Troy Williams - Taiwan Beer (Taiwan Super League)

[Class of '66 Old Fart 81,151]

Rockets assessing postseason role for Troy Williams

By Jonathan Feigen

 Published 9:50 pm, Sunday, April 9, 2017

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - With forward Trevor Ariza given the night off, rookie Troy Williams got his third start in four games with the Rockets as Mike D'Antoni continued to evaluate whether Williams could fit in his postseason rotation.

"That's one thing we want to keep looking at and make sure he will be comfortable going into a playoff game," D'Antoni said. "I think he will be. Also, we want to be a little careful about disrupting rotations, but we need to know I can count on him five, 10, 15 minutes, whatever. It's always nice to have one more live body you can go to."

Williams did not match his spectacular debut in Phoenix, but he seemed more at ease, making 5 of 9 shots to score 12 points while grabbing nine rebounds in 36 minutes.

"If he makes the league, that's what he has to do," D'Antoni said of Williams mixing his high-energy style with enough poise offensively. "That's his future. He has to understand on defense you're all geeked up and on offense, calm down a little bit. He's 22-years-old. We can coach him into that. It's better to coach him down. I've never had good luck trying to coach guys up (to have energy.) Either you have it or you don't and he has it."

[IUfan_Charlie 3,867]

2nd quarter Troy has 11 points in 8 minutes, just split a double team and hit a stepback fadeaway jumper on the baseline. 

[IUfan_Charlie 3,867]

Finished with 15 points on 5-10 FG in 24 minutes. 

[IUfan_Charlie 3,867]

Troy is playing really well. Game high 15 points on 4-6 shooting. 2 minutes till the half. Has been all over the floor, making good defensive plays.

[IUfan_Charlie 3,867]

Troy had 29 points on 8-15 FG, 4-7 3FG, 9-12 FT, 2 rebounds, and 2 steals in 24 minutes tonight. 4 turnovers. 

[IUfan_Charlie 3,867]

 

[IUfan_Charlie 3,867]

Rockets summer league team plays tomorrow at 10 EST on ESPNU.

[Crimson and Cream 5,707]

Saw a lot of this game. Typical Troy, very aggressive playing with a lot of energy. He has improved his shot which has helped him a lot. Still too many turnovers but that's part of the good Troy/bad Troy game we all know. He won't be a free agent for long.

[IUfan_Charlie 3,867]

Troy Williams is why Sam Dekker was expendable

The Rockets’ wing showed out in Game 1 of Summer League

by Ethan Rothstein@ethanrothstein  Jul 8, 2017, 12:49pm CDT

•  TWEE
•  SH RE

Sam Dekker might not have been the best piece the Rockets sent the Clippers in the Chris Paul trade, but he might have been the one whose absence would hamstring the Rockets’ depth most of all.

One evening in Vegas later, and Troy Williams, whom the Rockets signed to a 10-day contract then kept for the rest of the season, showed the team might not miss Dekker at all.

Williams is an athletic marvel and a not-terrible deep shooter, and he enforced his will on the Denver Nuggets’ summer league squad Friday night to the tune of 29 points on 15 shots, tossing in two steals for good measure. Williams had great chemistry with Isaiah Taylor, who dropped 10 dimes, and harangued the Nuggets on the perimeter.

Williams is an overwhelming athlete not unlike K.J. McDaniels, except he’s several inches taller and by most measures a far more polished basketball player.

Last year in Las Vegas, Dekker showed himself to be the best of the Rockets’ young players, and led the team with 16 points per game. The Rockets play again Saturday night against the Cavs, and Williams needs to have more than one good game to show the Rockets coaches he deserves more minutes.

Dekker helped the Rockets last year with his energy and athleticism, but he struggled to shoot the three after a hot start, and once he stopped shooting well, D’Antoni stopped trusting him. Williams isn’t behind him as a shooter, but he’s ahead of Dekker already as a defender.

Williams is cheaper, a year younger and a better athlete than Dekker. Even though Zhou Qi is the No. 1 player to watch on the Rockets’ Summer League roster, Williams is likely to be the guy on the team who plays the most minutes for the big club next season.

Some Rockets fans might have complained about the lack of depth following a 4-for-1 deal for Chris Paul. But if Troy Williams, only 22, can keep this improvement going, he might give the Rockets an honest-to-god depth improvement over their 55-win team. That should be a scary thought for the rest of the league.

[LockdownD 2,212]

Wow, 29 on 15 shots.  Good Troy showed up big.  Keep it up, Troy.

[goonaha 2,972]

I'm really pulling for Troy to pull it all together. He has all the tools to be a very good NBA player for a long time. If he can keep getting that 3 point shot more consistent and limit the turnovers, watch out. Good Troy was so much fun to watch at IU. 

[waitingon6 167]

Could turn into a Robert Horry type player.

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[IUfan_Charlie 3,867]

Troy off to another good start. Had 9 points in the first 6 minutes of the game, just came out. Just missed a poster dunk. 

[IUfan_Charlie 3,867]

 

[IUfan_Charlie 3,867]

 

[IUfan_Charlie 3,867]

Houston lost in OT. Troy had another strong game: 21 points on 7-14 FG, 3-8 3FG, 4-4 FT, 4 rebounds, 2 steals. Missed a game tying 3 with about 10 seconds left in OT. 

[cljones1979 740]

Pacers should go after him. That would be awesome

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[IUfan_Charlie 3,867]

Troy is having a rough shooting night. 7 points on 2-10 and 4 boards at halftime. Not really taking bad shots though. 

[IUfan_Charlie 3,867]

Troy dominated the 3rd quarter. Had 13 points a chasedown block which led to 3 suns players getting techs and a diving save. 

[IUfan_Charlie 3,867]

Houston wins. Troy finished with 27 points on 7-18 FG, 3-11 3FG, 10-11 FT, 6 rebounds. Played really well in the 2nd half, didn't take bad shots just missed some open looks. Just made a tough 1 on 1 drive to seal the W.