26:18/30:23 =86.8% is the amount of time Lin played with Harden tonight. The thing is simple: Harden will be on the court most of the time. Lin plays really well this year, and has the potential to become another star in the rockets team, so he should be on the court most of the time. THEN, what's the point to put him as sixer? You want him to impact, but not too much not too little, just right amount as you expected, NO WAY! His personality can only push himself to one extreme or the other. Abandon him or trust him, coach, take a choice please!
Lin is playing great and will be in the game in crucial moments being 6th man is NOT a bad thing. He's doing fine and Beverley needs to start for defensive purposes and Lin STILL gets his points off the bench. Stop complaining already and if you do want to there is a stickied thread about this, go there!
Lin needs to start. He's the best on the team on setting people up and getting them involved. I think McHale wanted Harden to do that this season, but that has been a failure. Our low assists numbers this season are an indicator of inept ball movement and players just trying to go 1-on-1. Harden is a volume scorer. He's the best on the team at that. So why not play to their strengths? Have Lin distribute and Harden score...and not the other way around.
This is a pretty good line though. So many possible meanings, so little thought put in its construction...