ALL-STAR ASPIRATIONS
Here's why Christian Wood should be a lock to win this coveted award
Feb 1, 2021, 10:32 am
Wood has been a pleasant surprise for Rockets fans. Composite image by Jack Brame
No James Harden, no problem as Rockets beat Spurs, 109-105
The Houston Rockets are a quarter of the way into the 2020-2021 season and have surprised many around the NBA with lockdown defense and selfless play on offense. It hasn't been a calm year for the Rockets with the departure of its face of the franchise James Harden, and they weren't projected to find an identity this early in the season.
That was until Houston Rockets general manager Rafael Stone's acquisition of center Christian Wood, who showed up firing on all cylinders.
Wood signed a workable 3-year, $41 million dollar deal with the Rockets, and the organization was projecting a huge leap from Wood this season after being slept on for the majority of his five-year NBA career.
Last year, Wood averaged 13.1 points and 6.3 rebounds with the Detroit Pistons, and most organizations weren't looking to sign him to a long-term deal. Teams were hesitant because it took him five years to prove he could be a starter in the NBA.
This year, Wood is averaging 23.6 points and 11.7 rebounds per game. He's connecting 55.3 percent of his shots and 37.9 percent from beyond the arc. He is a sure lock for the Most Improved Player Award. With each game he is making his case for a spot on the Western Conference All-Star Team. He is the second leading scorer among centers in the conference. Deandre Ayton and Jonas Valančiūnas are behind Wood with their 14.4 averages.
Seven years ago Wood made a similar improvement between his freshman and sophomore years at UNLV.
“I averaged 4.5 points per game freshman year, and sophomore year I turned 4.5 points into 15.7 points per game and 10 rebounds per game. If that's not work ethic, I don't know what is," Wood told Adrian Wojnarowski on The Woj Pod.
Wood shockingly went undrafted in 2015, and signed with the struggling Philadelphia 76ers as a free agent. It was tough for a young, admittedly immature player to find his role on a team that went 10-72 that year. Wood was waived by the 76ers midway through the season.
He bounced around the G League from the end of 2015 thru 2018. He spent a brief period in the Chinese Basketball Association with the Fujian Sturgeons in 2017. Even they said he wasn't good enough and waived him. Luckily there was still a place for him in the G League with the Delaware 87ers, but time was running out on Wood's window to make it to the NBA.
Teams weren't calling. He could hear the narrative growing around the league. Was Christian Wood not good enough to play in the NBA?
A brief stint during 2018-2019 with the Milwaukee Bucks turned Wood's confidence around. Playing 1-on-1 against MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo every day assured Wood that he could compete with the best talent the NBA had to offer. He thought maybe I can play in this league. Pick-up games aside, the Bucks didn't find Wood worthy enough for a roster spot and waived him in March 2019.
The New Orleans Pelicans signed him two days later and Wood found minutes with Anthony Davis' absences due to trade demands and extended rest. Wood recorded multiple big scoring and rebounding nights with increased minutes. Nevertheless, Wood was waived again in July 2019.
Wood was picked up by the Detroit Pistons for 2019-2020 and finally found success in the league. All that had to happen next was for Wood to find an organization willing to give him a shot to be a key piece.
“I always felt like if I had the opportunity, if a team actually spent the time to invest in me, that I could produce and do what I'm doing now," Wood told Woj.
Enter Rockets GM Rafael Stone who recognized the production Wood would provide with regular starting minutes. And Wood hasn't let Houston down one bit.
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Coming off the bye week the Houston Texans received good news as both LB Christian Harris and LG Kenyon Green have been designated to return from injury.
The timing couldn't be better with Harris considering the loss of LB Azeez Al-Shaair, who was suspended for three games for his hit on Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence.
Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans hasn't announced a return to game action for Harris or Green, the plan is to see how they progress over the course of the week before making any decisions.
When joining the Texans YouTube channel this week, Ryans described Green as a “player that can move people in the run game,” but also acknowledged his issues in pass protection that need to be cleaned up.
While Green was only on the field for three of the whopping 8 sacks on CJ Stroud the last time he started a game, it must be pointed out that he was atrocious that Thursday night against the Jets.
And that was following up a game against the Colts that got him benched for his struggles. If not for Jarrett Patterson suffering a concussion against Indy, Green shouldn't have been on the field versus New York.
That's why Ryans' comments about Green returning are so concerning. “If he's ready to get back out there, I think he can help us,” said the Texans head coach.
To be fair, it's not like the Texans have had much success with Juice Scruggs at guard and Patterson at center. But at least they haven't been a complete disaster in pass protection like they were with Green in the lineup. Green was getting beat quick or missing assignments that led to immediate pressures and big hits on Stroud.
Ground and pound?
There's a narrative out there that Green is the better option when it comes to run blocking. But no matter how you frame it, he was one of the worst, if not the worst, guard in the NFL according to ProFootballFocus before suffering the injury.
Somehow that's supposed to change after returning from a dislocated shoulder? I don't buy it. And considering the Texans' upcoming schedule, they're probably going to struggle with running the ball against the Ravens, Chiefs, and Titans, whether he plays or not.
Those teams are strong against the run, and the Texans would be wise to try to beat them with the passing game, considering the matchup.
Another narrative out there is that GM Nick Caserio wants to give Green every possible opportunity to succeed because he spent a 1st-round pick on Green, and passed up several Pro Bowl players in doing so.
For me, that argument falls a bit flat. Caserio used a 2nd-round pick on Scruggs, so he has a lot invested in both players. However, Scruggs isn't without criticism. He's been an obvious weakness at guard, though he did play much better against the Jaguars last week. It's the Jags, read into that what you will. But Caserio did admit recently that Scruggs is a better center than guard.
Perhaps the plan is to put Scruggs back at center with Green returning. But that could spell trouble as well. The communication issues on the o-line seem to have improved with Patterson at center.
At the end of the day, the number one job for the o-line has to be protecting Stroud, who has been the second-most sacked QB this season (41).
He's taken a sack in every game this year, and has been sacked four or more times in six of thirteen games. Four of those six games featured Green as the starting guard.
Up next
Houston will get their first test after the bye week as they host the 6–7 Dolphins, who still have something to play for. Despite the Texans' up and down season, they can clinch a playoff berth with a win over Miami, and a loss from the Colts.