ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Bobcats 1/21/2013

fishguy91 · Jan 22, 2013

1. Better player under 25: Russell Westbrook or James Harden?

Dan Feldman, PistonPowered: Russell Westbrook. This is a nice season for Harden, whom the Thunder spurned for players like Westbrook. But there's still a reason Oklahoma City chose Westbrook. Point guards -- yes, Westbrook is one -- tend to have more value than shooting guards, because they have more responsibility. That's especially true of point guards (Westbrook) who turn the ball over less often than shooting guards (Harden).

Andrew Han, ClipperBlog: Westbrook, even though he's not a prototypical point guard and is unfairly criticized because he plays with Kevin Durant. Westbrook is the better defender, and when you factor in his lower turnover percentage, higher rebounding rate and similar field goal and 3-point percentage, Westbrook narrowly edges Harden.

Danny Nowell, Portland Roundball Soc.: Harden. I think this is nearly a toss-up, and Harden's efficiency edge over Westbrook is mitigated somewhat by the OKC dynamo's higher usage rate, but I'll take the Beard. He's got Russ on win shares, shooting of every kind and he's a year younger.

Michael Wallace, ESPN.com: Russell Westbrook. But this is as close as they come, and I've gone back and forth a couple of times between them. If it comes down to having to make one play to win a game, I fear Harden more because of his smoother offensive game. But overall, Westbrook gets the nod because when he's engaged defensively, he dominates his position at both ends.

Royce Young, Daily Thunder: Westbrook. Harden has nights when his scoring efficiency and playmaking will almost blow your mind. But Westbrook's toughness and competitive spirit are special, and something that sets him apart. Plus, I think we're pretty much witnessing Harden's potential. Westbrook has yet to realize his.
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saw this from ESPN. seems nobody has posted yet.

Sports2012 · Jan 22, 2013

Lin did a great job guarding Walker in 3rd quarter

mothman said: ↑

Thought I share my observation of this game. The turning point I think came at under the 10min mark in the 3rd quarter (~9.40) when Walker brought up the ball & Biyombo was running towards him. That's when Lin shouted to Asik to help on the pnr defense. That Walker/Biyombo pnr play has been pretty effective up to that point. When Asik came out to help on the pnr defense, they pretty much neutralise that play. Subsequently the Bobcats stopped using the Walker/Biyombo pnr play & Walker was not able to score again for a long stretch in the 3rd quarter (except for 1 fast-break layup). He was forced to shoot the threes the rest of the way which he made some & missed some. I think that has a huge impact on the game, just my 2 cents.
Appreciate if someone can post the video link on that play.
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I watched a replay of the 3rd quarter on League Pass to find out exactly what Lin did to stop Kemba Walker from scoring for eight minutes in the third quarter.

At about 9:42 in the 3rd quarter, Lin was guarding Walker. He turned his head to yell to Asik. Then Asik came up to the left elbow to help guard Walker but an offensive foul was called on him at 9:45. Since then he has come up once more to help Lin, and during all the other time when Walker had the ball, he would move with Lin to close the lane to the rim. This allowed Lin to better guard Walker and he was not able to score again for the next eight and half minutes until Lin was subbed by Beverly, except for a fast break where he out-ran Lin from back court to the basket for a layup at 4:40 on Taylor's assist.

So in conclusion, Lin has been successfully guarding Walker with Asik's help, even it was just around the paint without coming up but blocking the lane.*

It would be extremely difficult *for any one to guard a quick point guard like Kemba Walker, since he is constantly using screens and sometimes two teammates for consecutive screening at a time. And most of the time the screener like Biyombo was moving and cutting into Lin's lane without getting called. So it was like Lin had to fight two or three players of the opposing team plus the official to get his defensive job done. It would simply be too much to ask of any player in the league no matter how good they are in one-on-one defense.

This was the reason why I have been questioning McHale's capability as a head coach, because it is the head coach's job to come up with a TEAM defense solution. And he has yet be able to do so since the beginning of this season.

TTNN · Jan 22, 2013

Sports2012 said: ↑

I watched a replay of the 3rd quarter on League Pass to find out exactly what Lin did to stop Kemba Walker from scoring for eight minutes in the third quarter.

At about 9:42 in the 3rd quarter, Lin was guarding Walker. He turned his head to yell to Asik. Then Asik came up to the left elbow to help guard Walker but an offensive foul was called on him at 9:45. Since then he has come up once more to help Lin, and during all the other time when Walker had the ball, he would move with Lin to close the lane to the rim. This allowed Lin to better guard Walker and he was not able to score again for the next eight and half minutes until Lin was subbed by Beverly, except for a fast break where he out-ran Lin from back court to the basket for a layup at 4:40 on Taylor's assist.

So in conclusion, Lin has been successfully guarding Walker with Asik's help, even it was just around the paint without coming up but blocking the lane.*

It would be extremely difficult *for any one to guard a quick point guard like Kemba Walker, since he is constantly using screens and sometimes two teammates for consecutive screening at a time. And most of the time the screener like Biyombo was moving and cutting into Lin's lane without getting called. So it was like Lin had to fight two or three players of the opposing team plus the official to get his defensive job done. It would simply be too much to ask of any player in the league no matter how good they are in one-on-one defense.

This was the reason why I have been questioning McHale's capability as a head coach, because it is the head coach's job to come up with a TEAM defense solution. And he has yet be able to do so since the beginning of this season.
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Hope Lin will do this more and do it early. He will need to learn to take things into his own hand, and can not wait for other people to set it up for him........

TTNN · Jan 22, 2013

http://www.nba.com/rockets/video/2013/01/22/ZOOM0002MOV-2361802

Today's McHale's interview. It is interesting that a reporter asked him about Jeremy, and McHale was talking like he is young, so he has up and downs....

Well, he had a down game yesterday then. Hopefully he would be better tomorrow

well, my take of this is that though Jeremy is not bad compare to Beverley, but he got benched, means McHale has a higher expectation with Jeremy than TD and Beverley, Jeremy could do more but he didn't, so he need to go to bench to think about it.

I know McHale don't have that much trust in him, but I think Jeremy will improve and earn his trust and respect gradually, anyway it will eventually make him a better player.

call me LOF if you like.

Sports2012 · Jan 23, 2013

TTNN said: ↑

Hope Lin will do this more and do it early. He will need to learn to take things into his own hand, and can not wait for other people to set it up for him........
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Totally agree.

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ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Bobcats 1/21/2013

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