ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Blazers 11/16/2012

DeQuan Cook sighting?

 

I have a horrible feelin that TD will stinking it up tonight. He almost follows up a good game with equally as bad game.

 

maybe if delfino misses this game, Terrence Jones will get some good playing time! *CROSSING MY DAMN FINGERS*

 

Any confirmation as to whether LMA is playing?

 

Don't be surprised if you see Lin playing SG position tonight, cause this is what's been decided by coaches, until Lin finds his shots fallin, he won't be fully back to his PG duty. MMW.

 

He made it through the Blazers' practice on Thursday and still isn't on the injury list.

Highly probable he starts. Sounds like at worst a gametime decision.

Something about this Blazers' team and the injury bug. I can almost hear their fans groaning 2000 miles away.

 

only when lin starts hitting his spot-up shots, will he be moved back to primary ball handler.. somehow it all makes sense to me now . WTF are the Rocket's coaches doing

 

Ok. Thanks

 

Usage Rate:

Raymond Felton - 25.8
Tony Parker - 26.8
Jrue Holiday 26.7
Toney Douglas - 19.7

Jeremy Lin - 18.6....tied with Rodrigue Beaubois and barely above John Lucas III.

Let's see if his usage can plummet even more after tonight's game.

 

perhaps he has some limitations from coach and game plan...whatever i think you'r overgeneralizing and this is only a small sample of games...and he was not that bad.. actually in games 1 and 2 he was excellent bordering on triple double in a game i think...i have great confidence in him and have no doubt he will repeat linsanity period in one form or another.. actually i like his game even now... i think he has many statistically invisible qualities.

 

Like I said I am hoping every night that he plays more confidently on the offensive end. I hope this is the night where he make that move. I was thoroughly disappointed in his last game.

 

Thanks for the stats. I've been bugging the eff out of morey about this on his twitter. I know it's a small chance but I'm sure he will read it.

 

yea, the knicks game is less than a week from now. knicks gonna try to do what the heat did last year.

 

i want payback

watch out on that Portland starting 5, it's pretty solid

 

but dont you agree that harden was in kinda slump from game 3 to games 7....he was almost horrible...or remember hardens dissapearing act in nba finals?

i understand what you want to see from Lin and I guarantee you will see it brother ..perhaps very soon...lin is a player destined to go huge! he is a born star and a few not so great games or even not so great a season can not prevent his star from shining brightly!

 

Yeah it just makes zero sense that on THIS TEAM Jeremy's usage would be so low. Mario Chalmers has low usage but he has Lebron, Bosh and Wade on his team. Rockets have Harden and then who else? Asik, Patterson, Parsons? Delfino? I mean greasy-hands Asik who struggles to make point blank layups is viewed as more of an offensive option than Jeremy at this point.

Obviously Jeremy missing shots and layups doesn't help but he should have more pick-and-rolls and plays called for him as well, not just Harden. Lin still accounts for 45% of the teams assists when he's on the floor, even with reduced touches he's assisting at a high rate.

I view Jeremy as a Tony Parker type and Parker's usage is over 26 and that's WITH Duncan on his team who also has a usage of 23.

I just want to see a more balanced offense between him and Harden. Right now it feels like 70-30. I'll take 60-40.

 

Damn people are gonna be comparing him to Felton again. If he fails on that stage, I don't know if he will ever be able to recover. A lot of pressure on that kid. Hope he has a lot of support.

 

The usage formula is an estimate and often a bad one at that. You've also run up against an apples and oranges scenario, since none of those other players have to split ballhanding duties with an all-star talent like James Harden.

Raymond Felton --> old-Kidd gets some touches and opportunities to initiate the offense as well

Tony Parker --> Has been a standout ever since the ball was quietly taken out of Manu's hands as much.

Jrue Holiday --> Evan Turner will sometimes act as point forward, but Jrue is pretty much in charge of his whole team.

Toney Douglas --> This is baffling. Only thing I can guess is that when Toney comes off the bench, he comes out swinging.

 

I think we all see it, but I don't know if the coaching staff does or even morey does. Not sure why they are not changing their approach.its quite maddening

 

Brandon Jennings - 23.8
Monta Ellis - 28.5

They are both ball-dominant guards that share the backcourt together and both have high usage.

Harden being an "all-star talent" isn't an excuse to have his usage the highest in the NBA among SGs, even Kobe while Jeremy's usage is lower than bench backups.