Lock or merge if necessary, thanks. Jeremy Lin makes sense off bench A secondary read from SI Spoiler
I'm going to repeat what I said in the main thread =/. Although what the articles say is valuable, it only works for season games. It's a short term solution because come playoffs, all key players will start playing 40+ minutes. I believe the best way is to let them play it out 30+ minute every game like what miami did with Lebron and Wade. If we tank hard, it'll be a process for a better future.
I agree that Lin playing off the bench may be best for him (at least for the time being). However, those splits cited in the article are, in my view, a bit misleading. Outside that San Antonio game when Lin scored 38 points in 42 minutes, his scoring rate has not been much better when playing without Harden.
I did get flamed for bringing this up about a week ago. It is quite ironic to say that Lin should play more of a Harden/OKC role with the Rockets. But think about it..... Lin playing 18 min a game with Greg Smith as the roller, and spreading the floor with the likes of Douglas, Delfino, and Morris. Vs. playing off the ball with Harden, Asik, Patterson, Parsons for 35 min a game. If I am a fan of Linsanity, I would rather have 18 min a game of Linsanity than 35 minutes a game of the Clark Kent version of Jeremy Lin. I would like to see the coaches staff give it a few more games, but every game it becomes a little bit more obvious that this might be worth trying.
And best for the team too. Im all for it, coach needs to stagger their minutes as much as they can and allow them to work them out slowly.
Doesn't really matter in the style of offense the Rockets run. They are interchangeable. The only thing that matters is who can guard a guard with more size/strength. Douglas, and Lin can adequately handle alot of NBA 2's on defense. If Lin comes off the bench I would assume most of his minutes would be shared with Douglas, or Delfino in the back court.
Think about it this way - if Harden get 40 minutes a game, and we don't want Lin in with him, that leaves Lin 8 minutes. Think about that before doing that. I'd rater Lin work out his 3 and work hard enough to be a 3 point threat. If Lin gets a 3 point shot, he is the perfect fit next to Harden.
I'd agree that you at the very least have to give it/them more time, though I'm not opposed to the idea of Lin coming off the bench in a 6th man role in general. While there's some merit to the playoff-argument, Harden and Lin are already already playing 39 and 32 minutes a game respectively. Both he and Lin might be playing a few minutes if the Rockets were to make the playoffs, but even in that case it'd be much easier to structure the minutes in a way that one is on the court when the other is not, if Lin were to came off the bench. Obviously bringing Lin off the bench would do so much -- for the most part he and Harden would still be playing with one another, but if it helps maximizing the play of the two in the time they wouldn't be on the court together (~10 minutes+), then I don't see why you at least wouldn't entertain the idea of doing so down the road.
If the bench has more success with a 6th man type of option on offense, it leaves more minutes for Harden/starters to rest if the offense is clicking with the second unit. Harden only comes off the bench with short rest because the offense starts to drag without him. Remember Lowry running the second unit a couple years ago with Houston? Having a 6th man bench unit is a huge weapon, even if only used 15 to 20 minutes a game. Again, I still think its too early with THIS team. They should still give it some more time, but if this was a team in contention, it would have already been done.
The question is what about the 4th quarter? Which group will close out the game in the final minutes? Harden & TD? or Harden & Lin? If you have to go with "Harden & Lin" combo to close out the game, the problem is still there.
You could still play Lin 30-32 minutes off the bench. E.g.: Patterson 28 Morris 17 Parsons 3 Parsons 34 Delfino 14 Harden 38 Douglas 6 Delfino 4 Douglas 16 Lin 32 I do agree though that Douglas, Delfino, Morris and Smith fit Lin better than Harden, Parsons, Patterson and Asik.
Who knows, it's not unimaginable that Morey goes after Chris Paul and next season we'll see Lin coming off the bench. I hope the coaching staff can work something out though because this can't go on much longer. Numbers prove what people have been seeing and saying so, there's no more denying it now.
Lin and Harden are going to have to learn to play off each other and work together. Unfortunately, McHale's simplistic offensive schemes and reliance on hero ball are not conducive to finding a system where both Lin and Harden can excel.
I dunno why you got flamed for it. Pretty sensible idea and some including Simmons have stuck by the idea that Lin would grow into a good 6th man (similar to JJ Barea) since the Linsanity period. Some of us on the board have been throwing the idea out there since week 2 of the season. I would think most members here are not opposed to the idea. As both articles show, it would be maximizing both players' abilities right now. I do agree with some who say bringing Lin off the bench would be tantamount to admitting defeat/failure in integrating Harden/Lin's games. I don't think it will happen - and at most we'll have more staggering of minutes (something I've been clamoring for since week 2!) if only to stave off committing the symbolic demotion of coming off the bench for Lin. I hope that a season's worth of suffering together would create better "harmony" between Lin/Harden, but that's no sure bet. And as people have said, it might be better in the long run to let them figure it out. But when do we stop the experiment? 1/4th of the season (now)? 1/2? A full season? I am not willing to give up on it yet. But I wouldn't be disappointed or dismayed if Lin came off the bench from here on out.
Moreover, we've seen that our bench can struggle to stay organized and Lin would act as a steadying hand in place of Harden. Thus, limiting the wear-and-tear on his body from 40+ mins a game.
Lin should still start the game, like the article said for PR/marketing reasons, but take him out early and bring him back early with the second unit. him with smith and delfino is a poor mans version of tyson chandler/novak during linsanity.
This is probably better suited for the random trade, or salary cap update thread but- IF, and thats a very, very big IF, the Rockets somehow reel in a super max player (CP3, Howard, Melo, Kobe, etc.), the Rockets would almost certainly have to move either the contract of Lin or the contract of Asik's to get the deal done under the current salary cap. -If for some reason that player ends up being CP3(99.9% chance its not) traded to Houston before the Feb deadline, I would assume Lin would be the candidate to be involved. -If Howard was getting traded to Houston(99.7% chance he's not) before the Feb. Deadline, I would assume Asik would be the primary candidate to get moved in the deal. The Reason why I only mention trades here is because of the bird rights they would need to give up to sign AFTER the February deadline. Bird rights on the last super max contract WITHIN THE CURRENT CBA that will expire afterwards... Too much $, and Too much uncertainty for the future. No way they aren't resigning with their current teams after the Feb. trade deadline. If either player is unhappy with either the Lakers or Clippers moving forward, you would have already been hearing rubblings on ESPN about that player not re-signing in the Summer. There is still another 2 months left before the deadline so who knows... but right now it looks like both players are happy re-signing with their current teams.
