The Houston Rockets have achieved a three-game winning streak after defeating the Memphis Grizzlies with a score of 119-115, widening the gap to 1.5 games ahead of the third-placed Grizzlies. The Rockets' depth in their rotation this year has been impressive. With Smith out, Amen Thompson stepped up to hold the power forward position, and with Ison out, Tate was able to step up as well. Adams became the backup center, with Landale waiting in the wings. We don't know when Ison will return, as he has already missed 11 games.
Previously, the Rockets had considered trading away Tate, but it seems that such plans have been put on hold. It's clear that Tate is a player every team needs. In today's game, he played for 18 minutes, scoring 12 points with 4 rebounds and 1 steal on 3-of-6 shooting, including 2-of-3 from beyond the arc. He has been a spiritual leader and veteran during the Rockets' rebuilding phase. Tate is very much like Beverley, constantly harassing opponents on the court, fighting for rebounds, and always ready to finish plays on offense. After the game, Shenjing praised Tate's incredible performance on both ends of the court, likening him to a 'ferocious dog.'
The term 'ferocious dog' is not meant as an insult; in fact, it's quite a compliment in the NBA, as Beverley himself refers to himself as a 'junkyard dog.' Shenjing also revealed that Tate's energy on the court is abundant, and he is always there to encourage his teammates when their morale is low. Head coach Udoka described Tate as a very professional player. He understands that he can get playing time if he goes to another team, but he never complains about his environment or lack of opportunities. Instead, he trains diligently and seizes every chance to play. This season, Tate has played in 20 games, averaging 4 points and 2.3 rebounds in 10 minutes per game, with an average of 2.8 shots per game.
What about White Magic Whitmore? He averages a staggering 8.4 shots in just 14.8 minutes per game. Honestly, it's Tate's style of play and character that Whitmore needs to learn from. On defense, he should give his all, fight hard for rebounds, and on offense, create space to become a 3D wing player who is selfless in sharing the ball. Mentally, he also needs to continuously encourage his teammates. If Whitmore could do these things that Tate does, he would already have a solid rotation spot on the Rockets. Instead of being sent down to the developmental league by Udoka and only returning during injury crises.
Tate struggles for playing time due to his limited talent and the abundance of young players on the team. A 30-year-old veteran like Tate, who was undrafted, doesn't really have many chances to shine. However, Whitmore is different. If he wants to, he can easily take on all of Tate's roles for the Rockets. Whitmore stands at 2.01 meters tall and weighs 105 kilograms, while Tate is 1.93 meters tall. Whitmore was the 20th pick in the first round of the 23rd draft, once predicted to be in the top five, and is only 21 years old.
Whitmore dropped to the 20th pick in the first round, partly due to rumors of hidden injuries, which haven't been found so far. Another reason is that his college coach criticized him, saying he didn't see a bright future for Whitmore. College coaches rarely criticize their players who are about to enter the draft, unless the relationship between Whitmore and his college coach was truly terrible. That can only mean one thing: Whitmore has issues. There has been talk that Udoka is targeting Whitmore, but the reality is that Udoka hasn't done anything wrong.
In a previous game where Whitmore scored 27 points, Udoka said that Whitmore needs to pay more attention to his shot timing, defense, and rebounding, especially in improving his defense and rebounding. In other words, Udoka believes that Whitmore shouldn't always be obsessed with scoring and taking shots recklessly; instead, he should focus on his strengths as a 3D player. However, Udoka's advice made Whitmore unhappy, as he felt targeted. After the game, when a reporter asked about his plans with the Rockets, Whitmore replied that he didn't know and that his rotation was still unstable.