Kevin McHale: I'd like to get a rotation of 9, maybe 10 guys

Motiejunas talks as if he is the second coming of Dirk. If he's Toni Kukoc I'll be satisfied but I like his game just hoping for more consistency.

 

Maybe. But at this point it's nothing more than your opinion. Obviously I don't share it.

 

If Jones shows consistent good play for the rest of the preseason he will get a shot to be in tge rotation.

 

I am a huge D-Mo fan, but this is about the Rockets season. I just hope D-Mo or Jones step up. We only will know for sure after 20 or more games.

 

I'll be shocked if we don't go 10,11, or even 12 for a good part of the season. First, the regular season goal is simple for this team: win as many games as you can WHILE limiting injuries and setting it up so that everyone is as fresh as possible for the postseason. Second, we have the players.

I also don't think it is worth it to wear guys out for homecourt advantage. In the playoffs, you have to be able to win on the road and I think this team will be more than ready to do that by the end of the season. Even more so if they are fresher than the opponent.

This approach wouldn't work on a lot of teams, but I think it will here. McHale is the right coach and Harden and Howard are both signed long term so I hope they aren't interested in padding stats for future contracts. I also think Parsons knows he's going to be here for some time too. Plus, I think they realize that fewer minutes for them means we are playing excellent basketball and keeping teams at bay.

Before the Harden trade, I would have been ecstatic with a lineup that looked like Asik, DMo, Omri, Garcia, and Lin. With a little hustle and grit, they could win 25-30 games by themselves and that combo just may be our second unit. Think about that and think about where we were 2-3 years ago. Amazing.

I'm drinking the kool-aid and I expect to see lots of boxscores with 6-7 players in double figures.

 

Why does nobody have Garcia playing the backup 3 at all?

 

Thats what im thinking. This is where I can see the 10 guys I predict will play will see their minutes.

Lin/Bev
Harden/Lin/Garcia
Parsons/Omri/Garcia
Dmo/Omri/jones/Howard/parsons
Howard/Asik/Dmo

 

Right now I can't see TJones beating DMo for minutes. Neither one will get a lot once Omer comes back however.

My preference would be to give DMo all the available minutes unless he playing terrible. This year he looks way stronger and more stable. Last year he was like high grass in strong winds. He also strikes me as more complementary to Dwight because of his superior passing skill. His greater size also gives matchup problems to his opponents.

As far as I can see the only advantage I would give TJones is that he is a very good ballhandler for a pf and can bring down the ball sometimes.

 

Brooks, Brewer, Smith, Williams, Camby, Covington only need to be concerned about making the team. They for sure will not be in the rotation.

It seemed easier to list the people who won't be in the rotation.

 

Definitely no Smith in that rotation, but having both Howard and Asik makes it that way.

With the exception of Asik, that rotation is built for speed.

 

I feel Brewer will be in the rotation, Smith has an outside shot, maybe Brooks too.

 

Very possible, especially when you consider each of Asik, Greg Smith and Casspi soaking up PF minutes. But maybe Smith won't make the team. Either way, it could be musical PFs the entire season until a trade happens.

 

Based on preseason so far, TJ does not deserve to part of the 10 man rotation.

 

I think Garcia will get rotation minutes to start the season but he is far from a sure thing. He is older, coming of injuries and before joining the Rockets, was terrible.

 

Let me get this straight, Garcia was a huge part in the playoffs guarding KD, and some think he wont be in the rotation? lol cmon man

 

My guess is McHale will employ a PF-by-committee process until a trade happens. But he can also afford to be patient with a player like D-Mo if the Rockets win and Howard's presence compensates for his pathetic defensive play.

IMO, there will be times where each of Casspi, D-Mo and T Jones will fall out of the rotation, but because all of them are yo yos, whoever is out will be back in eventually.

I'm certain Morey will trade for a PF before the deadline. No way a team as close as the Rockets will roll with these guys in the playoffs.

 

If the team plays really well they mite have to good deep.

 

Asik was one of the best in the league in grabbing a rebound and immediately passing to perimeters running down court in transition.

He was a big reason for our transition offense last year.

 

Lin (20min) / Bev (28min)
Harden (32min) / Lin (12min) / Garcia (4min)
Parsons (32min) / Garcia (12min) / Casspi (4min)
Howard (12min) / Dmo (20min) / Casspi (16min)
Asik (28min) / Howard (20min)

Total
Lin (32min)
Bev (28min)
Harden (32min)
Garcia (20min)
Parsons (32min)
Casspi (20min)
Dmo (20min)
Howard (32min)
Asik (28min)

This is a 9 man rotation. No one plays more than 32min to keep everyone fresh for the playoffs (I also expect a lot of blowouts :grin. It should allow everyone to give full effort to running the break and to playing both offence and defence. Howard and Asik will only need to play together for 6min per half.