Asik at Center, Howard at PF, Parsons at SF, Harden at SG, Beverly at PG. 2nd unit: Lin, Casspi, Garcia, D-mo that's my rotation.
The problem is Casspi is still unproven as compared to Bev. We had enough sample size to know Bev fit well with Harden but not enough for Casspi. Even from early games on, the telltale signs were there with Bev. This is not the case with Casspi. Casspi natural position is not a 4. He is simply too small against most of the 4's. I know he tried his best defending the 4 but it was obvious he struggled mightily on defense. I have no problem if the talent and size are there with Casspi. If you regard Casspi highly, you should suggest to 'ease' his way into our team, not to dish out difficult tasks where he might feel overwhelmed. He clearly regained his confident and he could just as easy as losing it. On the other hand, the TT experiment worked well in the preseason. There are no reasons nor signs that it will change as our starting lineup. As for the old cliche...if it aint broken, why fix it?
Good post (as usual) although I'm in favor of Asik. You are of course correct on the issue of establishing your style and dictating the tempo. However there are also other considerations: Counterpoint 1: Everybody knows Rockets can do the high-octane, run you off the court offense very well. Good teams are not scared of it and they shouldn't be since it alone has (almost) never won anything substantial. If we show them we can also beat them with sheer size, they are going to be worried. They might occasionally even do something stupid and rash and try to counter it with say, switching Quincy Pondexter in for Zach Randolph which means they aren't playing their probably best offensive option. Counterpoint 2: The league is full of players who "need" to get hot or in rhythm, players with shaky confidence (not everybody is Kobe) and players who have issues with anger and show the wrong kind of competitiveness. We don't want the players getting in the rhythm early, we don't want them to get hot. We don't want to boost their confidence early. We want to get players into "personal" battles since it usually means they are channelling their anger the wrong way and getting away from team play. We have plenty of time to run teams off the court with the "2012-2013 offense" after the first quarter if we so wish. If the starting unit isn't working, we can sub in Casspi and Lin early etc. We have plenty of options and that is really exciting position to be.
Is there lots of data on spreading the floor with a below average three point shooter who can't defend his position in place of a player who is one of the best defenders and rebounders in the league? If this data does exist, I hope it makes at least casual reference to defense.
One thing that has not been mentioned in this thread is the potential for other teams to foul either of them at the end of the game and force Asik and Howard to shoot free throws. I suspect that Asik will start most games but Casspi will finish most. We have a very flexible lineup.
here's an idea: just change our lineup according to a specific team. anything for the W baby as long as egos don't get in the way that is.
To summarize, no analysis of the advantages of playing Asik except to say he's the better player, but you can probably use him off the bench. Advantages of Casspi are some stuff the coach talked about in some preseason interviews, that you only need one guy to play defense and rebound, and that Howard is better playing with Rashard Lewis than Tony Battie. Conspicuouly absent is any mention of Casspi's abilities beyond that he can shoot 3's(at almost a league average level).
I think Casspi is the type of player who is motre of an impact player then a player who needs to play big minutes to be effective like a player who does all the little things and plays elite D like Omer.
hahaha, there were MANY on CF who ripped even the idea of Howard and Asik playing together. How quickly they forget, but to their credit, I appreciate folks who admit their mistake. People really lack imagination. They have to see it happen to believe it.
Much ado about very little of importance. Ask McHale about the import of starting. What is important are 1) minutes , 2) matchups, and 3) who finishes. In that regard, DMo and even more so, Jones are not slated for prime time, but that could change later in the season. Asik will get priority on minutes over Casspi and certainly matchups will determine who is in the game during particular situations. Who finishes? I think it depends on the situation, but I can see where Asik is in the game late if its close the majority of times. .
If D Mo plays weak we can always go to Jones or Smith then we have Brooks and Brewer as good veteran guards that will be ready play if needed. I like our depth.
If to judge as a "gordian knot" to the eight preseason games - it's none of a question, Casspi should be the starter. no questions asked. no team in the world(Miami heat included) would leave in the bench a player, that can score 14p/6R in a 20 Min. of playing time, with 40% outside the Arc and 70% inside. no team. And the rumors regarding Casspi's average defense, is nothing but malicious rumors of haters, that find a scapegoat in things one can not measured easily mathematically.. Casspi is an hustling defender and rebounder in both courts, he is a great athelete for his size and very quick as well. So unless he is a dumb(and he is 180C the opposite of that term), there is no reason in the world his defense can't be great. and it is. Now, his preseason, reminded us his first rookie year, when he was a contender, for the rookie of the year, till Tyreke Evans, preferred to have the trophy, rather than to share the ball and to have a unified sacramento... since then, Casspi's star faded, when he found himself in a terrible teams that playing without wisdom("shoot for your own survival"). Casspi, is not Lebron James, he needs a wise, unified and supportive team around him and then, if he holds an important role, he, potencially, can even be a 20p/10R per game player followed with a decent precentages. After all that PR i did for Casspi, you might have think i might can't see the broad picture. Well, unlike a "one player supporters", i know that without a team spirit, the individuals worth nothing. So to be honest i'll add that - Asik is a proven great player. he played in the right team last year to show his abilities, which are very decent. and like that Casspi deserve to be a starter for his preseason abbilities, Asik deserves to be a starter for his last year abbilities. and even though i voted for Casspi, which is understood and natural, my decency obligate me to say that it's too early in that stage to know for sure, who should be the starter and who should have come from the bench. but hopefully, both players, or should i say, all the team, would be great. We would be wiser in a ten to twenty games - because reality is the unexpectable art. Lets go Rockets
