16/10 isn't needed. As the 4th or 5th starter, if he averages an efficient 14/8 with a couple of takeaways on defense then he will be doing his job.
16/10 and 14/8 don't mean anything when it comes to evaluating Terrence's effectiveness and ability to contribute to a championship team. He's getting minutes. He'll post numbers. There are 14 lottery teams every year and then there's the lower echelon playoff teams in the East that he can get some big numbers on, that he can beat up on for 50% of the games or more. It's how he plays and what he does for his teammates on the floor when we play the big boys that counts. When we play those guys we need Terrence to be able to space the floor effectively. Otherwise, if he cannot do so, then his numbers simply come at the expense of Dwight and James. They are just a function of cleaning up the garbage and taking away possession from Dwight and James.
The keyword is "efficient". If he provides an efficient 14/8 in 30 minutes of playing time that is pretty damn productive for a 4th or 5th player. I think he's capable of that. He already doesn't turn the ball over much and doesn't try to force shots or passes. He makes more buckets than he misses. He also is pretty good on the fast break and getting some garbage points off offensive rebounds. Also above average at finishing in the paint and around the rim. His help defense is good for at least a block and steal per game. I know none of this sounds like very high praise, but overall it is pretty solid given his role and contract. I think his rebounding will be more consistent this year and am hoping it is the area he shows the biggest improvement. I don't really see his numbers coming at the expense of anyone like you suggest. They seem to come within the flow of the game. Of course I would also love to see his outside shot improve as well as his on-the-ball defense. I would probably agree with you that he would need to improve in one of these areas to be a "championship caliber player." Unfortunately, I'm not too confident that will happen. If that precludes him from being a starter over the other players we have, then good luck finding his replacement on our current roster. I don't think anyone is saying we shouldn't at least try to upgrade our PF position.
why so much T. Jones hate? Hes a young player trying to adjust to the pro game....it trips me out how some want D. West who is very overrated and not a real tough guy....If u dont believe me check the NO and Spurs series from 08 when West cried like a female dog from Big shot Bob thumping him in the back....Im all for benching Jones (think he would be perfect 6th man) or even trading for an upgrade but im not gone act like he sucks....But most of u guys thought Parson is/was great...
They key word is team. It's how he fits on the team. How he fits with Dwight and James is more important than a few individual efficiency percentage points. What Dwight and James need at the 4 is a player that can spot up and rip the nets from 23 feet and has the confidence to go out there and drill the shot when it is given to them.
Don't try to reason with him on this topic. For him it's extremely simple: If a PF can shoot 3's he's good. If he can't he's bad. Any and all other skills the player may have are irrelevant and won't help the team because reasons.
some of you are evaluating him as if hes a finished product... T jones is still a youngster and like most young players his biggest issue is consistency, but IMO he has been more than solid and more than what i was expecting. I have faith in him being the PF of our team and hes off to a good start.
i think its pretty clear that T Jones and his teammates have confidence in is shot... he had a bad shooting night last night from deep, but his teammates were not hesitating to get him the ball out there and he wasn't hesitating taking them. which leads me to believe that he was shooting well in training camp and practice Terrence is the perfect fit to be next to Dwight if he can iron out some of his kinks, he does the dirty work like putbacks, he doesnt need to have plays run for him to be an effective scorer and he has the range to stretch the floor.
Terrence and his teammates have confidence in his shot???? okiedokie IF Terrence could shoot the long ball he would be a great fit next to Dwight. And IF Terrence could shoot the long ball and effectively lay a body on the bigger 4's in the West, he'd be a perfect fit next to Dwight.
I think he will get better and better. And if the rockets upgrade the pg position and jones is your 5th best starter then you are set completely. And I think that is the route the rockets go, along with another back up big at some point. I don't think Dmo/Dorsey/black will cut it.
Most players on our team can shoot the long ball. I think you are overplaying the need to have four players on the floor at all times who can shoot the 3 effectively. Having the three players out there should provide enough spacing. Besides, if TJ's man cheats and tries to help out, TJ is pretty effective at finding the passing lanes for dish-offs and can catch and finish (unlike Asik or D-Mo). I also don't see why him being able to put a body on the bigger 4's in the west is something that would fit specifically with Dwight. Dwight is one of the best help-defending bigs in the game. Seems like having a good post defender at four would be MORE of a need if Dwight was a soft 5, who never really battled much in the paint. I mean, you always want a 4 to be a good post defender...but it seems like having Dwight there would make that less urgent than more urgent.
well if they dont have confidence in his shot tell me why they are passing it to him behind the three point line telling him to shoot it? are you going to tell me nobody has confidence in troy daniels shot either because he bricked 5 straight? I dont know if yall forget or if you just dont realize but last night was only Terrences 72 NBA start and this is only his third NBA year. this is the year where you can expect him to be comfortable with his role and excel in it... but whatever yall can sit here and nitpick all day, ill just be happy with our 22 year olds PF that is everything we could have asked for
Jones played well last night, that really can't be debated. But the Lakers are a terrible offensive team with awful big men. The problem with Jones has always been his awareness. Against good teams he always gets lost, particularly on defense, and we still don't know if that has improved. I hope he has, I really do, but I'm not getting excited after one good game against the Lakers.
its not even about this "one good game" and more of the ridiculous criticism he's been getting and for what. all the people that were drilling him because he didn't have a monster preseason when it doesn't even matter. but i guess knee jerk has become to the norm. i can just imagine if he had a sub-par game last night and the overreaction.
