Whether Amen can play point guard is a preseason test. What is Uduka thinking in his mind?

Last season, the player who improved the most in the Rockets season was none other than Amen Thompson. Compared with his first year, his improvement in the second year was very obvious, especially on the defensive end. For this reason, Amen entered the best team of the season this season.

In the two preseason games this season, the Rockets' most improved player is none other than Shen Jing. He has shown the diversity of offensive methods on the offensive end. His shooting area is getting wider, his free throw and three-point shooting percentages are improving, and his passing and organization are more amazing.

This season, the biggest variable for the Rockets is that during the training camp, last season's starting point guard VanVleet was reimbursed for the season. The Rockets have a spot but no salary space, so signing in the free market at this stage has become impossible. Rockets coach Uduka's biggest consideration in the preseason is who will be VanVleet's replacement.

To this end, Uduka gave three different experimental attempts, namely Shepard playing point guard, Amen playing point guard, and Shen Jing playing organization center. These three forms have a very obvious sense of position separation.

With Shepard's height and size, he was originally the perfect choice for point guard. However, considering Shepard's experience and Shepard's offensive deterrence, in the first two preseason games, during the partnership's starting period, Shepard acted more as a space deterrent and had very few opportunities to hold the ball. Although Shepard started as a point guard, during the partnership's starting lineup, Shepard neither controlled the ball nor organized offense, and served more as a part of the offensive tactics to open up space.

Shen Jing, as the center, basically does not bear the responsibility of controlling and dribbling the ball through half the Rockets. However, last season, Shen Jing had a very high probability of dealing cards at a high position, which was basically inherited in the preseason this season. Come on, especially last season, the Rockets often played pick-and-rolls at the 1st and 5th positions. Without VanVleet this season, the Rockets basically can't play at the 1st and 5th positions. The Rockets turned to Shen Jing to deal cards in the high position, allowing Shen Jing to organize and connect the team's offense.

In the starting stage, the Rockets were basically responsible for controlling the movement for more than half of the game and advancing with the ball, which basically fell on Amen Thompson. Even in the Rockets' first preseason game against the Hawks, Amen played very poorly as a point guard, whether it was Neither his commanding nor his own offensive choices were up to the level of a starting point guard, which caused the Rockets to feel very confused while on the court. The Rockets were messing around on the offensive end. During Durant's truce, the overall offensive integrity was extremely poor. Amen brought a strong sense of fragmentation to the scene.

So, why did Amen have poor organization and connection in the first game, but Uduka still trusted Amen and let Amen continue to play the role of point guard?

In a sense, among the Rockets' current starting lineup, the only two people who are best suited to control luck through halftime are Amen and Shepard. Jabari Smith Jr. is not good at controlling luck, and Shen Jing and Durant focus too much on luck control. If these two people are allowed to control luck, the risk and probability of being intercepted by the opponent is very high.

So, why not let Shepard take on the responsibility of controlling luck, but let Amen do it?

The most important thing is that Shepard can open up space on the offensive end. Shepard has a basket, but Amen does not. If Shepard holds the ball, Amen's space attribute without a basket will be amplified. Amen must be near the ghost position, which will hinder Shen Jing's offensive space. Uduka's arrangement is to keep the roles and values ​​of Shepard, Shen Jing and Amen in a balanced state, rather than maximizing the characteristics and value of a certain player.

Although Amen is responsible for controlling the movement for half the game, after controlling the movement for the past half, Amen basically hands the ball to Shen Jing. Shen Jing can attract the opponent's defense and create better offensive opportunities for Amen in pick-and-roll positions or cutting inside without the ball. And Shen Jing's passing ability has been significantly improved compared to last season, which will make Amen more capable of playing without the ball after controlling the movement for the past half. It is very handy, especially in the second game of the preseason when the Rockets defeated the Jazz. Shen Jing and Amen's offensive connections were very frequent. Amen benefited from Shen Jing's passing. There are two main reasons. First, Shen Jing has a deterrent effect on the offensive end. If Shen Jing breaks through with the ball, he will definitely attract double-teams from the opponent. Second, Amen cuts inside without the ball or actively moves down the field. Shen Jing can also give full play to the best opportunities for his teammates to attack.

In other words, Amen's current positioning, from the starting point of view, is to play as a shooting guard, filling the position of Jaylen Green last season. However, from the perspective of the content of the game, Amen is more responsible for controlling movement through the half of the first position, as well as the ability to cut inside without the ball at the third and fourth positions, and the ability to play without the ball and seize opportunities in the ghost position. From the positional attributes, Amen's position continues to change, basically stripping away the traditional sense of position.

This may also be Amen's final play style in the regular season. He holds the ball for half the game to solve the balance between Amen, Shen Jing and Shepard. The ball is handed to Shen Jing, who assumes the responsibility of playing the third and fourth positions last season. Amen also has a certain degree of passing the ball, especially when his teammates have better scoring opportunities. Amen can also pass the ball well. Amen's playing at the one position is actually constantly evolving, although Amen is more of a fake No. 1 position.

When VanVleet was retired for the season, Amen, Shen Jing, Shepard, and JD Davidson basically took on the important task of organization and connection. Durant also took on the responsibility of controlling the movement for half-court rounds, but it was very rare. This is what Uduka said that the whole team shared the vacancy left by VanVleet, of which Amen was the most important part.