Chip Engelland is Already Working his Magic

Chip Engelland is already working his magic

The Houston Rockets ' new assistant coach, Chip Engelland, has a lot of work with this young Houston Rockets roster. Two of his focal players who need improvement are Alperen Şengün and Amen Thompson .

Sengun and Thompson are both young players with immense potential, but both have struggled with their shooting, especially with their jump shots.

Şengün is already one of the best passing centers in the NBA, but his shooting remains an area where he can make a major improvement. He shot just 30.5% from three-point range last season and converted 69.1% of his free throws, a number Ime Udoka previously described as too low.

Synergy ranks Sengun in the bottom 12th percentile of the league in points per jump shot. This lets opposing defenses routinely back off him at the top of the key and tighten the space he has.

If he wants to take that next superstar leap, he has to fix his efficiency from the stripe and from deep. However, Engelland, "The Shot Doctor," can improve Şengün's shooting mechanics.

In fact, the Houston Chronicle has reported that Engelland is already working with Sengun to perfect his shot. Engelland has already identified one mechanical issue with Şengün's free-throw stroke. Şengün tends to lean or fade backward when he shoots, and Engelland wants him to stay more balanced and move forward through the shot.

That might sound like a small adjustment, but shooting is often about repetition and consistency. If Şengün can improve his balance and develop a more repeatable motion, it could help his free throws and eventually translate to his jump shot.

Thompson's shooting is even more in need of Engelland's magic, as he shot just 34.1% from midrange and an abysmal 21.6% from three-point range last season. Defenders could often sag off him when he was away from the basket, clogging driving lanes and making it more difficult for him to use his athleticism.

The Rockets don't need Şengün or Thompson to turn into high-volume three-point shooters. They need them to become consistent enough that defenses cannot ignore them outside the paint. If they can knock down open threes and become more confident taking open jumpers, it would give Houston another dimension offensively and create a lot more issues for opposing defenses.

Houston already has one of the best defenses in the entire NBA, and if they can improve their perimeter shooting, they will be able to be true contenders in the stacked Western Division