[ClutchFans] Rockets to begin season with Beverley, Asik as starters; Jeremy Lin off bench

Greg Smith, Casspi, and Jones

 

Both have a year left (obviously after this one). Omer is definitely gone and wouldn't be surprised if Jeremy followed.

Basically this.

 

I wasnt a fan of this move 3 months ago because it was pitched as an idea by people who think Bev is a better player than Lin or by people who think Harden should be the de facto point guard. But after watching the rotations and watching how Lin worked on his game I have to agree with the lineup change. I think Lin needs to get his confidence back and learn how to play aggresively again. When you start at point you have to set the tone and get your teammates involved, which Lin is good at but it affected his aggressiveness. I think Lin can eventually get his starting job back but I like the move for Lin's and Harden's development. With the addition of Howard and the new Championship aspirations, i dont think the Rockets have time to wait for Lin/Harden to work. I believe is does work but right now its easier to split them up and get maximum value out of both.

 

Someone should start a poll on when Lin will be traded, with tip jar contributions required of the losers. Betting will be fast and furious. (especially furious)

 

Lin was essentially benched for a rookie.

Writing is on the wall.....

 

Food for thought Lin Fans: Maybe having Lin come off the bench will actually be better for him AND the team in this lineup. Hear me out.

If you're going to start Omer at the 5 and go twin towers as your opening lineup, then you're going to end up with Greg Smith on the floor for a significant amount of time as the backup center right? So you're going to trade having an elite defender on the floor at all times and instead have TWO elite defenders in the paint at the same time, but you're going to be giving up some defense and points with Smith right? So maybe it occurs to McHale that instead of playing Beverly with a group that is already going to suffer defensively, you play him with your twin towers looks and just commit everything you have to defending. Then you play Lin (the better scorer / creator) with your second group along with Casspi, D-Mo, Garcia ... all scorers more than defenders no? So in essence McHale is saying I'm going to play every one of my plus defenders at once, make sure you don't get ANYTHING for free and keep the score low, then when I change gears and bring in the bench, I'm going to try and blow your doors off and out score you with Lin, D-Mo, and shooters. It's not a bad strategy when you think about it.

 

Actually, I'm gonna be looking forward to some interesting stat finds with this line-up by January (and stays this way rather than the speculative alternate starts). Hint: 3PT%, FG%, and TOs.

In the meantime, gonna enjoy the ride. Although, it's gonna be a long day for me.

 

sucker punched in the gut

 

At the end of this year? I would agree the Omer would be traded, unless we win it all. If we win it all, I think Morey will have Omer glued to the team for the length of his contract.

Lin, I have no idea. How well is he going to play? What could we get for him, or for the money his contract represents?

 

Clearly you didn't watch the third quarter of the spurs game? That was a clinic of two man basketball. Pick and roll, post ups, back door cuts. It was beautiful basketball and Dwight ended the quarter with 11 PTS and 4 rebounds. And harden finished the quarter with 11 PTS and 6 asts. So for you to say you only saw the harden Howard pick and roll work once, then you really didnt watch much of the rockets this preseason. After the Asia trip they were a little sluggish, but other than that they played very well together and I'm very excited for tomorrow night to go ahead and get that first win in the record books.

 

Lin won't lose any minutes by coming off the bench most likely. He will probably be getting the same minutes he would of gotten if he had started over Beverley. This just makes it easier for him to suceed in all honesty. Now he gets to lead the second unit and make it his game when he is in there. He won't have to stand around the 3 point line watching Harden, and instead he will get to be the primary ball handler for much of his time on the court. This will be good not just for the Rockets, but for Lin as well.

 

Beverly is part of the gritty defensive minded ballers in Rockets lore like Mario Elie and Vernon Maxwell.

Congrats PBev, go get em.

 

Omri Casspi is about to show the world he's on Steve Novak's level.

 

Bullard mentioned during one of the preseason games that Morey had said something like that his numbers showed that it was more beneficial for Bev to crash the offensive boards over immediately running back on D.

 

Considering Lin himself has only one full season under his belt as a starter, I don't think that's really much of an issue. I do think it's odd that he didn't do anything to lose his spot, so I would think it was a decision made in the offseason and I would have to agree that he's not going to be in Houston after this year. I think his clock started ticking the minute Harden was acquired.

 

Oh boy !

Here we go !!

Gonna be a fun year, maybe the best one since CFans started...can't wait !

DD

 

Well thats not a surprise. Get the asian out of there and put him in his place.
More black to you.

 

The lesson for Lin is - never sign with a team that cut you. If they found you expendable once then they probably will again.

 

CLUTCHFANS MELTDOWN!