Jordan Hill: Much More Than Another Long-Term Project
by Tom Martin on Mar 10, 2010 12:25 AM CST
in Player Analysis
88 comments
Jordan Hill is not a project. Don't care what Mike D'Antoni didn't see in him in New York. This is a guy who needs to see minutes right now.
Hill may be in his developmental stages, sure, but when I think about projects, I think DeAndre Jordan, the prototypical seven-footer with the athleticism of a small forward and the basketball skill set of a high school benchwarmer. As someone who has witnessed DeAndre play since his high school days (I was on the Episcopal High School freshman team when 'Dre was a junior on varsity), I can tell you right now that our Jordan is the better of the two. Dare we forget that this dude was a lottery pick?
Some athletes aren't basketball-coordinated. Their technical footwork is shabby and awkward, they have no touch on their shots, any move they make looks panicked and rushed, etc. The list goes on. It is the textbook definition of Hasheem Thabeet, a project who has proven to be so raw that the Grizzlies were said to have been forced to coach him "as if he were an eighth-grader."
When you look at Jordan Hill, you instantly notice how basketball-coordinated he has become in only six years of experience. And you probably didn't expect that from him. His footwork is very precise and fluid on his hook shot, which appears to be the only post move currently in his arsenal. He can catch and shoot comfortably, and can finish with authority at the rim. Each of these strengths is incredibly encouraging, because it is much more difficult to teach coordination than it is to refine it.
What is the difference between the two, exactly? In the spirit of comparison, Hill is a college student who must to take certain classes to earn his degree, but already has the necessary credits to enroll in the classes. Simply put, he must refine his knowledge. Thabeet doesn't have the those credits, and thus, he is forced to spend a semester at community college in order to gain the knowledge necessary to attempt to earn his degree again. Easy enough?
Hill has all the ability in the world to become a solid third option. He doesn't need to be taught how to play basketball - he needs to learn how to take what he is good at and make it better. Carl Landry was the same way. He had a decent 15-foot jumper, and he made it better. He had good footwork and soft touch, and turned it into an effective jump hook. Jordan's development, much like Carl's, will revolve around improving the efficiency of his current strengths. The scary part is that Jordan has learned so much so quickly - he may have much more upside than anyone thinks. Then again, it's impossible to tell sometimes. Amobi Okoye, FTW.
We haven't seen too much of Jordan yet, especially against formidable competition. But the early signs are encouraging, and much more so than we could have originally predicted. Make no mistake: Jordan Hill should be treated more like a capable rookie, in the Chase Budinger light, than a long-term project.
And, please, stop with the Mikki Moore comparisons. They have the same hair. And that's it.
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Better Then Carl
i love carl landry but i feel JH have a chance 2 be better…For 1 hes younger taller and more athletic….It’s Time For Us 2 Nickname Young Jorden Hill..
Height and Athleticism Are Overrated
They are tools to achieve effectiveness on the court, but there are other tools that guys like Landry have that Hill doesn’t . No way he’s better than Carl at this stage in the game, and I’m not even sure what the over/under is for him ever surpassing Carl’s current level of offensive play. Actually, I’m not even sure how over/unders work, so I’ll just leave it alone.
That being said, I’m very excited about this guy. I hesitate to use ‘red flag’ because he was a lottery pick, but they ‘yellow flag’ on him was his effort level.
I totally agree with the Olu (and Tom’s original article) that this guy is more polished than I would have ever guessed. Here’s to hoping he can become a solid night in night out player.
Effort is contagious. On this team with this coaching staff, I wouldn’t worry too much about effort. Not to mention its probably easier to put in the effort when you’re on a good (or soon to be good) team that wants you, rather than a crap team that wants to bench you.
by seanbergmanrules on Mar 10, 2010 1:34 AM CST up reply actions
It's pretty interesting that
both Budinger and Hill, both AZ players, got tarred with the “lack of effort” brush. So far I’ve seen absolutely no evidence of it.
I keep saying that Arizona has spent the last couple of years being a huge mess in many respects with coaching turnover, and non-stop drama . When you’re talking about 18-22 year olds that sort of thing makes a big difference. Sure, if a guy shows no effort at a program that’s running like clockwork, with a great coach, that’s one thing. When several seasons play out like a soap opera, that’s another.
Significant gravitas shortfall expected in 2010.
Height and Athleticism
are the reasons why Shaq and Dwight Howard were the best two big men in the league the last 10 years. The reason why Wilt Chamberlain dominated against inferior and smaller players. Why players get like Hasheem Thabeet even get looked at. Dennis Rodman didn’t play basketball until he had a freakish growth spurt and was suddenly tall and athletic. Of all the sports I think an argument can be made that height and athleticism are the most important “tools” (as you put it) to basketball over any other sport. That’s why there are so few Allen Iversons and Aaron Brooks, because it really matters.
by clutchcitywillreturn on Mar 10, 2010 12:38 PM CST up reply actions
nonononono
reasons why Shaq and Dwight Howard were the best two big men in the league the last 10 years
Shaq is much more than height and athleticism. His footwork was phenomenal, and he was incredibly intelligent. That’s the light version of it.
That’s why there are so few Allen Iversons and Aaron Brooks, because it really matters.
Every draft bust has been a chance taken on height and athleticism as opposed to fundamentals and pure basketball talent. If anything, the short guys are more talented because they are able to make up the difference in height.
The Dream Shake ...on Twitter.
"I think girls are probably just better shooters." - Steve Novak
well
Every draft bust has been a chance taken on height and athleticism as opposed to fundamentals and pure basketball talent.
Adam Morrison?
But, yeah, that’s generally true.
I have a severe problem with absolutes.
Yes, Adam is in there.
The Dream Shake ...on Twitter.
"I think girls are probably just better shooters." - Steve Novak
This is a late response, but I have to do it...
Tell Deke that’s the reason he was getting banged up in the finals, because of Shaq’s “footwork” and “intelligence.” I definitely agree that there are other skills that matter, but someone who is athletic and tall has the ability to dominate if they are able to grasp other “learnable” skills. You can learn the necessary footwork, post moves, passing lanes, and nba intelligence. You can’t learn how to be 7’1, 300lbs. That’s why teams gamble more on the big men.
Also, there have been tons of short guy busts: Jason Williams, Tyronne Lue, Brevin Knight, Derek Anderson (I know 6’5 is a little tall, but not for the NBA), career back-up Bobby Jackson, STARBURY (although he was good for a while with the T-Wolves), Damon Stoudamire, Bob Sura, JJ Reddick. I can keep going but I think you get the point.
by clutchcitywillreturn on Mar 15, 2010 1:21 PM CDT up reply actions
Profound Disagreement Here
Height and Athleticism are the reasons why Shaq and Dwight Howard were the best two big men in the league the last 10 years.
I feel like there is a profound misconception here. So let me just give you my point of view.
Height and athleticism help, don’t get me wrong. Shaq came into the league with huge size, an incredible vertical, and an amazing reach.
He also had an uncanny court awareness, developed a back to the basket game, was an amazing passer out of the double team, great at positioning himself under the basket, etc. etc. It’s these skills that gave him his dominant career. Not because ‘he was big’.
For every Stoudemire, theres a Stromile.
For every Chuck, theres about a million guys. And, no, Chuck isn’t a good ballplayer because he ‘hustles’, please don’t bait me, thats just mean.
For every Yao, theres a Shawn Bradley.
—
DraftExpress has a cool feature where you can look at measurements for every draft class, and order them however you like.
I selected Draft Class: All, and took a look at the best standing reach (a good traditional predictor for defensive prowess). Go down the list, and glance at some of the guys with the best verticals. For every Shaq, Brook Lopez, Dikembe Mutombo; you have about 10 guys you’ve never heard.
—
You’re right; there’s a reason why there isn’t a bunch of 5’5" guys in the NBA. Height and athleticism help, but they are profoundly overrated.
Just because i had to
For every Yao, theres a Shawn Bradley
Still one of my favorite plays of all time…
Shaq and Yao
Dwight Howard hasn’t been better than Yao. Sorry, but it just isn’t true. He’s more spectacular, he’s more athletic. You’d take him over Yao now, given his age and good general health. But better over the last 10 years? Nope.
Significant gravitas shortfall expected in 2010.
this is an interesting question
the wonderful thing about Dwight is how beneficial he is even when he’s not the focal point of the offense. If you can front Yao and keep the ball from him, you can really minimize his impact at the offensive end, and that’s not true with Howard. And Dwight destroys lineups without a top-caliber post defender in ways that Yao doesn’t do consistently enough.
On the other hand, Yao can score at will against almost any defender, and it’s not even debatable that Yao has outplayed Howard consistently in head-to-head matchups.
So is head-to-head a perfect determinant of who is better? Bball is such a complicated game that I’m not convinced of the answer.
Yeah Dwight is more useful in terms of all around offensive ability but how many teams double team Dwight and how many teams double Yao?.
You can front Yao to limit his touches but fronting him opens up the offensive glass, some teams last year preferred to double Yao and force him to pass since it seems the Rockets can hit jumpers with a defender in there face but can’t buy a basket when Yao passes to them for a wide open look.
Also a quick hypothetical 4th quarter games tied and down to the last shot of the game who would you rather have Yao or Dwight?
My argument for that is...
Post season success- Howard’s been to the NBA Finals. He put them on his back for the Eastern Conference Finals.
Health- Howard has not missed more than three games due to injury in a season. That is durability.
Defensively- particularly against the smaller big men who are quicker and can pull Yao outside.
by clutchcitywillreturn on Mar 15, 2010 1:26 PM CDT up reply actions
Yeah, he’s certainly a lot worse than Carl on the offensive end right now—the majority of power forwards are—but he may actually be better at rebounding, already, than Carl ever was. It’s too early to say so definitively, but early returns are positive. Part of that is size, part of it is that he puts in more effort on the boards than Carl did. I think it’s also fairly safe to say that even if he’s not the better defender right now, he will likely get to that point.
Carl, of course, is very, very special on the offensive end. It’s possible that Hill will be able to develop his game and get to that point, but he certainly isn’t close to being there yet, and who knows whether he ever will be.
I don't like all this bashing Landry's rebounding
When he first starting cracking the rotation, the Rockets never ran a play for Landry, and he got a ton of points off the offensive glass. I think the offensive glass capabilities were masked this year because so many plays were run for him. And he probably isn’t a great defensive rebounder, but with Yao and another quality rebounder in the lineup, Rockets should have been fine in that department next year.
Sigma
is a great coach and was one hell of a player, he was able to teach Landry all of his moves. He’ll do the same with Hill. Doesn’t this trade look more and more silly? Martin, Hill, Jeffries (who isn’t as bad as I thought), 2 first round picks. All of that for Landry and a quarter of T-Mac? God Bless Morey
Dre'
And i was on the SJS freshman team when I saw a bunch of white guys that would not go on to play college ball SHUT DOWN Deandre…
But other than that, from what little I’ve seen of Hill he looks pretty good and I’m glad he’s getting more minutes not. Hopefully I’ll get to see him live when im in town.
hey man
how are the mountains
The Dream Shake ...on Twitter.
"I think girls are probably just better shooters." - Steve Novak
Whats up
Its pretty cold up here, but its warming up…Can’t wait to be back in Houston on friday, trying to get my tickets to the Denver game on sunday (not that i dont see denver play enough up here lol), but luckily I have a slingbox hooked up so i get to see the rockets play too
Damn
I don’t get break for three weeks, though I’m spending it at panama city beach instead of Houston – won’t see a live Rockets game once this season aside from the game I went to over Christmas break. Oh well.
The Dream Shake ...on Twitter.
"I think girls are probably just better shooters." - Steve Novak
In the spirit of comparison, Hill is a college student who must to take certain classes to earn his degree, but already has the necessary credits to enroll in the classes. Simply put, he must refine his knowledge. Thabeet doesn’t have the those credits, and thus, he is forced to spend a semester at community college in order to gain the knowledge necessary to attempt to earn his degree again. Easy enough?
I love it. I can’t wait to graduate pre-school. :)
Inconsistent stud or developing staple?
I have to say, Hill look very impressive today, and much more polish than I thought
I havent seen enough of this young man’s game to decide what he is yet.
The thing I’ve always worry about giving young player minutes on the pro-level is their inconsistency due to their inexperience. Rawness quadruples when a raw talent goes up against skilled talent, but sometimes they get lucky and have an explosion game which leads to false sense of security(DeAndre I believe had that early in his 4th career start or something), and ended up stunting their development. Andray Blatche, who is now much better, was kind of in that mode a couple years ago.
Carl Landry was incredibly polished right off the bat(playing against bigger players most of his college career and made a living in the paint against guys like Oden), and became a staple after a year of experience.
good points
inconsistency is tougher for younger players to cope with.
The Dream Shake ...on Twitter.
"I think girls are probably just better shooters." - Steve Novak
Ha Ha
I was writing up a piece for my site this morning on Jordan Hill and I have/had almost the same line about the Mikki Moore comparison.
Nice post, Tom.
On the topic of D'Antoni...
I’m starting to think Mike D’Antoni is not that good of a coach. I always thought he was solid when he was in Phoenix, but look at what Alvin Gentry is doing there. I mean, with all the talented players that D’Antoni has his hands on including one of the GREATEST point guards to play the game, he couldn’t win anything?
That’s why I think he was stupid in letting Hill go. As soon as he gets confidence (in a 1 – 3 years) and learns how to play in this league, he’s going to be a monster.
Now if we can just address the center issue in the draft we might have a shot at a title next year…
"I am from one of the top 15 cities in the world. Buffalo, New York." - TrentEdwardsHoF2018
You can't say
that Alvin Gentry has done anything with the Suns, because they haven’t yet. Maybe if he takes them to the finals then you can, but D’Antoni took them to the Western Conference Finals. I agree D’Antoni is an overrated coach but come on, don’t jump on the Gentry band wagon before he actually proves his worth.
by clutchcitywillreturn on Mar 10, 2010 12:25 PM CST up reply actions
Hill is only doing what carl did in his first year
except without the luxury of having a 7’6 chinese guy to play off of. This is exactly how carl’s first season was. started with spot duty on the court but showed effort and energy which soon turned into regular rotation playing time. another difference between the two is that Hill’s defense is better now than carl.
Like his passing also
D’Antoni hates playing rookies. He doesn’t want to take the time to teach and develope them.
As for Hill,I’ve been impressed w/his passing ability. He doesn’t seem to force passes,appears to have decent court vision and makes sharp accurate passes. The one where he waited for just the right moment to hit a curling Bud was impressive.
Sort of worrying about his concentrating on blocking out(which he’s pretty good at) and expecting a teammate will get the ball. Couple of times late ball hit floor while Hill was watching-and holding off opposing players. Could just be tired from extended minutes,still…
I think Landry will remain the superior offensive player due to his work on his jumper and greater fight for offensive rebounds.
Hill is already a better defender,boxes out better by a country mile and hasn’t shown the penchant for the dumb fouls Carl still earns.
Carl will remain the superior scorer,but Hill will be a better all-around player,a much better complementary player.
I don't think it's fair to say that Carl will ALWAYS be the better offensive player
I remember a guy who came into the league, a 7 footer, didn’t have a great shot, but was active, athletic and a good defender – his name was Hakeem. Granted Hakeem averaged like 20/11 his rookie season.
However, my point is shooting is a skill that can be improved, athleticism can’t be taught.
"I am from one of the top 15 cities in the world. Buffalo, New York." - TrentEdwardsHoF2018
by Artest4Prez on Mar 10, 2010 10:44 AM CST up reply actions
Jordan Hill looks very promising
I can’t wait to stick him next to Yao next season. A Hill/Scola/Yao/Andersen/Hayes/Jeffries grouping isn’t the worst thing in the world. Yao and Scola can start, Hill off the bench and then you play the matchup with Hayes, Andersen and Jeffries for the other giant off the bench.
Jordan Hill is making this team look deeper. I keep looking at how deep this team will be next season and my mouth waters. I also keep forgetting we’ll have a pick in the teens (12-14 if we don’t make the playoffs, 17-20 range if we do make the postseason), and that’ll only add another talented stud. Remember, we still have that 3rd 2nd rounder in Europe.
PG: Brooks/Lowry/2nd Rounder who’s name escapes me or Temple
SG: Martin/Budinger/Taylor
SF: Battier/Ariza/Budinger
PF: Scola/Hill/Jeffries
C: Yao/Hayes/Andersen
That’s a DEEP TEAM.
B^2
In Daryl Morey, Rick Smith and Ed Wade we (usually) trust.
That team has Western conference finals written all over it
"I am from one of the top 15 cities in the world. Buffalo, New York." - TrentEdwardsHoF2018
by Artest4Prez on Mar 10, 2010 10:46 AM CST up reply actions
optimistic?
with yao coming off the surgery.. it really isnt a lock to say he’s going to be back to 100% production
and with dallas, LA, Denver, and a strong group of OKC, Utah, Portland(in same situation as yall with an injured good Center). i wouldnt say that lineup is conference finals bound. Good, yes. But not conference finals material
Since when have Oden/Przybilla
ever been anywhere close to as productive as Yao has been?
I’m not saying they’re not good or productive, but (when heathly) Yao is arguably the best center in the league. And you bring up a good point in the fact that there are several good teams in the west that are capable. However, I wouldn’t be suprised at all if sports pundits have the Rockets slated as one of the top 3 teams in the west next year. Of course this is all assuming Yao can come back and be as productive as he was before.
"I am from one of the top 15 cities in the world. Buffalo, New York." - TrentEdwardsHoF2018
by Artest4Prez on Mar 11, 2010 11:25 AM CST up reply actions
verty true
Oden has yet to put together what Yao has done in the past.. but right now, in there respective careers.. i wouldnt say Yao is that much better. as u stated, he’s a huge question mark comingoff the injuries
Oden and Yao are very different centers
Oden’s game is based on his athleticism and strength alone. He has yet to develop moves outside of the paint. Yao has always relied more on his shooting touch and height. I’d give Yao a good chance of coming back strong after the injury.
"Hip-Thrust!"
He's had significant surgery before
and come back strong. Obviously, he hasn’t ever had a period of inactivity quite like this, but previous injuries didn’t result in massive drop-offs. Besides, he’ll be ready for training camp.
I honestly think Yao is going to come back with more energy than ever.
His game may be a bit rusty at first, but the man has played an insane number of minutes between Houston and China. This is his first extended time off ever, really.
Significant gravitas shortfall expected in 2010.
Dude, if you think that Yao isn't that much better than Oden
then you obviously haven’t watched enough Rockets games. I might agree with you if you were arguing durability but Oden has proven that he’s more fragile than Yao is. Skillwise, Yao is lightyears ahead of Oden.
"I am from one of the top 15 cities in the world. Buffalo, New York." - TrentEdwardsHoF2018
Oden in 3 seasons has yet to log as many minutes as an average Yao season.
It’s terrible luck, and tragic, but Oden has yet to ever show signs of being a high minutes player. Yao has been more durable than people think over 7 seasons, with really ill-timed injuries making him seem more fragile than he’s actually been.
Significant gravitas shortfall expected in 2010.
meh
I meant in general that right now.. if i hold a draft. id pick oden.. (dont kill me) only since they both are injury ridden.. but oden has much untapped potential. and thats why i make that decision.
yea theres legitimate arguement that yao is better at this point. But yao has maybe 2-3 years left.. and thats if he even comes back from this injury at full strength.. with his frame, and paint defense, that foot is very important.
i dont watch much rocket games , true, but i dont watch much of oden either. Just enough to make a fans comparison.
Why do you think Yao has 2-3 years left?
He’s 29. Nothing about his game requires intense athleticism. He’ll always be as tall as he is. For whatever it’s worth, Hakeem was 32 and 33 in the championship seasons.
Significant gravitas shortfall expected in 2010.
the thing is
Oden still hasn’t learned how to stay on the floor for more than 20 minute a game.
The reason why Oden is able to put up good stats in his limited minutes is partially because defenders don’t see him as a threat. Roy and Aldridge command the attention, so Oden is able to get easy points and boards. What sets Dwight, Shaq (pre 2004), and Yao apart from the rest of the centers in the NBA is their ability to produce big even as the main focal point of every defense out there.
Not to say that Oden has no chance to become a part of that group, but he has a lot of obstacles to overcome before he can get there. It is probably more likely that Oden will develop into a Bynum type player: great but not dominant, foul prone, and thrives in a secondary or tertiary role on offense.
Yao has become rather injury prone in the past few years, but the guy was an ironman in his first 3 seasons (missed 2 total games). Oden is gonna have to fight an uphill battle to stay healthy enough to even be a good player.
"Hip-Thrust!"
if he recovers well
Then he should do well. But thats a hope. I do wish him well with his return.. the guy is a nba icon for sure. and has solely brought the relationship of basketball to china.
Im not sure if its still being talked about, but there is still a slight chance that this injury can end his career. Or limit his years of production. he could also come back as a shell of himself, which still may be pretty good among avg Centers in the game.
time will tell t
The guy in Europe is
Segio Llull, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergio_Llull seems like a good prospect
Change is the only constant
by nick.twizzle on Mar 10, 2010 11:12 AM CST up reply actions
He won't be here next year
Best case scenario is that he shows up in the 2011-12 season, just like Rubio.
Minnesotan Rockets fan
He is.
He’s a tall combo guard with good defensive ability who might shoot about 37%-40% from 3pt range.
I think he’s in Madrid again next year, and then to Houston. We could actually use him next year, but I don’t think he’ll come. He’ll only be 24 when he shows up though, not 30 like Andersen.
Significant gravitas shortfall expected in 2010.
Thanks for the clearup guys
I just had a brain fart when I was thinking of Sergio.
B^2
In Daryl Morey, Rick Smith and Ed Wade we (usually) trust.
Yeah i Like hill
It was weird because i would always trade for him on nba live 10
giving away cook and 2nd pick is always a good trade for him.
haha
Oh and the Jordan hill resemblance is Waka Flocka Flame
and my brother said that Armstrong looks like Zaytoven
Oh and sergio looks like he might be getting the bench minutes behind aaron
what Lowry said in the houston chronicle IT SOUNDED to me that he is thinking of leaving if he can start somewhere else
but everyteam in nba has a decent starting point guard , except maybe miami or new york. so i guess well see this summer
I think Lowry would like to be a #1.
He’d like to be paid. He’s reminding Houston of how valuable he is. This is the business.
Significant gravitas shortfall expected in 2010.
lmao
Tom Martin
“and the basketball skill set of a high school benchwarmer. As someone who has witnessed DeAndre play since his high school days (I was on the Episcopal High School freshman team when ’Dre was a junior on varsity)”
haha how u gonna mention Dre with “high school bench warmer” when u were on the F team at EPISCOPAL THAT YEAR?! I remember he avg.‘d like 7 dunks when he went to Humble Christian and dropped 18 vs Kevin Love at the ABCD camp..obviously, his skill set was a lot higher than that of a 7 foot 13 year old. Don’t bash Dre like that!
btw we beat yall by 40 in 06-07 in a spring branch tourney after yall upset madison (I played for cy falls and got a T that game for hanging on the rim..white boy with long hair). So I prolly played you in real life. neat.
Well.
I played freshman team, sophomore team, and then because I wasn’t athletic by any stretch of the imagination, I didn’t even try out for varsity. How am I going to bash ‘Dre? I’ll bash him because he couldn’t score on 6’7 white guys efficiently in high school. He left Texas A&M far too early and could have developed into a better player there before going pro. And now, with the Clippers, he is proving to them that he is not much more than a dunk machine.
‘Dre obviously has talent – he’s in the freakin’ NBA. But you can’t tell me that he got points on anything other than pure athleticism. That’s something that won’t work in the NBA – you need athleticism AND a somewhat refined skill set.
The Dream Shake ...on Twitter.
"I think girls are probably just better shooters." - Steve Novak
by Tom Martin on Mar 10, 2010 1:09 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
The guys at Sactown Royalty call him "Kitten Mittens" because of his terrible hands.
I just thought you’d like to know.
Significant gravitas shortfall expected in 2010.
I think Hill is going to develop into…
… a solid player for the Rockets. Heck, maybe even better than that.
I can’t believe the Knicks gave up on this guy so quick. I guess that’s why they are the Knicks…
I had to stop arguing with drunks, Steeler fans, and all other fools.
It was making my brick wall jealous...
THey were reluctant to give up on Hill
it wasnt like they thought he was a bust… that news bleh came from the media b/c of his lack of playing time.
the trdade was actually nixed b/c of morey’s want for hill, but when sac came into the deal. and the opportunity of 2010 free agency class(which is the initial plan of NY) they had to deal hill.
he is a great prospect who should grow to be a good player in this league.
In Morey we trust
Amazing we took a dead McGrady contract and turned it into two potential high picks (probably will be considering Knicks have gutted their roster, and even with LBJ they will still be pretty bad for a while), a serviceable player in JJ, and I think a potential steal of the trade, JHill. From what I have seen, this guy is not a project. He is already a decent rookie who just needs to hone his craft, add to his game, work hard, and will probably be even better than Landry (a tough loss, but we got a wing player we sorely lacked when McGrady broke down).
Quik-Mart is a scorer Rockets never really had since a healthy McGrady. Not sure how QM will be in hugh pressure situations, but we know how that turned out with McGrady, (think Utah series game 7 when all we needed was one more bucket to ice the game…). Yeah giving up Landry was really tough, but maybe Morey knows something about JHill that Knicks don’t.
In Morey we trust !
Rebounding lost Game 7,not shooting
At the 4 min mark of Game 7 against Utah the game was tied.
Both the Jazz andd Houston had 7 meaningful possesions.
On Rockets 7 possesions,McGrady found Chuck underneath for a layup and Yao took 5 shots making 4,getting a FT on one of his makes and was called for travelling.
5 Baskets,11 points on 7 possesions is almost as good as it gets in crunch time.
On Utah’s 7 possesions,the Jazz made 4 shots,one a 3pt play by Boozer and Boozer had a charge.
The difference is UTAH got the offensive rebound on both their misses. On the first they made a 3pt shot off th erebound. On the second miss,they missed the ensuing shot and got that rebound and made another 3 while using 1min,2sec of the game clock..
Utah’s initial shots resulted in 4 baskets,9 points in their 7 possesions, But their 3 offensive rebounds led to 6 more points and that was the difference.
Rockets rebound the initial misses and they win. They rebound just 1 of the Jazz misses and they are down 1 w/the ball and a few seconds left where they can set up a good shot instead of rushing a quick 3.
Radio Interview
Was listening to the game on the radio last night, as Clyde has turned me off the TV broadcast, and Jordan Hill did a post game interview. Dude seemed stoked just to be contributing to a team, sounded like a classy, smart person as well. I really hope this second chance and change of scenery and coaches has the desired effect on his game. He is the kind of player we need next to Yao. If Hill develops into Landry with a little less offense and more defense, hops, rebounding and blocking, we will have the perfect front court next season. Oh I’m so so so giddy.
Is Andersen our long term backup C? I really like him and the diversity he brings to the center position. He just needs to bulk up a tiny bit (a lot).
Dude seemed stoked just to be contributing to a team,
When you think about it, the last four years have been pretty disappointing for Hill. Arizona never lived up to expectations, and then he’s unable to get off the bench while in NY. It’s not like anything’s gone bad for the guy (at the end of the day, he’s an NBA player and a lottery pick), but it’s not quite what he may have hoped.
The Rockets are at least going places, and there’s the clear incentive of playing significant minutes for a good team this year and (especially) next.
Hill is LOT better in game 2
compare to the game against Pistons (that got some unconfortable moves at best, and don’t move much)… so yes, Rockets will love to have him as PF or Center position. he’ll get some minutes if he can keep up the good works.
don't bully me, i am from the D(etroit)!!!
saw j hill
At the galleria. But my girlfriend discouraged me from saying hello, as did his size.
Wafer . . . again. (Marv Albert, HOU v. CLE Feb 2009)
-one of the FEW at Toyota Center who has the Wafer jersey
by olivarezq1 on Mar 10, 2010 6:49 PM CST via mobile reply actions
lame
not even a “HEY JORDAN I THINK YOU’RE PRETTY GOOD BUT YOU NEED TO TAKE SOME DEFENSE TIPS FROM CHUCK HAYES!” from the other side of the corridor?
Got a question for you guys
If the Toronto Raptors this summer(sign&trade) agreed to trade Bosh for Jordan Hill, Battier, and the two 1st round picks we got from NY, would you guys do it?
The funny thing is that we would probably have to include Jeffries' expiring contract to make the salaries match
Which would mean we’d essentially traded McGrady and Battier for Bosh.
No it'd be
McGrady,Battier,Landry for Martin,Bosh
Ok, so we give Raptors Jeffries
instead of Battier.
by inquisitiveman on Mar 10, 2010 10:59 PM CST up reply actions
no.
two first rounders from the knicks are gold. those could potentially be two top ten picks along with our own first round picks. believe me chris bosh is a monster, but i would not give up two top ten picks, our team captain, and a player who MIGHT be the next chris bosh.
Rockets>>>>>>Jazz
Texans>>>>>>>Titans
Super Mario>>>>>>>Vince Young
by Rockets 4 Life on Mar 10, 2010 10:03 PM CST up reply actions
Here is what i think..
I would do the trade. I think Hill will develop into a fine player, but i see Yao only having 2 good years left assuming he is healthy…maybe 3 . We need to win now and not wait 3-4 yrs down the road which i think it will take for Hill to develop into a star if it happens.
by inquisitiveman on Mar 10, 2010 10:58 PM CST up reply actions
Daniel
Kindly stop with the Bosh comparisons. It’s not even close, really. He’s like a more refined Chris Wilcox, and a better rebounder at that.
The Dream Shake ...on Twitter.
"I think girls are probably just better shooters." - Steve Novak
as much as I hate family guy
two first rounders from the knicks are gold. those could potentially be two top ten picks along with our own first round picks
“A boat’s a boat, but a Mystery Box could be anything. It could even be a boat!”
Yes.
Absolutely.
The Dream Shake ...on Twitter.
"I think girls are probably just better shooters." - Steve Novak
anyone besides me want to see hill start against NJ?
not only start, but get 30+ minutes. this game is the perfect opportunity to develop against a crappy team.
Rockets>>>>>>Jazz
Texans>>>>>>>Titans
Super Mario>>>>>>>Vince Young
by Rockets 4 Life on Mar 10, 2010 10:01 PM CST reply actions
we almost did.
but carl landry came to the rescue and saved us.
Rockets>>>>>>Jazz
Texans>>>>>>>Titans
Super Mario>>>>>>>Vince Young
by Rockets 4 Life on Mar 10, 2010 10:53 PM CST up reply actions
Is it just me
or do Hill and Budinger give each other like a +5 bonus skill effect when they’re both on the court at the same time? Must remind em of the ol’ Arizona days.
"Hip-Thrust!"
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