ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Spurs 12/25/2013

Been lurking for a while now and I've seen this argument brought up a lot of times... but I still don't get it

1. How many minutes does Harden averages per game? Isn't he in the top 10 or something minutes played per game along with Parson?
2. How many minutes does Lin actually play without either Harden/Parson/Haward or a combination of any two, or even all three sitting at the same time?
3. I'm pulling this numbers out of my ass as I can't be bothered to go check the actual numbers, but lets say Harden plays 35 mins per game on average. That leaves 13 mins wherein he sits. Does he sit it straight out or is it staggered? In those 13 mins, is Lin in the game? Is he all alone leading the bench or does he have one of Parson/Howard/Brooks in the game with him at any given time?
4. If and when Harden is resting and Lin is in the game, is he the primary ball handler or is someone else acting as the pg? Isn't he used more like a backup SG rather than a PG?
5. What kind of free reign can he get when he has, say 13 mins without harden in the game and in staggered minutes?
6. What extra ooomph do people expect from him when Parson is most likely in the game with him when harden is resting? Parson is also in the top 10 most played minutes per game isn't he? Isn't parson the glue that holds the team and isn't he, according to a lot of people, the 3rd option? Then what would the team benefit from Lin coming off the bench when one of Parson or Harden is in the game to drive the offense?
7. I see a lot of people dissing Lin that he's a scrub and that he sucks, but what do people expect when a PG isn't being used as a PG even when coming off the bench? How do people expect him to do or replicate his "linsanity" run thing when he isn't even the primary ball handler when coming of the bench and with the 2nd unit? who plays all of 3-5mins together before they all get benched again.

This coming off the bench to provide offensive force to the second unit is a very very very flawed concept and argument. If Harden and Parson are in the game for most of the game, then what free reign does Lin get. Not to mention the nonsense of him being the one leading the second unit and being the primary scorer when in fact, most of the time, he is in the game with one of Harden/Parson/Haward/Brooks who, according to many people here are all >>>>>>>>>> scrub Lin?

I'm not a Lin fan, not by a long shot, but he gets screwed over here so hard that its really sad.

Regardless of his crazy fans, at least give credit when credit is due. He may not be an all star, but he is good and can ball. Shouldn't you people be happy that you have a pg as good as lin? A lot of sucky teams out there I'm sure are wishing that they could have someone as good as lin.

 

Get used to it. Lin Fans don't get Superstar Calls. Need to toughen up. Just like Dwight not getting calls. On the other hand, you said similar type of comments against other posters/players and you are IDed as a LOF, you get the whistle.

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>RT <a href="https://twitter.com/Ben_ESPN">@Ben_ESPN</a>: Last night’s Rockets/Spurs telecast on ESPN was highest-rated <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA">@NBA</a> Christmas telecast ever in prime time -a 2.4 overnight rtg</p>&mdash; Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) <a href="https://twitter.com/HoustonRockets/statuses/416238632379236352">December 26, 2013</a></blockquote>
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TJ not getting enough love here after arguably having his best game as a starter.

21 pts (9-20 where at least 3 of those shots were due to clock running down)
14 rbs (5 offensive)
3 blks

Even though Splitter is not one of the best PF, that guy has more game time experience than him, was very effective for their championship run last year and TJ just dominated him in all aspects of the game.

Keep it up TJ !!!

 

Yeah he came into his own last night. With time he will get more consistent but the talent, skill and heart is there.

 

doenst surprise me all the match ups were boring and not good. with exception of GSW/Clips that was probably the other good matchup to watch

 

The starters cant play those kind of minutes over the long haul. We cant have the 2nd unit giving back the ground the 1st unit achieves.

Yes we won. Yes we played well overall. But the 2nd unit needs some work that wont be fixed merely by Asik returning (assuming he plays well and up to his potential). Garcia is not the Garcia of last season. And Casspi isnt the Casspi we saw in the pre-season.

The second unit is challenged on both "D" and "O", and until that is addressed, the issue of over playing the starters will get worse, not better as the season continues.

The last thing we want is an exhausted starting unit come playoff time.

 

Our second unit is short it's two best guys with Beverley and Asik out. It's not going to be as good as it needs to be as long as we are this shorthanded.

 

Getting these guys healthy will help no doubt. But these questions still remain:

1) Will Asik play up to his potential?

I have my doubts to whether Asik will ever be the player he was in a Rockets uniform.

2) Can these two players address the offensive problem for the 2nd unit?

I dont see Asik or Bev propping up the offense much.

3) Whats going on with Garcia?

 

1) Yes
2) No
3) He's become very reliant on his 3 point shoot, his three point shoot isn't what it usually is, but for the most part...Garcia is Garcia.
4) Yes, Beverley and Asik would address the drop in defense when Lin and Howard are out of the game. Asik by himself can prop up a defense.

 

Is it just me or did Jeremy Lin play some great basketball. He put up some rondoish numbers and that's what we need. He was passing well and making some fancy passes. We need him making assist more then scoring that's the point guards job. He also can score so him putting up 15+ a night with 7+ assist is what we need. I think Jeremy is an Allstar caliber player that just had consistency issues and much to learn.

 

If the bench cannot score, they need to double down on the defensive end. We can expect that the lead will dwindle while the starters rest, but with more effort they can slow the dwindling and allow the starters to be fresh and dominate the game.

All the players that can score, should be on the floor as often as possible, and in the starting lineup.

 

I got negged twice for calling out poster Gil a TJ hater

LOL comon that's lame, he is a hater, I didn't use foul language if I remember.

Anyways highlights

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Beverley is a starter as it stands now and plays more with Howard. Lin will go back to 6th man and play however it is he's playing and may play more with Asik than Howard. Can't say he's strictly playing with the bench.

 

Its pretty obvious to most objective people that Beverly starting is all about McHale's ego. The people who overrate Beverly are the same 'true rockets fans' that overrated Toney Douglas, Shaun Livingston and Scott Machado.

This is why Lin will not re-sign, and I believe most Rockets fans will come to regret this in time. Their blind support of McHale's mismanagement but also being conned by posters who have a strong anti-Lin agenda that pretend to be 'real Rockets fans.' A lot of those guys are disgruntled Knicks fans and others who were hating on Lin well before he got here.

Lin has potential to be a very good player, but he will not reach that on this team. If used right he could be part of the big three/four in a year or two. But he will most likely be traded by the deadline. Unless Morey is giving up on getting anything decent for him in the belief that Lin can make a serious contribution in the playoffs this season.

 

When Lin doesnt resign you will deactive your account or wont post here anymore right? No one hates Lin, they hate posters who think he is an all-star/top 10 player in the league. He just isnt and it drives people like me nuts. Again, no hate for Lin the player, just delusional one player only fans.

 

Why would I do that?

I support the Rockets that doesn't mean I can't be objective about the Lin situation. Lin isn't an all star or top ten now, but his ceiling is certainly miles higher than that of Patrick Beverly.

He's had his roles switched the most on this team and has managed to improve and get good at whatever has been asked of him.

But how do you know how good he is has the potential to be when he has never really been allowed to play to his strengths?

At this stage the best thing for the Rockets is to trade him. He can be showcased now for the next month and hopefully can fetch us good value in a deal with Asik.

I do think he can be a solid contributor in the playoffs, but if our goal is to reach the second round only this season, then it's better to trade him now because once he is on the last year of his contract his trade value will drop. Since he is sure to want to test free agency.

 

I disagree and I've never been the biggest Lin fan. He shows highlights of an Allstar player maybe not top ten but there's something about Lin. Regular players don't do what he did in New York and a lot of people say it was a fluke but 20 consistent games isn't really a fluke to me. Lin is either really inconsistent or just one lucky guy or he's a jr smith. N what I mean by that is jr seems like an Allstar but he can't lock into that mode full time but maybe he needs to switch teams such as harden did. Hopefully Lin keeps passing and less scoring I think he's just trying to force it to much and recreate lin sanity. He could handle 20 games but can't do a full season of that recreation. The tałents there. I'm really siked about t jones and Lin stepping up.

 

Well you are on a Houston Rockets board, and people are going to overrate their players.

I can see the hype with Lin. He is a really good point guard. Young, and is basically in his sophomore season. Last night he did about as good as you can do against Tony Parker. Even outplayed him. He also had a stretch(Linsanity), where he was a top 10 player. Is he a top 10 player? No, but he has flashed potential of one before. Fact of the matter is, the way he is playing this year, that 8 million dollar cap hit next year seems like a pretty good deal.

 

There's got to be someone better than that jerk JRSmith to compare him to. Lin shows inexperience and makes mental and physical errors of a player going through growing pains. Linsanity wasn't practical to maintain, but the way Lin played much of the season continues and is pretty consistent. He's not used optimally in Houston but contributes to the team and then decides when the time comes what to do. But a lot can happen between now and the end of the season and offseason and next season if he's still a Rocket.