ClutchFans Game Thread: Raptors @ Rockets 11/11/2013

Great Rockets win. Howard had a huge game. Even though Harden was hurting, he played great. I love T Jones getting some playing. He should start next game and move Asik to the bench.

 

I'm a Lin fan and I hate using the term "LOF" but you seriously earn it. You really gonna argue who should start, Harden or Lin? Eff this Harden vs. Lin crap.

 

The original Linsanity bench.

 

For the matching team (Knicks), the cap hit is the exact amount of salary paid, so for the Rockets it was $8.3/8.3/8.3, but for the Knicks it would have counted as $5/5/15m.

Given that the Knicks were facing $58M in guaranteed salary from Chandler, Melo and STAT, when you round out the roster Lin's 3rd year would have been a full $15M in the luxury tax, with estimates ranging around $40M in total for year 3.

That being said, the Knicks were 100% going to match the original "leaked" offer from the Rockets of $5/5/10M, which would have meant that the Knicks were fully willing to pay Lin $10M in year 3, take a $10M cap hit, and pay a total salary + luxury tax hit of $25M.

Think about that, the Knicks were willing to pay out $25M to keep Lin and only backed off when the total bill spiked to $40M and would have put them over the Apron (loss of the mini-MLE and the ability to sign and trade).

This is one of the reasons I find it so funny that people say that the Knicks weren't willing to pay Lin $15M. They WERE willing to pay out $25M, just not $40M with roster restrictions.

Morey ingeniously manipulated the CBA rules to ensure that he acquired Asik and Lin (both with similar poison pill contracts). The way that the Gilbert Arenas and RFA rules worked put enormous tax penalties on both teams if they wanted to match Asik or Lin's offer.

The Rockets got Asik and Lin for $8.3M per year (a steal given their market values at the time), or $25M total each. A bargain compared to what the Knicks were willing to pay (over $35M over 3 years), and insanely cheap compared to what it would have cost the Knicks to retain Lin (over $50M).

 

Thanks - I think they just got it wrong then. Or I read it wrong - maybe they were only thinking cap hit.

 

If NY matched, the cap hit for NYK would've been 5/5/15. That's why they decided not to match it. (it's equally divided over three years for the Rockets, though.)

 

Lin highlights:

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Great first half by Dwight. FTs are a huge problem with him. Howard and Harden have good chemistry. Odd play still by Parsons. Lin with 0 assist is not right, has to get better chemistry with Dwight. Lin has very efficient 31 pts, gets to the foul line well and played exceptional defense until he got physically and mentally tired. I'll take boneheaded plays from Harden and Lin and their TOs. Harden played some D and looked to pass much of the game, esp. first half. I'll take some bonehead ISOs, Harden and Lin are young players. T Jones did pretty well. Bev had off game but huge rebound in OT. 1 pt sounds just weird but he'll be better in the next game. Casspi forces sometimes but plays hard. Toronto had a woeful shooting night but rebounded, hustled and played D and forced 2 OTs.

 

Love Bev. Anyone who hates Bev can suck a nut. For reals. Don't people realise that the more you dog Bev, the more Lin will get dogged out anyways? Hope Bev sees Lin and raises him one next game. Bev's gotta bring it as we're still struggling. And the key to tonight's win, albeit ugly, was Harden passing it more than in previous games. Harden, just pass the ball, it'll come back to you!! You're still our star, trust that!

 

I don't hate Beverly but I strongly dislike Beverly because whoever that biotch is, she makes everybody miss spell Beverley's name.

 

That's pretty awesome. I hope Bev bounce back, Lin+Bev backcourt was pretty good together so far.

 

the Knicks were already over the cap, so the cap hit wasn't an issue. The real issue was the luxury tax hit for going further over the cap. Lin's $15M in the 3rd year would have cost Dolan $45M in luxury tax.

 

Hehe, I was agreeing with you.

 

Missed the game due to work, but looking at the stats, I see that Lin had a great game. Good going.

Dwight did a great job with rebounds, but I see that he missed 8 fts and that the team missed something like 18fts? Way too many.

If D12 could make 55 to 60% of his ft's, this team is sitting at 7-1.

Free throws will be our achiles heel until it is fixed or minimized to an acceptable level. Coaches get paid big money to fix crap like this. They better do.

 

This pic looks so g@y.

 

that is just crazy logic. You can't just look at games that way and make such a conclusion. It lacks depth.

Beverly gives the starting line-up energy, in the second unit Lin can be ball dominate and be aggressive.

Besides, James Harden is our best player, there is no Durant and or Westbrook keeping him out of the line-up.

I'm new, but I've read and seen this Lin topic is so heated for no reason. I don't care for that, I just see a picture where the team can go further with Lin in this bench role. At the end of games we go with whoever is having the better game out of Beverly or Lin or use them together. I just view to see Beverly and Lin together as a tremendous asset.

 

Quick game summary:
1. jones is playing great defense today.
2. It is nice to see What Harden can do when put effort on defense. He has better chemistry with Howard now. I predict that his Ast number this year would be in elite level if he keep on with it instead of doing too much ISO.
3. Howard has a huge 1st half. he has been a monster on the offensive rebound and a huge presence in protecting the paint. He has not done much ISO plays today. I noticed that the opposing team are beginning to do a better job defending his post moves.
4. Bev is still doing a good job on defense except he gets into foul trouble. This is expected and he will learn better. I like how he keeps hustling on both end of the court. He is not shooting well recently and I hope he will bounce back on that.
5 Parsons continued his shooting slump from outside but he is doing his best to drive to the basket. That's smart.
6 Lin is a beast tonight from downtown and also does a better job at getting to the paint during clutch time. His TOs mainly come from being aggressive attacking the paint. These are acceptable given how the raptors are protecting the paint today. However, he did twice get into the air without finding an open man to pass to. That's something he will need to improve in order to get Mchales trust in closing games.
7 credit to the coaches for the substitution and pushing the players to put effort in defense.

issues exposed today:
1 we are not doing a good job boxing out when Howard blocks shots. I think we age 2 easy baskets to th Raptors after Howard blocked the shot. Part of the reason is that jones is staying closer to the perimeter due to the defense matchup. part of the reasons is that neither harden nor lin did a good job on that.
2 same thing about defense rebounds. Of course we want to run fast but we meed to make sure we get the rebound. Right now we rely too much on Howard and Asiks ability on rebound and are not doing a good job boxing out opposing teams players. It has cost us games last year and we need to fix that.
2 We know one weakness of Howard's game is his FT. He was able to shoot better in two of previous games but did a terrible job today. He seriously need to work on that hard, especially if we want to win in playoff games.

 

Hey!! chandler parsons is watching

 

Oh ok .The Knicks just decided the 15 mill cap hit was to much. Thanks for the clarification. Good for us bad for them.

 

Lin's best friends in the league. The spirit of their historic run was here tonight.