I don't think having the bench in would have changed the outcome. LeBron just went beast mode and made all his ridiculous shots. Hard to stop him when he's so determined to win.
Isn't her point that Harden/Lin aren't being utilized properly? I don't think she's asserting that Harden should mold his game around Lin. You create a system that utilizes the players on hand effectively. In this case, with Lin (not great off-the-ball, terrible spot-up shooter, playmaker) and Harden (great off-the-ball, good/great spot-up shooter, playmaker), the logical thing to do would be to put the ball in Lin's hands more where he can feed Harden the ball in spot-up situations and cuts. Not 100% of the time, but a larger percentage than now. Lin's abilities are underutilized when he's spotting up behind the 3 point line whereas its asking too much of Harden for him to create/hit shots/break down defense on 80% of the possessions.
Dragic doesn't play really good defense. Any switches, Lebron or Wade would have scored on him at will, so I'm not sure how you could make this statement. Anyways, why aren't you a GM instead of a clutchfans.net poster?
Thanks for the post. Missed the game (daddy duty called), good to see the Rockets hanging with the Heat. My observations: -Lin's shot looks bad but a miss is a miss. It's just as bad as if it rattled in and out. -Harden's miss is pretty bad because he wasn't open and it was the end of the game but he made a bunch of those in OKC so can't get mad at him. If he made it over Lebron, we'd be crowing him as the MVP of the league right now. -Looks like playing small ball kept the Rox in the game but ultimately might have lost it for them. Patterson's position wasn't that bad compared to Bosh; Bosh was just more aggressive and obviously taller than Patrick. -No one's talking about this but how does Wade miss those two free throws??? Bosh bailed him out. -The Rockets could really use a forward or backup center who cleans the boards as well (or almost as well) as Asik does. Sampson probably kept Asik out to prevent Hack-A-sik.
But my issue is that he doesn't need to fit his talent around Harden. Lin is the better PG. Harden isn't a PG. They are making Harden into something that he is absolutely not. That is why he has struggled over the last few games. They are also making Lin into something he isn't a spot up shooter. Just let Lin run the point (what he is better at doing) & have Harden playoff him (what he is better at doing), it is really that simple. Our backcourt is struggling after the first two games because they have reversed there roles (an a few other things too). It wasn't like this when we played the Hawks or Detroit. It seems after Hardens two MVP level performances they wan't to go all in on Harden. Everything would be so much better off starting with a pick/screen for Lin and having him hit the roll man or swing to Harden. Put the ball in Lin's hands & let him be the PG & have Harden play off him as the SG.
Actually, that's kind of a bad argument. Elite teams don't just drop the ball into one player's hand and ignore the PG except in ultrarare cases like the Heat where Lebron is essentially a point forward. 29 other teams put the ball in the player with the best passing decisions, regardless of the salaries involved. Harden is a good passer, but his decisions are not on the level of Lin. I actually suspect that sometimes he overestimates his ability to score against defenders, which leads to the ball becoming "sticky" when it gets into his hands. This isn't a bad thing necessarily in that Harden's confidence in his scoring ability is part of what makes him an excellent scorer. However, I've seen a LOT of players over the years fall into the trap of shooting contested shots instead of making the "easy" pass for a higher percentage shot. Even Lebron did that alot in his earlier years, where he was shooting the 3 point shot WAY too much, even when those shots were heavily contested. And his team suffered for it. I think Harden is trying to find a balance just as much as Lin and the rest of the team is. This is why this year is going to be so messy, with some nights where individuals look like future stars/superstars, and other nights when you shake your head and wonder WTH they were thinking.
If Lin were traded to another team would you follow to a fan forum of that team leaving behind CF.net?
If Harden has the ball with 10 seconds to go and the team down 3 points or less you're almost guaranteed two things: -He's shooting -He's shooint a 3 pointer. Not always a bad thing because he's bound to make some of them and great players don't pass up last minute shots but it becomes predictable.
Basically both Lin and Harden are playmaker type of guards who excel when the ball is in their hands. Guess who's getting that ball if he wants it? Answer: Harden. If Lin can't fit his game around Harden then Lin is the odd man out.
I do respect him for saying as much, but this is the second game where this has been done though. First McHale does it & we lose then Sampson does it & we lose. I really hope this never happens again by either of them it's given me flashbacks of Mike Dantoni in his Pheonix days.
For the record, I didn't make this thread to bash anyone. The last 18 secs was all against our favor, I don't believe what I wrote in my open comment was offensive in anyway, does it sound like a bash thread to you? I don't know but it does seems like the "Jeremy Lin is a joke" thread moved here or something
But Harden can ALSO excel off the ball as well whereas Lin cannot. And frankly Lin is the better playmaker than Harden particularly in transition. Very easy fix. If the Rockets don't want to make the correct change then yes Lin has to go because he isn't a SG & trying to make him one is insane.
You didn't watch the game, but they called two timeouts to set-up the play. Harden just seemed to have ignored it. Perhaps the coach should have known that he was going to take it no matter what and set the play up for him to shoot it instead of someone else.
