McLemore ready for more time
After three games bumped from the Rockets rotation, Ben McLemore was certain he would not have to get ready to return on Monday against the Thunder.
He could be back in the mix with David Nwaba out with a sprained ankle. McLemore said he had learned over the years that it is easier and better to stay ready than to have to get ready.
“I’ve been in these situations before over my years playing the game of basketball,” McLemore said. “Just always … preparing myself for these situations for whenever my name gets called and staying ready so I don’t have to get ready.”
In the three games since the Rockets have had starting guard John Wall and Victor Oladipo and small forward Danuel House Jr. back in the rotation, McLemore has played in two of the three games but only after the benches were cleared in routs. It was not, however, the first time this season he has returned to the rotation after sitting out.
When he returned after beginning the season in self-isolation, he made 5 of 6 shots, scoring 15 points in 15½ minutes in his first game back. McLemore has averaged 7.1 points in 17.6 minutes. He has made 43.5 percent of his 3s.
“It’s something I’ve been about throughout my eight years in my career,” McLemore said. “It’s a mental thing. Obviously, continuing to stay ready, continuing to watch film, watching with coaches for ways I can improve myself offensively and defensively and make the game easy. I just learned that over the course of the years.”
The Rockets’ depth, with the play of Nwaba and Sterling Brown and the production of rookie Mason Jones when he was pressed into action has been greater than in McLemore’s first season. Nwaba leads the Rockets in plus/ minus rating, plus 67 in his 17 games played, including plus 12.3 per game in the past six games. Jones and Brown are making 56 percent and 45.6 percent of their 3s, respectively.
That can leave effective players out of the rotation. Rockets coach Stephen Silas anticipated that when he got his full rotation back for the first time this season and said that some players might not be happy with the minutes they would be losing.
“David is very different, but Ben will have an opportunity and he brings something different as well with his shooting ability,” Silas said. “I may go nine (deep) and Ben might not get a chance or I’ll go 10 and give Ben some minutes. It will be kind of based on how the game is going. David is a special guy, especially on the defensive end. Replacing him is not an easy thing.”
McLemore, however, said his concern was with performing now that he will have that chance.
“Obviously, you want to have a roster like that,” McLemore said. “We have guys coming off the bench that can give you more spark, keep the rhythm of the game going. Obviously, I’ll have an opportunity and Mason will have an opportunity tonight to go out there and perform at a high level. We just have to stay ready and prepare ourselves moving forward.”