[ClutchFans] Rockets to begin season with Beverley, Asik as starters; Jeremy Lin off bench

Okay, I'm officially on a crusade here against this Chris Baldwin guy. I saw his first Lin article posted here a while back and now I've seen his new one. Here is a link to all of his articles.

http://houston.culturemap.com/author/chris__baldwin/articles/

This guy embodies everything that is wrong with sports Journalism. Just look at the headlines. Literally every headline is something that is meant to be controversial or stir up a rabid fanbase or hatebase. Lin, Keenum, Romo, Schaub... Even his bum phillips article creates a fictional narrative for people to latch onto and get fired up about.

"Jim Nantz: Bum Phillips death deserves more national respect, not just Houston love"

"Bloodied Jeremy Lin saves Rockets from coaching blunder, shows class and true skills"

"Case Keenum elevated as Jeremy Lin wrongly deflated: McHale fails Coaching 101; Kubiak stands strong"

"Who's doubting now? Case Keenum proves he's the No. 1 QB, delivers hope in heartbreaker"

"What a start: Case Keenum shows his deep touch, shrugs off losing Arian Foster to injury"

"Fiery Case Keenum named Texans starting quarterback: "I've worked my whole life for this""

"Tony Romo's not the NFL joke now: Gary Kubiak and Texans find the script flipped, but this coach belongs"

"Waiting on Case Keenum: T.J. Yates goes Matt Schaub, proves he's no answer with his own unbelievable Pick-6"

"Global joke: Jeremy Lin benching proves Kevin McHale doesn't respect Rockets difference maker"

"No Case Keenum, no creativity: Matt Schaub decision shows what Gary Kubiak, Texans forever lack"

"Free Case Keenum makes sense, if not cents: Stubbornly sticking with Schaub killing Kubiak, Texans season"

"Indianapolis fail: Trent Richardson can't prop up overrated Andrew Luck — no passing the Texans"

Whether you agree with any of his ridiculous premises or not please realize that he is TROLLING you. This guy is a plague.

 

^ Controversy = page hits

 

Exactly. No controversy around? Just create some.

 

Ok here's the thing. Let's assume that Lin and Harden were good together and that Lin helped Harden increase his efficiency. The fact is that the Rocket organization feels that the sum of Beverly and the 1st team + Lin and the second team is greater and more optimal than what we have previous season.

Lin playing with the second team may not say anything about who actually plays best with the 1st team at all. In fact, the 1st team could be better with Lin. All it says is that the Rockets feel that the SUM of current scenario (Bev w/ 1st team and Lin w/2nd team) makes the Rockets better than vice versa.

People need to stop looking at things from an individual perspective, but from a team perspective.

 

Our offense last year was good because we were run and gun team. This year would be a bit different with Twin Tower. We would run more half court sets. What I am saying about Harden is that sometimes he goes on his own (against set plays) and forces his own tough shot. Granted he makes a lot of tough shots and is our best play maker, but that causes teammates to start depending on him without lot's of off ball movement. Also, Harden tends to hold on to the ball for far too long before he makes his moves.

 

(Imagin our announcers' voice, Bill or Matt, or together)
Harden have the rebound.
Harden bring the ball up and call a play.
Harden curl base line off a screen and catch the pass from Harden.
Harden penetrate and kick it out to Harden in the corner!
Harden for a Three!
but he misses...
Harden grab the offensive rebound and through it down!! oh what a sensational play! Harden everywhere!

is that what you wanted?

 

All of Houston's PGs get injured except for Lin.

ABJs: "Guys guys guys! What about getting Royce White back to start at PG? Wasn't he a good passer? It's all about fit!"

 

Harden doesn´t take many contested midrange shots. It is usually either a drive or a three. And we still hardly ever use our whole shot clock. This isn`t Steve Francis dribbling till there are 3 seconds left on the shot clock.

Harden usually has more than 5 assists and is a very efficient scorer - that alone should be prove against a tendency of Hardon to take too tough shots.

And we have yet to see, how this years offense will look like - and a lot will depend on Howard. I like good offenses and good ball movement and I hope we improve in that regard, but we are far awar from a Kobe/Melo one player dominant offense.

 

Drive to basket and three are efficient shots, but that does not mean those shots were not contested or difficult. Harden doesn't dribble, but tends to hold on to the ball until 6 secs or less in the in the three point line. He then either chucks step back three pointer (which is is very good at), drive to basket, or passes. Passing with less than 6 secs is what gets me upset. If he were to just pass why not make up his decision faster and give other players more time to get a efficient shot?

Run and Gun/spacing of the floor helped Harden get a lot of assists. This year, we will see less of those. I would like to see his play making ability in the set plays.

I agree that Harden is far away from Kobe/Melo style. But I am still worried that Harden would still want to force shots to maintain his PPG...

 

There is a 4th catergory: people who like to fit other posters into pigeonholes of categories and assume that everybody in the same category think the same and root for the same player for the same reasons with the same level of intelligence.

I think you fit into category #4 beautifully. :grin:

 

He tends to hold the ball untill there re less than 6 seconds left? I don`t think you see that more than let`s say 5 times a game, if at all. We usually take our shot in the first 15 seconds of the shot clock.

And when he is efficient with his shots, even if they are contested, than it is not a bad shot. Especially if he draws lots of fouls doing it. It may not always be pretty, but it helps the team a lot.

 

Dude, aren't we not talking about when Harden ISOs? Go back and watch all of the last years game and get back to me.

 

It's all about fit.

 

I don't see a problem here. You are just overly sensitive.

 

I just read the guys article.

This guy is a Managing Editor of a frequently visited online publication (not a message board) based on Alexa stats. As far as I can tell, he's been offering a consistent perspective, albeit one that's different than yours, throughout Lin's celebrity. He's not posting on a forum, bbs, or some other fan site. He's not doing this to intentionally piss you off. I don't see this as trolling.

In fact, I'd say YOUR posts on culturemap.com's comments section IS the definition of trolling given your response was INTENTIONALLY placed to incite an angry response from anyone reading or commenting on the obviously pro-Lin article. If you don't like it move on, but you obviously couldn't resist.

Now if Chris Baldwin came onto Clutchfans and began espousing his opinions with the intent to incite a group, then I'd say you'd be right.

The hypocrisy you demonstrated was actually funny. Well done.

 

I´ve watched basically all games last season. Harden was ISOing a lot in the 4th quarter - he held on to the ball for a long time when we were ahead and trying to eat clock. Other than that we were one of the fastest teams in the league. Harden wasn`t holding the ball from 20-6 seconds on the shot clock anytime in the first 3 quarters.

Like I said, a lot of LOFs are greatly exaggerating Hardens ISOs - we usually had a pretty free flowing offense with Harden as the primary ball handler and scorer.

 

Double Thumbs up:grin:

 

if the offense was so free flowing, then why did mchale himself complain about ball stickiness?

 

We had a free flowing offense with Lin as the primary ball handler, and Harden as scorer. (Yes, Lin played as primary ball handler at times also.) When Harden is primary ball handler, especially in the 4th, that's when the offense gets bogged down. I'm okay with Harden playing ISO ball in the 4th, as long as other offense gets mixed in.

 

6th in offensive efficiency, 5th in assists per game and 12th in assist rate.

The ball got sticky sometimes, but not nearly as often as some make it out to be. The offense was great and we moved the ball very well.