Clemons seizing his chances when playing time beckons
With Westbrook resting, rookie provides 17 points in loss to Pistons
As Eric Gordon remains out and Russell Westbrook receives the periodic night to rest, Rockets guard Chris Clemons has begun to capitalize on opportunities to play extended minutes.
With Westbrook taking a breather Saturday, the undrafted rookie Clemons earned 16 minutes as one of three players coming off the bench in the Rockets’ 115-107 loss to the Detroit Pistons.
Clemons gave the Rockets their closest secondhalf margin when his 3pointer cut the Pistons’ lead to five with 41 seconds remaining. He was Houston’s second-leading scorer with 17 points.
“He made some shots, some big-time shots,” said James Harden, who led the Rockets with 39 points. “His confidence continues to grow as he gets more minutes and as he gets more comfortable on the floor. When his number’s called, he’s ready to go.”
Saturday was the third night that Clemons played as part of the Westbrook relief effort. Wins against Memphis and Minnesota preceded Saturday’s loss.
In those games, Clemons averaged almost 16 minutes, 12 points and 1.3 steals per game. He played just three minutes and didn’t score in an early November contest against Memphis. He averages 11.3 points per game when he plays more than 10 minutes, more than twice his 4.9-point season average in 8.5 minutes through 19 games.
“Russ and those guys, those are big shoes to fill,” Clemons said. “It’s a great opportunity for us young guys and me personally. I’m happy to get those opportunities.”
The 5-9 Clemons didn’t immediately start for his AAU team in North Carolina in high school. But halfway through his senior season at Campbell, he became the Big South Conference’s all-time leading scorer.
With the Rockets, he has embraced a role as a rangy shooter and an “energy” player off the bench.
“That’s my role. That’s what they pay me to do,” he said. “I’m happy to do that for this team. In the end, I’ll continue to fight for this team and hopefully make something happen. That didn’t happen for us (on Saturday), but we had a good chance of making something happen.”
Clemons’ acclimation to Houston is less about his personal comfort and more about his growing familiarity with his teammates. Two months into his first season, he feels like he’s starting to get the hang of things.
“Coach (Mike) D’Antoni, that’s what he told me to do — go in there and be aggressive and look for my shot. It’s something I’ve been doing for a long, long time,” he said. “When I get in there, I’m trying to be aggressive and help this team win, so that’s where my (confidence) comes from.”