Houston Rockets: Chris Clemons is making preseason waves

With two NBA Preseason games under his belt, Chris Clemons is proving that he is worth more than his undrafted status, and thanks to his scoring, is looking to lock in his role on the Houston Rockets’ roster

There are many aspects of Chris Clemons‘ game to admire, from his exceptional speed to his ability to score from any spot in the halfcourt. For all it is worth, it may very well be this play, that was inches from being one of the best preseason dunks this year.

Coming off of a productive Summer League in Las Vegas accompanied by 20.8 points per game, Chris Clemons has been working relentlessly to solidify his spot as a Houston Rocket for the 2019-20 NBA season.

During his time at Campbell University from 2015-19, Clemons reached 3rd all-time for NCAA career points and sits at 11th all-time in points per game with 24.8. His explosive first step and outstanding athleticism made him an immense offensive threat in both the full and halfcourt.

Of course, the NBA is a steep learning curve from the NCAA, a sentiment further perpetuated by the fact that only 1.2 percent of NBA Draft-eligible players make it to the league, and a large number of those players end up being waived or spending their year with an NBA G-League affiliate.

To put it plainly; nothing is guaranteed in the NBA, it’s a make or miss league. The league is composed of 450 players, and as the season comes closer and training camp rosters begin to lock in, the margin for error is even smaller than before. Regardless, Clemons is convincingly playing at an NBA level, and his work speaks for itself.

On a team that is already populated with scoring guards, Clemons has to impose his will on the offense, something that he has demonstrated well throughout the still-young preseason. Through two contests with the Rockets, Clemons averages 18, 3, 3.5 on 40/33/100 splits.

Though inefficient, much of the preseason’s allure is its allowance for players to test out their game, and figure out what does and does not work both offensively and defensively. Being a rookie, Clemons still has a long way to go in regard to scoring in a more efficient manner and creating offense through more consistent distribution and ball movement, but these are all parts of the growing pains each rookie experiences in the NBA.

Now, adding a 5-foot-9 guard to a roster that already runs a fairly small-ball lineup can be easily construed as confusing. Though below the average height for those at his position, Chris Clemons provides another capable scoring threat that Mike D’Antoni can use to help reduce the negative impact of James Harden or Russell Westbrook‘s bench minutes.

If anything, Clemons can be a willing off-ball scorer, allowing either of Houston’s star guards to play the role of distributor, as opposed to shooter. In order to keep both Harden and Westbrook fresh for the post-season, the Houston Rockets will need to find a way to give them some rest, and Chris Clemons may be an integral part of that process.

The Houston Rockets have exemplified the direction in which the NBA is moving, their entire offense revolving around the 3-pointer, and scoring in the paint. This system promotes shooting and lots of it, and while Clemons still has some work to do, he should fit well into Mike D’Antoni’s offensive scheme.

Chris Clemons’ mind-set should be simple at this point; score in bunches, and make an impact on the roster. The Rockets pour in buckets at an astounding rate, and provided Clemons can continue to score so profusely, he will likely see consistent minutes this coming season.

With two games in the books, and four still on the schedule, Chris Clemons still has time to get into a rhythm and adapt to what Houston needs him to be, while still scoring seemingly at will. Clemons and the Houston Rockets continue their preseason tour against the Raptors early on Tuesday and Thursday in Tokyo, Japan.