In the past five games, he averaged 29 points, 8.6 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 2.2 steals per game, and shot 59.1 percent from the field. Judging from Shen Jing's performance this season, he can also be regarded as a fire-breathing dragon.
Teammate Jabari Smith Jr. backed Shin Kyung: He deserves to be an All-Star. Pistons coach Monty praised: "The best low-post attackers in the league today: Jokic, Embiid and Shin Kyung. Suns veteran Eric Gordon said: "I still watch the Rockets from time to time, and Shin Kyung has been doing very well this season!"
76ers coach Nas: "Shin Kyung's level is now at an All-Star level. He has excellent passing ability, breaking, shooting, passing, everything, Shen Jing is really difficult to defend!" "In addition to the All-Star, Shen Jing has another award this season: the Most Improved Player of the Season award. Of course, both of these are difficult!
One person's compliment may be a polite remark, but so many people are praising Shin Kyung, and his progress this season is visible to the naked eye. Shen Jing played in 31 games for the Rockets this season, averaging 32 minutes per game, scoring 21.3 points, 9.1 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.1 steals, 0.8 blocks and 2.5 turnovers while shooting 54.4%, 30.9% and 72.8% from three.
In the 2022-23 season, Shen Jing played an average of 28.9 minutes per game, scoring 14.8 points, 9 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.9 blocks and 2.6 turnovers, and shooting 55.3%, 33.3% and 71.5% from three. He is averaging 6.5 points, 0.14 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 0.1 fewer turnovers per game this season. The fly in the ointment is that the three-point shooting percentage has dropped.
Shin Kyung averaged 14.1 points per game this season, 7th in the league, and 15.9 points per game, 12th in the league. Interfered with opponents' shots per game, which also ranks 13th in the league. In the 2021 NBA Draft, the Rockets selected Jalen Green with the top pick and Shin Kyung with the 16th pick. Two years have passed, and now Shin Kyung's performance has overshadowed Green.
This season, Jalen Green is averaging just 17.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 0.6 steals and 2.2 turnovers in 30.1 minutes per game while shooting 40.7%, 35.2% and 80.4% from three. For comparison, he averaged 22.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 0.8 steals and 2.6 turnovers per game last season while shooting 41.6%, 33.8% and 78.6% from three.
The same rookie, the same team, Shin Jing is improving, but Green is regressing. You can't say Jalen Green is lazy either, he's been working hard in the offseason. After the start of the regular season, Green couldn't play. His true shooting percentage this season is just 53.8 percent, 238th in the league, and the same as the Bucks' Connaughton.
In fact, there is another high-pick rookie in the Rockets rookie - the No. 4 pick in the first round of the class of 2023, Amen Thompson. Thompson has only played 12 games due to injury this season, averaging 15.2 minutes per game, scoring only 5.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 0.7 steals, shooting 44.4% from the field, 17.6% from three-point range and 61.1% from the free throw line.
Jalen Green was born on 2002-02-09, Shin Jing was born on 2002-07-25, and Amen Thompson was born on 2003-01-30. Of these three young people, who are you most optimistic about?