Budinger improving on D

[Moreyball]

http://www.nba.com/rockets/news/chase_b ... 07_14.html

Budinger shows best is yet to come with final summer league performance

Jason Friedman
Rockets.com

Houston - If you assessed Chase Budinger’s 2010 summer league performance simply by the numbers found in the box score, you’d likely walk away feeling slightly disappointed with the end results. His scoring dipped from where it was a year ago, while his shooting percentages took a major hit, standing in stark contrast to how he had set fire to the Sin City nets in 2009.

But as far as his coaches were concerned, the second-year swingman showed them everything they wanted to see.

After watching Budinger day in and day out for the last 12 months, the Rockets know precisely what the 22-year-old Southern California native brings to the table. They’ve seen his silky-smooth jump shot and borne witness to his advanced basketball IQ. So when Houston’s coaching staff saw Budinger struggle with his stroke this week, it elicited little more than a collective shoulder shrug.

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Next time, please limit to 3 paragraphs and include the link.

Thanks.

-TMU

[rocketsballin]

i always thought he wasnt bad on defense. he hustles and tries to keep his man in front and contest the shot. he's a solid backup swingman, and now that he's improving his defense, we'll have 3 good wing defenders. take that miami.

[PocketRockets]

He's not bad because he tries on defense and that's always a plus. The only thing is athletically and size-wise he can't hang with the darker brothas. So after a while once the offensive player figures out his weakness, they start owning him a bit offensively. That's why he has spurts of goodness but then is taken out.

If he bulks up and can start to play consistently good defense, his minutes should go up drastically b/c of battier's age and ariza seems to always having some ailment. Plus adelman loves offense and Bud can bring that.

[Optimism Prime]

He's not bad because he tries on defense and that's always a plus. The only thing is athletically and size-wise he can't hang with the darker brothas. So after a while once the offensive player figures out his weakness, they start owning him a bit offensively. That's why he has spurts of goodness but then is taken out.

If he bulks up and can start to play consistently good defense, his minutes should go up drastically b/c of battier's age and ariza seems to always having some ailment. Plus adelman loves offense and Bud can bring that.

Exactly my thoughts. He doesn't have to be a phenomenal defender. I'd rather him be an offensive sparkplug and willing defender--that's just as valuable.

[Teckon]

for the Rockets’ coaches and staff, it simply proved what they already knew: that the best of Budinger is still to come.

To me this is most important point of the article as many have said Chase has hit his potential. At least the coaches don't agree

[tgo2223]

One of the darker brothas!?! WOW