The Rockets beat the Suns 118-109 on the road today, and they are tied 2-2 with the Suns this season. Despite the win, the Rockets are getting further away from the play-offs and are already difficult to overtake the Warriors and Lakers. And what's even worse for the Rockets is that their No. 1 defensive gate, Ethan, has been reimbursed for the season. After today's game, Udoka spoke about Ethan's condition and was saddened by it. He revealed that Ethan has not been able to play this season.
Udoka said: "We've been expecting Ethan to play because he's our defensive specialist. But now we have to face the situation of his reimbursement. He's been struggling with a leg injury this season, which has kept him up and down. Now he needs surgery**, and he has a benign growth in his calf bone. I knew the news before, but I didn't expect it to get worse when he was hit, he had surgery on Monday and it was expected to take 4 months to recover. “
Ethan is Udoka's lifeliner, as he can single-handedly build the defensive system Udoka wants. Before Ethan's injury, the Rockets had some of the most terrifying defensive efficiency in the league, conceding fewer points per game than the Timberwolves. Although Eason is a substitute, he has a long lead in plus/minus in games that rank first with the Rockets, especially in terms of defensive ability. According to statistics, among all players who have averaged at least 15 minutes per game this season, Ethan's defensive efficiency (945) Ranked first.
In addition, when Ethan is on the floor, the net efficiency value of the Rockets is increased to 172. First in the team, the net efficiency value is (offensive efficiency - defensive efficiency, i.e. net points per 100 rounds). When Ethan played, the Rockets casually beat the Grizzlies. In the 4 games before Ethan's surgery, he exploded 4 games in a row, including 25 points, 14 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal and 1 block against the Grizzlies, with a plus/minus of +19. And without Ethan, the Rockets were slaughtered by the Grizzlies.
Ethan has missed more than 30 games this season, averaging just 21 minutes per game8 points, 7 rebounds, 14 steals and 089 caps. He shot 47 percent from the field and 36 percent from three-point range. Looking at the data is very ordinary, but Ethan's high-level offensive and defensive statistics are very similar to Leonard during the Spurs era, so Rockets fans have always regarded Ethan as a young version of the small card. The two are also similar in height and arm span, Leonard 201 m, Ethan 203 meters, the arm span is not much different.
Especially with Kazi's big hands, Ethan is a little smaller than him, and in terms of overall static talent and dynamic talent, Ethan almost replicates Leonard's existence. Even the style of play is very similar to the young Leonard, Ethan fully implements Leonard's words: "Rebounding maniacs make money!" ”
Ethan's scramble for rebounds is the foundation of the Rockets' defense, and he can control opponents to counterattack and reduce the tempo. Even Harden was full of praise for Ethan, despite hitting the shot in the original Clippers win over the Rockets.
But the Clippers didn't play easily against the Rockets in the whole game, and most of the time they fell behind, which was the death entanglement from Ethan. Ethan, Smith, Dillon and Van Jordan Gatet are the 5 most defensible. Harden also praised Shin Kyung and Eason after the game, which was quite a failure for the Rockets this season. The rookie has not developed, and the record cannot be made into the play-offs, and this year's draft pick is estimated to be the Thunder's, and the top four protection cannot be kept at all. At present, Jalen Green is in a semi-crippled state, and Van Jordan and Dillon have not helped young people grow up, and 70 million space is spent on loneliness. Say that the white rocket is wrong, or trade some rookies, or use rookies as the main tactics, and there will be nothing at all.
**10,000 Fans Incentive Plan