Kelvin Sampson discusses the Rockets' growth on offense, the Jeremy Lin-James Harden

Only we don't have players like TMac or Yao any more.

A high PnR with Omer and Harden would result in Harden being doubled and Omer shooting a 20 footer. If you think Lin's airball was off, wait till you see Omer shooting a jumper.

 

I could of told you this from the game against Detroit. The Rockets coaching staff sees Lin as a role player - nothing more. His job is to find a spot on the 3 point line and shoot. He's a Derek Fisher for the Rockets. That sweet pass to Parsons for a dunk. Doesn't matter. That bullet pass to PPat (I believe) for a layup between 2 Heat players. Doesn't matter. That backdoor pass to Harden for a dunk. Doesn't matter.

Watch the video I posted where they interviewed Lin's high school coach. He said that Lin is not a role player. He said Lin is a take charge, leader kind of player. So basically the coaches are having Lin utilize his weakest skill set and are suppressing his biggest strength.

This has to be the dumbest coaching staff on the offensive side. The offense so far is just two kinds of plays - Harden ISO and ball movement. And ball movement is just swinging the ball from side-to-side until someone has a decent look for a shot. But that usually ends with someone playing 1-on-1 with two seconds left on the clock. Absolutely pathetic.

 

I wouldn't say smart when you don't have your best rebounder in for the Wade missed FT. I wouldn't say smart when you forget to sub in Lin for the final play. I wouldn't say smart when you don't tell your players to allow the two points, but guard the 3 point shot when you're up by 3 with seconds left in the game, i.e. Blazers Matthews hitting the 3 to tie. SMH for all these mental lapses by the coaching staff.

 

Our coaches are terrible. We're competitive in spite of them because we have a talented team that hustles.

 

Yes, it was a terrible play. A better play would have been a Parsons screen and roll for Harden along with a screen for Delfino in the right corner.

Coaching staff is clueless. Heat players saw that a mile away. Compare this to Pop where he had a play that totally faked out Westbrook leaving Parker open.

 

The defense is great. I credit the coaching staff for that. But the offense is terrible. It's no wonder the players are still having "chemistry" issues and the 2nd team looked better than the 1st team last night.

 

On the bright side, Lin really needs to improve his spot up shot and especially 3 pointers. If he properly uses this opportunity to hone this aspect of his game, he will be more lethal in the long run, I mean literally the LONG RUN of his career.

 

Excellent post. It's so true that Lin's moments of brilliance as a pg is being totally ignored by this coaching staff
My question is why did they get Lin if they are gonna use harden as a point guard? Would they have even considered Lin if the got Harden first? First, they promised this was going to Jeremy's team and now it's harden's?

If I were morey, I would have a long conversation with Mchale and Sampson about how they are using both harden and Lin, and if they don't believe in Lin, fire their ass.

 

If they don't want to use what the Synergy stats say his did well last year they might as well sit him on the bench and go for a trade when they can for a combo guard. Save him and Rockets time and money. The way I see it is its on the coaches to use the players to their strengths. They dont seem to be doing that very well with harden or lin imho.

 

Well, Harden is the $16m/year player so they believe that they must squeeze every last cent out of him. The media and everyone else in the country would be on the Rockets for making a $16m/year just a role player.

So the only solution is for Lin to come off the bench and lead the 2nd team! Tony Douglas would start!

 

Morey should trade Lin for Steve Blake. Blake is a much, much better spot up shooter. Blake would be perfect for this offensive system. Blake also plays decent defense, I think.

 

Wow- these stats you guys can come up with are amazing. This is yet another example of how perceptions can be distorted

 

they got lin first. but later got harden who is a much better player. anything wrong with making rox their max player's team? pls don't tell me now that you think lin is a better or equal player.

why should he? lin so far has shown he's an average pg at best. why would morey choose him over the coaching staff?

 

I agree with Lin for 6th man

 

fwiw, I'm Chinese and naturally want to be a lin fan as much as anybody. but some of you LOFs make it really hard for me to become one. lin`s performance hasn't helped either i guess... lol

 

So just as an aside. I literally just watched the end of the knicks vs orlando game and at the very end with ny clinching the win, to run out time on the clock, Melo dribbled and then shot a three pointer that missed by just about as much as Lin's from right around where lin shot it last night. Hmm....I guess even all-world all stars can airball a 3.

 

I believe it is part of the growing process. Lebron was TOO unselfish when he passed the shot and Kobe was too selfish when he took every shot. It will all play out after he is put in more and more situations like that. If Harden makes that shot, then he wouldn't be criticized for being selfish, but as THE man. He didn't, but it's not like he hasn't hit that shot in the past. He has helped OKC win plenty of games.

 

It has been 7 games and the Rockets have an entirely new backcourt. Lin and Harden will be fine together. For all the people freaking out over Lin, it is very early.
Sampson is a very bright man and an excellent coach. This isn't his first rodeo.

 

Harden doesn't have to be a pg to be the man. Lin will get him the ball. I just dont think they are utilizing either players' strengths well.

 

It just wasn't a good shot. A good player recognizes which shot to take. Look at MJ. He often passed up shots to Paxton or Armstrong when they had a better shot.