Rockets working to improve Josh Christopher’s decision making on drives

“Josh clearly has a great strength for being able to get the ball in the paint,” Rick Higgins says of Christopher. “Josh’s next level of growth will be his decision-making when he does so.”

Josh Christopher, now entering his second season with the Houston Rockets, is very meticulous when it comes to the game of basketball.

He is constantly looking to get better and knows it will take some time to reach that elite level that he saw his basketball idol, the late Kobe Bryant, achieve as a critical piece to the Los Angeles Lakers’ success.

Earlier this month, Christopher chose to participate in the 2022 NBA summer league in Las Vegas to improve his game and help the Rockets’ young core of talent develop as they gear up for this upcoming season.

“My priorities for myself in summer league is to be very solid, be able to playmake, and win ballgames, of course,” Christopher said.

Christopher, 20, knows the process will take time and will not be easy. His summer league head coach and regular Rockets assistant, Rick Higgins, is aware that the No. 24 pick of the 2021 NBA draft is very talented — with a knack for getting into the paint with an explosive first step.

What he would like to see Christopher improve on is passing out of the paint, and finding open shooters when defenders collapse on him.

“Josh clearly has a great strength for being able to get the ball in the paint,” Higgins said at summer league in Las Vegas. “Josh’s next level of growth will be his decision-making when he does so. The ratio of good decisions to bad decisions needs to get better. The ability to get in the paint is always going to be his strength. As long as he stays in that mentality to play in the paint, to play for others, he’ll be way better.”

“It’s not going to be for Josh, how many shots I can get,” Higgins said. “It’s going to be which shots are better for the Rockets. I’ve been trying to tell him that for a year now. He’s getting better.”

One obvious takeaway from when he first stepped onto the court this summer was that Christopher is working on a particular aspect of his game that he wants to get better at. It’s finishing around the rim.

Of the 48 shots he attempted in Las Vegas, 39 were taken inside the paint, and 16 were made baskets.

All his work paid off in Monday’s game against the San Antonio Spurs. Christopher had a solid fourth quarter, hitting 5-of-8 attempted shots in the paint (62.5%) in the Rockets’ 97-84 victory.

The former Arizona State Sun Devil knows that for his team to be successful in the future, he will have to become a better playmaker, and he says he is willing to do whatever it takes to improve the organization.

“It’s a process, just something we’re going to have to learn, get better at,” Christopher said when asked about balancing his aggressiveness and court awareness. “I think it comes with experience.”

“I think there is an expectation for me being a second-year player, but still young, 20 years old, played 15 games in college, went to a public school,” Christopher added. “All my life, I’ve been able to play ball freely, to dive into the deep end. Now, in the NBA, I get to pull back.”

On Wednesday, the Rockets decided it was best for Christopher to sit out the remaining summer league games, as he is dealing with right hip soreness. After sitting out practice, Christopher told reporters that he first felt some discomfort during the game against Oklahoma City on Saturday. It bothered him in Monday’s game versus San Antonio.

In three summer games, Christopher averaged 19.7 points (39.6% FG), 4.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.7 steals, and 1.7 blocks in 26.8 minutes. Between the low field-goal percentage and having 2.3 turnovers to 3.0 assists, it’s clear where the Rockets and Christopher would like to see improvement and growth in the NBA’s upcoming 2022-23 season, and it likely starts with knowing when to shoot and when to pass in the paint.

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Podcast: Auburn’s Bruce Pearl on Jabari Smith Jr. and the Rockets

Bruce Pearl, head coach at Auburn, joins our podcast with reaction to Jabari Smith Jr.’s initial NBA summer league games with the Rockets, along with insight on his potential fit with Jalen Green.

Bruce Pearl, who was Jabari Smith Jr.’s head coach at Auburn University, joins Wednesday’s episode of The Lager Line podcast to break down the start to Smith’s young NBA career with the Houston Rockets.

Topics include reaction to Smith’s initial summer league games and how to best utilize him in Houston; what his potential fit alongside Jalen Green looks like; memories at Auburn and on the recruiting trail; early impressions of fellow rookies Tari Eason and TyTy Washington; and more.

“He is going to be a guy that coaches can point to with what time he gets in the locker room, and how he practices every single day,” Pearl said of his expectations for Smith with the Rockets. He continued:

He’s going to be incredibly consistent, and he’s not going to have highs and lows like a lot of rookies, because he’s not immature. He doesn’t have any distractions off the floor. You can coach him, and he wants to be coached hard.

So if Coach (Stephen Silas) wants to get after his No. 3 pick and get into him, that’s not going to bother Jabari one bit. But it sends a message that, ‘If I’m going to chew on this guy, I’m going to chew on your ass, as well.’

He’ll be able to set a really good standard. That’s one of the reasons why his teams win.

Wednesday’s complete episode can be listened to below. Each episode of the show is also made available via flagship radio station SportsTalk 790, as well as to all major podcast distributors under “The Lager Line.”

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Exclusive: Jaylen Brown, NBPA host rookies at Vegas event, talks Donda Sports, 7uice Brand

Jaylen Brown and the NBPA association hosted a private event for rookies during Las Vegas Summer League. CelticsWire chatted with Brown about the event, Donda Sports, and the rise of 7uice.

Las Vegas is kind of exactly how you imagine it. It’s a lot of gold-plated this, and stucco that. Nothing is real — even the high-end stuff is a bit of a mirage. The NBA’s annual Nevada-based summer league has a spurious air to it as well. It’s as much a scene as it is a basketball showcase.

I’d had never been to Las Vegas prior to this week. I’m here covering a slew of NBA events in what seems to be a never-ending churn of promotion and noise. Don’t get me wrong, it’s been the honor of a lifetime, but ask anyone here on assignment, and they’ll tell you that the grind is as draining as the Nevada heat.

Still, every desert has its oasis, and I found one on the top floor of the MGM Grand — really by accident if we’re being honest. Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown was throwing an event for his clothing brand 7uice and thought I’d check it out, expecting a retail pop-up similar to the kind Brown has hosted in the past.

Instead, I stumbled onto something much more dynamic and got to see firsthand why Brown really is such a unique individual. I chatted with Jaylen about 7uice, the night itself, Donda Sports, and more.

Danilo Gallinari shares thoughts on accepting bench role with Boston Celtics

Veteran Danilo Gallinari spoke about transitioning to a role off the bench in his introductory press conference with the Boston Celtics.

At his introductory press conference with his new club, the Boston Celtics, veteran wing Danilo Gallinari was asked about accepting a bench role with his former club, the Atlanta Hawks. The former No. 6 overall pick logged just 22 starts in Atlanta across two truncated seasons.

Now joining the Celtics, it’s likely Gallinari will continue to come off the bench. He averaged around 25 minutes per game last season, but that number could dip a little more given Boston’s crowded rotation. The Italian Stallion seems poised to take it in stride.

“For a player is never especially easy, especially mentally,” Gallinari told reporters” But it’s something that at some point I accepted, and mentally you got to get used to it, you’ve got to accept it.”

Rockets rookie Jabari Smith Jr. sees himself as All-Defensive Team caliber ‘from day one’

Can Jabari Smith Jr. already play at an NBA All-Defensive Team level, starting with his first game in Houston? That’s the rookie’s goal, which he disclosed in a new interview with Taylor Rooks.

In a new interview from the 2022 NBA summer league in Las Vegas with Bleacher Report’s Taylor Rooks, Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. isn’t holding back when it comes to goals for his rookie year.

“I’ve got a lot of time to prepare, and a lot of time to get my body stronger,” Smith told Rooks on Tuesday. “I’ve got a lot of time to mature, and learn more about this game. By the time this season starts, I feel like I should be All-Defensive Team caliber, from day one.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Rooks asked what he thinks being defended by Smith will feel like for other NBA players. Smith replied:

A bad dream. A nightmare. I’m not the quickest, but if you get by me, I’m 6-10, so you’re going to have to finish. You’re going to have find something to do with it.

And I do have good feet, so it’s tough. When I get stronger and even quicker, it’s going to be even more scary. I’m excited.

Smith went on to discuss a range of subjects with Rooks, including his unexpected draft-day slide to the Rockets at No. 3 in the first round and his perspective on Orlando’s Paolo Banchero and Oklahoma City’s Chet Holmgren — who were the only players drafted ahead of him.

Scroll on for video clips of Smith addressing those subjects and more.

Celtics President Brad Stevens hints at more roster moves to come

Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said Boston is “still looking” at potential roster moves this summer.

The Boston Celtics have officially added combo guard Malcolm Brogdon and veteran forward Danilo Gallinari to the team, which they officially announced on Tuesday morning. The club hosted an introductory press conference to welcome the two newest Celtics to the Hub. President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens also spoke at the event. And while he was excited about the two additions, he offered hints that Boston may not be done making moves this offseason.

“We’re still looking,” Stevens said of the Celtics’ remaining offseason plans. “We’ll still add at least one more body at whatever we call the five position nowadays,”

Stevens was quick to offer praise for big man Luke Kornet, who signed a two-year deal this summer to remain in Boston.

Newest Celtics Malcolm Brogdon, Danilo Gallinari share deep roots of Boston fandom in their families

The recently-signed pair revealed Celtics fandom has been a family affair for both for some time.

The Boston Celtics introduced their two new high-octane bench players Malcolm Brogdon and Danilo Gallinari on Tuesday morning at their practice facility at Auerbach Center, with Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens serving in the role of master of ceremonies.

The trio was enthusiastic about their addition to the team that represented the NBA’s Eastern Conference in the 2022 NBA Finals, both players with a legitimate claim to starter status on most teams in the league. Both Brogdon and Gallinari also revealed that fandom for the Boston franchise has deep roots in both of their respective backgrounds.

“I grew up with my dad being a Celtics fan, being a Larry Bird fan,” explained Gallinari.

Rafael Stone: Rockets focused on internal growth, not short-term trades

Rafael Stone on his trade outlook: “Once you get through the draft and beginning of free agency, it’s more about your group. For us, we’re looking for internal growth. We’re not one piece away.”

Las Vegas is the NBA’s unofficial home through July 17, with players, coaches, and executives on hand representing each of the league’s 30 teams at summer league. But while that setting does allow for more face-to-face interactions, it may not necessarily lead to trades, and particularly not for a rebuilding club like the young Houston Rockets.

In a mid-game interview on Saturday, Rockets general manager Rafael Stone was asked by ESPN whether he views summer league as a time to make deals, given the proximity to other executives. He responded:

I don’t think so. I think of it as a time to focus on your team. Once you get through the draft and beginning of free agency, it’s more about your group. For us, we’re really looking for internal growth. We’re not one piece away.

In theory, veteran guard Eric Gordon could be a trade candidate, since his age (at 33 years old) isn’t in perfect alignment with when Houston next expects to contend. It could also make sense for Stone and the Rockets to explore any possibilities as a third- or fourth-team facilitator in Brooklyn’s trade talks involving superstars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.

In both cases, however, it doesn’t seem that the Rockets are desperate or planning to force the issue. If a team happens to meet their asking price and proposes a trade that makes sense from a value perspective, Stone and the rest of Houston’s front office will certainly consider it.

But it seems the primary focus is on developing the young core that is already on Houston’s roster — both for the summer league players, as well as the remainder of the roster that has reportedly rented out a gym in Las Vegas in hopes of making further progress as a group.

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Rockets see improved mentality, team approach driving defensive growth

Rick Higgins on Houston’s improved defense: “They looked at each other and decided they were going to put more physicality, more effort, and more togetherness into the game.”

After playing two highly anticipated primetime games with rookie showdowns in front of a packed Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, the Houston Rockets found themselves facing one of their in-state rivals in front of a half-empty arena on Monday night. For a quarter and a half, most of those fans were engaged in something other than watching the Rockets, who were trailing the San Antonio Spurs by 18 points.

Houston’s defense had surrendered 54 points to San Antonio with two minutes to go in the first half, and it looked as if they would head into halftime with the coaching staff perplexed about what happened to all the defensive sets they were running in practice. Summer league head coach Rick Higgins had seen enough, and he called a timeout to in hopes of lifting composure for his young group of players.

During most timeouts, the coaches will huddle first and then address the players. But this time, it was different. Coach Higgins allowed the players to talk amongst themselves and fix whatever communication issues they were having with each other. The seemingly resulted in a 10-0 run to finish the half, which cut the lead to eight points.

“We changed our mentality as a group,” Higgins said. “In no way was that me calling a timeout, saying whatever it is I said. It was they looked at each other and they made a decision they were going to put more physicality, more effort, and more togetherness into the game.”

The defensive mentality carried over into the second half as the Rockets outscored the Spurs 51-30, limiting them to 11 points on 19% shooting in the third quarter. Ultimately, Houston won with ease, 97-84, and rookies Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason were standouts on both ends.

“It is always a group thing,” Huggins said regarding his team’s defensive effort in the second half. “An individual player can say one thing, but it doesn’t matter if the group doesn’t hear it, take it, and run with it. Just because one person says it, the next person has to say it to the next person and believe it, and then it just trickles down.”

Although talking to one another may sound easy, it is one of the more difficult things to do when you have a group of young players who are only playing their third game together. Yet, the Rockets have shown a propensity to get on the same page in spurts at the 2022 summer league.

In their first game versus Orlando, Houston was attacked early by rookie Paolo Banchero — the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft — who led his team to a blistering 52% shooting clip in the first half. Yet, the Rockets clamped down in the second half and limited the Magic to just 29% shooting, with Banchero shooting 17% over the final two quarters.

Houston’s next game against Oklahoma City featured the No. 2 selection in this year’s draft in 7-foot-1 Chet Holmgren, along with three other players who had logged significant minutes during the 2021 NBA season. After going back and forth with the Thunder, Houston used a suffocating defensive scheme in the fourth quarter to limit Oklahoma City to just 30% shooting, leading to the team’s first summer league win.

Higgins and the Rockets now have time to implement a game plan that could allow them to put together a better defensive effort throughout all four quarters, as they will have two days off before facing the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday night. Tipoff is set for 8:30 p.m. CDT (schedule), with the game set for a national broadcast on NBA TV.

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Takeaways: Jabari Smith Jr. breaks out, Tari Eason keeps rolling as Rockets blast Spurs

Rookie prospects Jabari Smith Jr. (19/9) and Tari Eason (22/11) were two-way standouts against the Spurs, leading the summer Rockets to a big victory on Monday night in Las Vegas.

Jabari Smith Jr. had his most efficient NBA summer league game to date and fellow rookie Tari Eason put up a third straight double-double, leading the Rockets to a 97-84 win (box score) over San Antonio. Houston (2-1) trailed by 18 late in Monday’s second quarter before outscoring the Spurs (0-3) by a whopping 31 points over the final two-plus quarters.

Smith scored 19 points on 6-of-12 shooting (50.0%) and 3-of-5 on 3-pointers (60.0%) in his 28 minutes, and he also contributed with strong defense, 9 rebounds, and 2 steals. Houston was +23 with the Auburn product on the court in Las Vegas, and -10 in the 12 minutes he sat.

Meanwhile, Eason led the Rockets in scoring and rebounding with 22 points and 11 rebounds, respectively, and he also added 2 steals and 2 blocks. The rookie forward from LSU was efficient for a second straight game, making 9-of-16 shots (56.3%) and 2-of-3 on 3-pointers (66.7%).

With Smith and Eason leading the way, the Rockets were dynamic defensively in the second half — as evidenced by San Antonio scoring just 30 points overall and a mere 11 during a decisive third quarter.

Daishen Nix had his second consecutive strong game as a floor general for the Rockets, scoring 18 points while dishing out 6 assists. Josh Christopher scored 18 points, as well, and took over the game late in the fourth quarter as Houston pulled away for the double-digit victory.

We’ll have more coverage in the days ahead as the Rockets gear up for their next summer league game on Thursday night versus Portland (schedule). For now, here’s a look at Monday’s highlights and immediate reaction by players, coaches, media members, and fans.

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