2023-08-01 10:18:37
In summer league, Smith Jr. used some basic basketball skills to improve his scoring consistency, and he also showed more patience in the game. Smith Jr. Strengthening the size of the upper body will be the next topic, but obviously his lower body strength is quite sufficient, and he is also more able to use rhythm changes, often taking more shots to make defensive players lose their positions…
The shooting level shown by Jabari Smith Jr. in the Las Vegas Summer League will definitely be a weapon that cannot be underestimated in the new season. He shot 49% from the field in two games, scored a total of 71 points, and only had 5 times mistake.
The hard work and attitude that Smith Jr. showed in the summer league will be an important element for the Rockets to try to return to the strong territory. His more advanced shooting and ball handling skills will also be the core appearance that Houston wants . Smith Jr. averaged 12.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and 0.9 pots per game in the 2022-23 season, and was also selected to the Rookie Team of the Year, making a good start for his career.
Further reading: Dimensionality reduction blow?Seven Sophomores Beyond the Summer League Tier
After the All-Star Game in the 2022-23 season, Smith Jr. averaged 15 points and 45% field goal percentage per game. Now his performance in the summer league seems to have started the new season. The level shown by this former prospect in the summer league is no longer relying on physical fitness and a lot of ball-holding opportunities to score in college, but has newly honed footsteps and the ability to create shooting opportunities on his own.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Smith Jr. has a consistent shooting mechanism, and his release point is inherently high, so he can dominate the game in college by shooting alone. At that time, Smith’s college coach Bruce Pearl added catch and slide and Pick & Pops to his weapons in order to let him adapt to the professional game early. Therefore, he is one of the few scorers who can have both flying and stable shooting.
When Smith Jr. receives the ball in the paint, he can rely on agility such as step-ups or fadeaways to score, and use his 6-foot-11 height and advanced offensive skills to score as appropriate.
In summer league, Smith Jr. used some basic basketball skills to improve his scoring consistency, and he also showed more patience in the game. Smith Jr. Strengthening the muscularity of his upper body will be the next topic, but obviously his lower body strength is quite sufficient, and he is also more able to use rhythm changes, often taking more shots to make defensive players lose their positions.
Smith Jr. had a difficult shot in both college and rookie years, or he mightn’t make a consistent shot when he got into the paint. Among them, he shot only 69% at the rim last season. In the summer league, Smith Jr.’s confrontation has been significantly enhanced, and he can use his superior skills to score when he is on his feet, especially when facing NBA starting players such as James Wiseman and Jalen Duren. inferior.
Rockets head coach Ime Udoka said in an interview in the summer league that Smith Jr. needs to be ready to shoot at any time in the new season. In his rookie season, Smith Jr.’s three-point shooting percentage was only 31%. Udoka pointed out that he was too indecisive and not stable enough. If Smith Jr. can have a more stable shot, he will be able to use other players Scoring means creating space.
When a tall man with a golf quotient and an outside line, does it remind you of anyone? If these skills become more proficient, he will become one of the most difficult players in the league to defend, which is why Smith Jr. is the No. 3 pick in 2022.
When Smith Jr. makes quick stops and match-up shots, he also makes defenses more scrambled. And maybe in the next few years, Smith Jr.’s passing and ball handling will not be important items, but if it can grow, it will be happy for the Rockets. This year, it can be seen that he is trying something in the summer league.
The Rockets’ fragile defense may make Smith Jr. misunderstood last season, especially with an Undersized center like Alperen Sengun. Smith Jr. is bound to have to share some paint defense, but his size is by no means a frame protector. first choice.
Smith Jr.’s defense, however, is special because he has the quickness and balance to follow linemen and guards, including disrupting shots and passing. Smith Jr., the second-best ball-handler to defend once morest Duren in summer league, can also provide a degree of pressure in one-on-one situations.
But in some possessions in summer league, you will still see Smith Jr. struggling to defend the paint in the paint, and his quick response and alertness have not yet reached the level of Robert Williams.
Even in defense, physical confrontation is required:
Smith’s defensive value lies in his ability to defend multiple positions at once. He is good at reading when to show up to help or play the last line. For Smith Jr., he should focus on defending big players like Jayson Tatum or Jaden McDaniels. small forward.
After the Rockets signed Fred VanVleet, Dillon Brooks and Jock Landale in the offseason, they should improve the defense that ranked 29th in the league last season, and also help young players such as Smith Jr. score and find space in transition.
Smith’s defense still has a long way to go, but he at least has top-notch physical talent to impact the game.
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