[ClutchFans] Do the Rockets have the NBA's best backcourt?

I'd certainly have to consider it.

 

I love the combination of Lin and Harden. I'm not a Lin fan or Lin hater but I was a little wary when they signed him. One of the problems with Lin is the way they use him. Especially, when Harden is running the Harden iso that we all make fun of. Lin needs to have the ball in his hands to be effective and that is Mchale's job to figure out how to do that. Beverly's defense is assertive and aggressive and is a joy to watch, for Lin and Harden, not so much. I don't have a problem with Mchale but I will say his management of the guards could use improvement. He needs to find the right combination of sitting down Lin, Harden, Bev and Garcia. Each team we play is different and requires different combinations, i.e. when toughness is required on D we should never have Lin and Harden out there at the same time Lin Garcia or Bev Harden. Yes, Lin can run the offense at times with Garcia, with Dwight and Parsons he has plenty to kill opposing teams with. Should this be the way we run are team? No, but we should be able to give different looks like this for different situations and different teams while we rest Harden for 5 minutes.

 

I think the Rockets mindset this year is to let other teams adjust. Not the Rockets. But you have a point there. Just that i read before, i guess from morey or mchale that we focus on what we do best, let other teams adjust.

 

Bev is an overrated defender. Running around like a headless chicken flapping his hands does not make him a better defender than Lin.

 

Beverley may be an overrated defender on this board, but he is still a better defender than Lin even though his help defense isn't as good as Lin's. With a training camp, Beverley should be a headed chicken flapping his hands on defense this year.

 

No way. You have to factor in injury history. I love curry's play but he's known as mister glass ankles for a good reason. And Harden is much better than Curry, even if Curry is healthy. As bad as Harden is on defense, Curry is worse.

 

I've seen the exact same comment on Tony D. So Bev is a more athletic Douglas but with a less consistent 3 pointer!

 

Relax dude

Beverley has the effort and physical tools, which together make up 90% of defense. Discipline will come, but with Dwight behind him, and an overall improved team-defense, we can allow him to take some risks from the PG position (a position whose overall defensive impact is incredibly overrated).

 

This is what I saw too. Then he would pick up fouls so fast I don't know how long he could stay in a game.

 

I like to call it misunderstood. It hard to make a huge positive defense impact from the PG spot, but it is easy for a PG to make a huge negative impact.

 

'Best backcourt' is a pretty artificial way of looking at things. A backcourt (or a basketball team) is not the sum of its parts. The overall talent of each player in each pair is one thing, but there is also the synergies between them and, more importantly, with the whole team. That Lin or Harden should be able to run a lethal PnR with Howard adds a dimension to their value that looking at the individials doesn't capture. Conversely, that there doesn't seem to be a great synergy between Lin and Harden makes them maybe not so great a duo as another bunch could be.

 

I would say Beverley is a better on the ball defender than Lin but not a better overall defender than Lin.

 

I like this idea, would be interesting to give a try, but it would definitely be "small ball" which given the size we can put on the floor only a temporary lineup.

 

Kyrie Irving & Dion Waiters..... Kyrie Irving knows how to play the game, I love fundamentally sound players. This kid is too good, already one of the best clutch players in the game.

 

Beverly and Lin are such different players right now it's hard to compare them. Their uses are going to be different as well and I think a lot will depend on match-ups.

Lin should have a better season than last year. Too bad about the injury against OKC, but he's now had a full summer to heal and regain his form. There's no excuses for Lin now. Bev is also a question mark. He's got a lot of great attributes but he really hasn't shown that he can run the offense. He plays more like a 2 than a 1 in my opinion.

It will be very interesting to see how Harden, Lin, and Bev mesh together this season. I am hoping to see more of Lin at the point and Bev at the 2 backing up Harden to bring his minutes down a bit as it seems Harden tired out at the end of last season. I think if those 3 can gel as a threesome the Rockets will be a very sexy team indeed!

 

[ClutchFans] is The Cat the most ignorant homer fan around?

 

It comes from an ESPN article...

 

The last time there was this much optimism about the Rockets was when we had Yao, McGrady, and Ron Artest along with Brooks and Battier. That season didn't go as hoped. So let's not count our chickens before they're hatched.

 

Lin for Curry, yes in a heartbeat.

But not Harden and Lin for Curry and Thompson.