Something to remember about Kevin McHale for folks who don't understand the "benching" thing...

I seem to recall quite a few idiot references prior to Lin's arrival.

But McHale IS biased; it's just that he is biased with respect to style of play, not with respect the actual people involved. That seems to be a distinction some people have difficulty with. And it is bound to result in at least misunderstandings when the coach and educated viewers are looking at different aspects of Lin's play and reaching different overall conclusions.

 

They weren't scoring off ISO, if that's what you are saying. Unless you think the starting 5 of the Rockets that game were all so good at isolation scoring that they managed to outscore Indiana by 15 points in the first quarter.

Plus, assuming that Lin really makes such a massive impact that he would reduce Harden's energy conservation by a large amount if he was on the court, wouldn't Harden get more rest with a stronger 2nd unit anyway? A stronger 2nd unit means less minutes required for 1st unit.

So really, I honestly see minimal downsides if Lin was the 6th man and lead man of the 2nd unit.

 

So Mchale started as a sixth man, then became a starter versus Lin being the starter, now getting benched.

Did Mchale get benched after becoming a full-season starter? I'm not familiar with pre-21st century basketball.

 

Please note that when I say McHale is biased with respect to style of play, that is what you would expect from any coach. It is not a bad thing, it just is what it is.

 

The whole "benching" issue is not so much about Lin as it is about the fans. It's not THAT it happened, but WHEN and WHERE it happened. This is not a difficult concept.

A parallel might be to for example promote a "Tyson v. Holyfield" fight in Las Vegas and then when everyone shows up it turns out to be a "Herbie Hide v. Tony Tucker" fight instead. The promoter says that it was "a boxing decision: that Tyson gets enough publicity as it is and so we thought we'd have the big crowds come to see Herbie fight instead". People would be upset, wouldn't they, don't you think?

 

No need to explain the "benching" or "starting" from Rox fans.

Everyone here knows that almost every NBA player wants to be a starter. The business implication between starter and bench is huge and NBA is ultimate a business. Players and teams are all business parties.

Lin and Asik (I add Asik because I don't believe he will start either) have to play whatever roles Rox give to them because they have a contract with the Rox, for now. But it won't last long. Eventually they will move on and either get traded or sign with another team which can provide the roles they want. IMO, they are capable to start for at least 2/3 of NBA teams. So, they do have choices, in the future. They don't owe Rox anything just like Rox doesn't owe them. They both have 2 years' left with Rox, before everyone knows it, they will leave.

But, NBA players come and go all the time, so what is the big deal?

 

Nice OP. Yeah, looked like Scola had been watching some McHale tapes at times there.

The Lin thing is really clogging the board right now/last season/the rest of this season

Last game I just felt like there was not a drop off when the second unit came on, and that was good. And I agree with Clutch's podcast: maybe we just need more offense in the 2nd unit and defense in the first unit. Holy crap: the perceived symbolism of "just letting Lin start and then sitting him after four minutes so as not to slap the entire continent of Asia in the face/get out of Taiwan alive" is so so very. . . .

 

I am going to stay out of this debate. All I know is that a super talented bench comprised of Lin, Asik, Dmo, Garcia and Casspi would beat the chit out of anybody's second team. Perhaps this is exactly what McHale has mind: a super potent bench brigade that will break the game open.

 

It's nothing like that.

1) They bought tickets for Rockets vs Pacers. That's what they bought. Not Lin vs Some People. They agreed to watch a basketball game.

2) Lin still played over 20 minutes.

 

Do people realize that if Jlin comes off that bench that Beverley will then have to run the offense in the first unit as the coaching staff's gameplan this year is to have Harden play "off ball"??? Beverley is a master playmaker and PnR guy as we all know. Yeah, that'll work well.

 

That's not the issue being discussed here. It about going forward.

 

Very cynical and negative way to look at things. The thing about Jeremy is that even if you benched him and lowered his minutes to 20 per/game...he still wouldn't complain; and which is great. Asik, I don't know, but people who know him have said that he is no whiner either. Historically star players are willing to accept lesser roles on teams if it means they can win a championship. A Lin/Asik duo off the bench would be absolutely nasty; throw in DMo (who works really well with Lin), Garcia, Casspi, and maybe Bev and that unit destroys any other second unit in the league. And so why would you want to trade these guys???

 

lin can play with the 2nd unit and still start. Im thinking probably avg 26-30 minutes for lin for season and avg 22-18 minutes for bev. Maybe even more for bev if we can play some with lin and bev together.

People are making this about bev vs. lin when its not like football with one qb. This is a game of subbing. You need subbing and I hope lin can limit his minutes to 30 a game from a not wearing out point of view.Same for harden and howard. If we do this right lin howard and harden get 30 minutes a game and we still cruise. Best teams are blowing folks out by end of 3rd. Im not saying lin is made of glass but certainly lin is the type that needs rest in the game. No need to run him into the ground.. and beverly is a perfect complement.

One of our big strengths is we can rest lin and bring top flight like bev. We can rest howard and bring in top flight like asik. That is a luxury not a bad thing. People make something good into something bad.

Im expecting some really insane negativity this season.. and with LOF and the tinderbox that is a loss. even worse mchale pulls lin temporarily on an off night for lin and the chinese lynch mob shows at mchales door.

 

oh man those moves...he isn't even that athletic but always gets his defender unaware

back to Lin, who cares if he's benched or not, we have Dwight Superman Howard and James Black Jesus Harden, more important matters to discuss such as will Dwight win DPOY or does Harden have a legitimate shot at the MVP or scoring title?

 

McHale had more moves than Hakeem so he has the bigger arsenal. Not a knock on Hakeem by any stretch of the imagination. Hakeem was a dancer on the block and was one step ahead of the defender almost at all times.

 

agreed but this site has been officially threadjacked by lin discussion.

Even though is only 2 preseason games I must say that harden is looking very very nasty already. There was this one move harden did in first preseason game where he broke this dude down so nasty in the end it was just no guardable. Hardens footwork is just disgusting.

Harden with Howard is so sick I dont think people are really fathoming what is happening right now.

 

Did you read the title of the thread yet?

 

OMG, can you be more incoherent...

 

The issue of debating anything relating to Lin is that eventually, the trolls will drag you down to their level. So whatever any thread is suppose to be will always degenerate.

I would comment on non-Lin stuffs, but there's a decidedly lack of stuff to talk about. Everything about the Rockets right now are either positive or not big enough of a deal to care about.

 

did you read this site?

Everything is about lin on here when we have freaking dwight howard and harden is already looking really really nasty.. and we are worried about our 4th/5th best player Lin?