How Lin defeated Chris paul and beat Clippers without Harden last season! <iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/GX0oH6BpTfw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
You really make my day. I now can see why someone said having Beverley would make up for Harden's D. Because Beverley could simultaneously guard who is dribbling and also guard someone else?
On a night like this we could have used Canaan... which again begs the question: <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Still don't understand why Rockets have 11 active players when league allows 13. Brooks in locker room, Beverley out, Canaan inactive.</p>— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jonathan_Feigen/statuses/397579477460332545">November 5, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Especially with Bev's reputation the refs would be prepared to blow the whistle every time he came within 8 feet of CP3.
I don't get why they'd do that with one PG down and two slightly banged up. Hopefully they'll list him as active tomorrow so AB can rest his ankle if we have some breathing room.
Let me expand just a little on my point about missing Bev. I made the OP last night before going to bed, and while on my phone. I'm not necessarily totally upset with Lin's performance tonight, as I think he played pretty well. My biggest gripe with Jeremy is that he constantly went around screens/picks instead of through and under them. Beverley is great at fighting through/under picks. This not only works better defensively, but also could have gotten Griffin and Jordan in foul trouble a bit earlier. Beverley is tough as nails (I'm not saying that Lin isn't, because both absolutely are, without a doubt), and would have gotten a few offensive foul calls. Hell, look what happened one of the times I noticed Lin running right at a pick - Griffin flopped out near the three point line, near the bottom of the screen, on his own pick....and got called for the foul. I think a Lin and Beverley rotation would have been very effective here. Beverley is quite possibly a top 3 on the ball defender in the league, and we could have used him to man up CP3 slightly more effectively (albeit, CP3 would still get his, but I doubt 17 assists worth). Where Lin comes into play here is this: Not only would Lin have played WAYY better defense than Harden (on Reddick), but he would have kept Harden more fresh on the offensive end. Dudley seemed fairly content hanging around the 3 point line, and would have been a decent draw for Harden. These days, it almost seems like the best defense against a James Harden is having a player who is extremely active on offense. Harden's shot, at times, looked like it didn't have enough legs, and Reddick's offense was the reason, in my opinion. There's a reason why James struggled, even though the guy running with him isn't necessarily known for his D. As far as the lobs go - I think Bev manning up on Paul just a little tighter prevents Paul from lobbing a few of those passes. Not to mention his ability to go up and get a ball. The theme of it all is that it allows the defense just an extra half-step. And the main point - having Beverley back would give us an extra six fouls. Part of me wants to say that the game would have been called a bit differently if we had changed the pace and flow of it from the get-go. If we had come out playing physically, I'd like to think they wouldn't call the ticky-tack crap they did. I'll be the first to admit that I am one to complain about officiating a ton, and I'm usually a homer, but some of these calls tonight were absurd. Also, this thread isn't about rushing Beverley back, either. I hope the guy takes his time in coming back at 100%. This thread is less about rushing him back, and more about highlighting his need and usefulness on this team. We will definitely need someone like him come playoff time.
I sorry OP but at least Lin TRIED. Paul has been torching everyone and having Lin play tepid defence due to the rediculous foul trouble we were in the whole game didnt help. I have no idea what the fk Harden was doing out there. I know he's not known for defence, last season he carried the bulk of the offensive load, I was more than willing to give it a pass, its one thing to stink it up on offence, everyone has bad nights, its another thing to completely clock off defensively. There were numerous times when Reddick could've had a tea party before launching the shot.
Beverley would have done what Brooks have done *tick* foul, *tick* foul within the span of a few minutes. But that is not what I care about. What I did care about is if Beverley was here then Lin wouldn't have 4 fouls going to Half. As well, Lin would have feasted in that second unit as the 6th man against their horrid bench. Also the last thing is we would have 18 fouls to give CP3 instead of 12 and Lin could have guarded Reddick. Tonight after Lin got his 4th foul and then 5th foul, he had no choice but to let CP3 run around him in circles when CP3 was in the paint. With Bev, this wouldn't have been a issue because our PGs wouldn't be in so much foul trouble.
But to your point, we could've used Beverley and then some, that junkyard dog/ill kill a russian bear mentality. Some of the fouls called were just. eugh. I hate you Chris Paul/BG
This is all academic because no one really knows what would have happened if Bev were in the game. It could have gone the same, or worse. The loss had more to do with Harden/Howard being ineffective, questionable calls and coaching issues, rather than Lin vs CP3. Lin played as expected. Paul played as expected. Their superstars were good, ours weren't.
In that game, CP3 eff. 25, Lin eff 5, But the Rockets won by 17pts. They can beat us in PG position anyway, but we can beat them in other position.
Bev against CP King of Flops? Not unless Mr Flops torn a ligament/meniscus by accident.. CP3 is a great point guard... but really hate his flops.... A guy gotta do what he gotta do to win... but I'm already a CP3OH... (unless he's a Rockets).
This is a bizzare fantasy. Look at Paul's stat line this year, He was averaging over 12 assits a game before this. Paul. was averaging 27.5 PPP before this game.
That's the way I see it. Howard missed 2 or 3 dunks. Harden hardly help our cause. Refs made bad calls.
