just his natural body language and the poor performances at those moments something short-lived or ephemeral. We'll see.
So the team's decision of giving the ball to Brooks at the end of games = Speed mentally weak. Wonderful logic, sir.
maybe he's defering to brooks and scola in tough situations...which is probably what he's suppose to do, especially with brooks. Martin isn't a go to guy or a one on one player, never has been, so don't fault him for not directly stepping up in those situations.......and when we have difficult moments many of them struggle, that's not saying much.
Actually his one on one skills is probably his best offensive skill, his coming off screen is vastly overrated.
That's just his game. Some players score in a flashy way that will get them on ESPN, but Kevin Martin doesn't care about that. He just go in there and score. The reason why he don't get as much recognition as some other players is because he's a quiet scorer. But that's who he is and that's his game. Rick and Morey both know that from Martin. He doesn't have to be flashy. He's not out there to get on highlight reels on ESPN, he's out there to play basketball. His jump shot doesn't look pretty but it is fluid and it is consistent. Right now, Kevin Martin is the best scorer on this team and probably will be next season. I highly doubt Yao is able to average over 20 ppg when he comes back. But with Yao coming back, Kevin will be more deadly because teams would focus mainly on Yao and Brooks, that leaves Kevin more opportunities to score. If the Rockets don't get any spectacular players this offseason, expect Kevin Martin to be our leading scorer for the next few seasons. This guy is averaging 24 ppg with Houston. When was the last time a player in the Rockets uniform average 24 ppg? Yao and Tmac did but that was years ago. Though Kevin Martin isn't the greatest defender or the best all around player, his strength is scoring. So, most likely he will be our leading scorer until the Rockets can acquire or draft a high scoring superstar. Overall, Martin isn't a superstar. He's just a flat out scoring machine. Don't expect him to do a whole lot but scoring. I'm happy that we got him. He's a much better scoring than Andre and Caron Butler. That's the reason Morey went after him.
as for how martin moves...watching the knicks game again i see he does move, but when needed. some plays he has to be in the middle of and runs around and through the paint. Sometimes brooks is taking it and Martin has to instead look for the open spot along the three to create spacing and draw his man out. Other times he dumps it to scola and positions himself where his man can't see scola AND martin at the same time, so it's harder for him to double. Other times martin goes right to the corner and parks himself there to create space...i'm guessing that's what he is suppose to do, much like battier, but i'm sure martin will get some criticism for it as well.
what one on one skills? Are you including coming off of screens as one of them? I wouldnt include it...i meant taking guys off the dribble consistently. He's a threat to do it, but he's not quick enough to do it all the time and against anyone.
Honestly, I don't know why some of you are bashing Martin because he isn't flashy enough. He score points for us at a very high efficient rate is bad? I think some of you prefer a player that takes 20-30 shots per game and average 20 points but gets on the highlight reels other than having Martin who takes 12-15 shots and average 24 ppg. Kevin Martin is a great scorer. Morey and Adelman knows that. They not stupid. They know what Martin would give us. Andre Iggie is a walking highlight reel but the Rockets prefer Martin over him because Martin is a better scorer at a high efficient rate. He doesn't try to force up too many shots and he prefers to take good shot. Kevin Martin gives this team what they been missing since Tmac was done. A high scoring SG. He isn't a superstar like I said before, he's just a high efficient scoring machine. Plus, when Martin came to Houston, him and Brooks are probably one of the highest back court scoring in the league. He takes the load off Ariza so Trevor can finally play his own role. Kevin Martin takes the scoring load off of everyone. Even when Yao comes back, Kevin Martin would still be our leading scorer even with Yao next season. I highly doubt Yao would average 20 ppg. So stop hating the guy, as long as he score, I don't see what's the problem here. Nowadays, most fans are too much into high flying players that play well above the rim. That's why most of you are so obsessed with Von Wafer. Morey and Adelman knows more than all of us do. I know what to be expected of Martin. He sticks to his role and he doesn't have a big ego. He doesn't command the ball as much and he takes advantage of every single possession he has. He is a good 3 point shooter, has a good mid range, can get to the rim, goes to the line a lot and is a great free throw shooter. I mean, this guy is averaging 24 points per game in Houston. What more do you guys want from him? If we would trade for Andre or Caron Butler, they wouldn't even average 20 points for us. So, Kevin Martin is what this team needs and expect him to even score at an higher rate once Yao returns. He's not trying to get on ESPN. Its a good thing that he's scoring quietly because of that, teams don't really notice him so the defense won't swarm him. He average 4-5 points more than Butler and Iggy. He's a guy that we can rely on that will go out there every night and get his points regardless. Plus by him getting to the line, the Rockets would be in the penalty early on. That's a big plus for us. Plus, opponents would get into foul trouble early too.
He's a little unique in that his goto move is a jump shot from 10-15 feet, and he seems to be able to hit it while off balance as well. He seems to be able to get it against anyone because of his jerky dribble drive and his pump fakes. Also he's got that awkward looking spin move that gets him seperation on his shot as well. He doesn't really force it, so if he sees help defense shading him he won't force that drive, that's why he doesn't need a pick and would be better off going one on one off the dribble.
he's a threat and he's got some moves...but a one on one player usually can attack like Brooks can. i dont believe martin has that in him, he's not quick enough with the dribble to attack that way.
haha i agree man, i wasn't trynna hate on the guy (not sure if you're directing that toward me or the "haters") i think he's great for us since he rarely has a low-scoring night and he's very consistent.
how does me saying he's scoring quietly mean i'm bashing him? I'm actually saying he should get more spotlight/credit for what he's done in this league, especially in his little stint here in houston.
