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

McHale doesn't see Lik as a good pg, it's clear as day!! He thinks he is a backup sg.

 

Let's try it this way. Lin is an outstanding attacker on offense and better than Beverly. Not debatable. Beverly is an athletic on the ball defender and better than Lin. Also not debatable (even though Lin has improved and some want to say that the difference isn't that big a deal).

So, if those are facts you have to assume when putting together the team:

- Why wouldn't you have Beverly defend elite PG's rather than waste his best talent on backups.

- Why would you have Lin burning his energy chasing starting PG's, spotting up on offense, when he could be coming off the bench, attacking and shooting.

That's why I say it's really not debatable the Bev should start and Lin should come off the bench. Each of their No 1 skill set suits that role. If you're the rockets, you have to try this.

If Bev can't shoot the 3, or if the starting offense bogs down without Lin, then you put Lin back in the starting role b/c it's not working. But the Rockets have to give this a chance because it presents the max output for the team. It's not about Lin not being able to play with Harden. It's maximizing output for Lin and the Rockets.

But maybe that doesn't matter for some folks if that means "Linsulting" Jeremy by starting Beverly.

 

How can Jeremy avoid playing "next to Harden" by coming off the bench? Harden plays almost 40 minutes a game.

Excuses, excuses, excuses...

 

1) The jury is still out as to whether Bev can defend elite PG's thus far I haven't seen much of that.
1b) Defending elite PG's is mainly a team defensive concept so even if it is Lin or bev starting its about how the team defends as opposed to who is the PG defending
2) Lin is still playing 30+ minutes a game and closes games so more often than not he is still guarding and playing against starters and other elite PGs despite coming off the bench.
2b) Post ASB Lin was starting and he put up great numbers and was adequate defensively and we made it to the PO's why fix it if it isn't broke.
2c) In the post season when teams shorten there rotation Lin is still going to have to play against starters adn elite pg's so unless Lin won't play at all in the post season I don't see how you plan on getting around that
3) It isn't a matter of "if bev can't shoot the 3" right now he cannot shoot the 3 so maybe start Lin until he cools off or Bev heats up?
4) Lin isn't my husband, brother, cousin, uncle or father so I am not insulted by him not starting.
5) Therefore it is debatable and there are legitimate arguments on both sides of the debate.

 

true but maybe it has to do with how they play. Harden can come out full energy to start. As the game goes on when we bring Lin in he can handle the ball and the offense while Harden while still in the game takes a bit of a back seat role and let's Lin do the facillitating. I'm acutally glad Mchale at least in the last few games has allowed Lin to do this. keeps our offense from being too predictable. Why waste Lin's energy on defense at the start of the game if he's not handling the ball and using his strength.

 

That ties in with what BBAAB said: that they gave the contract to Brooks so they would have an experienced second point guard if they traded Lin. Clearly the front office has at least been considering the possibility of trading Lin since the summer. Right, Justaguy?

 

I tend to think it is more that Lin gets a few minutes in the game to get his feet wet while Harden is still handling the fascillitating; then when harden leaves he is ready to go full bore.

 

so why do we care about what uninformed dumb asses write?

 

Over the summer he was not considered an all-star player. If you are not an all-star, you are tradeable. I don't think he was likely to be traded unless it was a package deal for a star player.

Lin's current play, and Morey's more recent remarks about it (he said he wasn't really sure what Lin's ceiling was yet) make me think he is no longer likely to be traded.

I think Brooks is injury insurance as much as trade insurance. If Canaan had showed anything in preseason, I think Brooks would be gone.

 

Thanks. Both of you make sense. But I don't think McHale is that smart lol...

 

I'm a selfish b*stard when it comes to Lin and the Rockets. I want Lin to go supernova as the 6th man, for opposing teams to beg for mercy and cringe when he checks in. I want him to be so valuable the Rockets would never consider trading him and actually extend his contract because he is so good.

 

I was listening to the 76ers announcers on league pass when we were playing them. It started calmly enough, but every time he made a three it got better. You could hear the horror in their voice when they were saying he shot for three again. It was awesome.

 

McHale does fine with the offseason strategy decisions... possibly because he is not the one making them... (although that may be overly unkind).

 

Items 1 and 2- it still doesn't change the fact that Beverly's best skill set is on the ball defense, and it's better than lins, and lins offensive game is better than Beverly's. So they defend as a team, Lin plays 30 mins per game, and has to defend elite guards, and will do so in the postseason. None of that addresses the real point of setting up beg to max his skills and output, and Lin to do the same.

Point 3 - we aren't playing to win reg season games. The rockets are preparing to match up w elite teams in playoffs. You have to think long term, and that is with Beverly starting and Lin dominating off the bench and seeing if that works.

 

Now this is where it hits home for me. I can see Morey being a ruthless b*stard and trading Lin/Asik for rondo or some other all star type player, or dumping Lin if he is underperforming.

Unless we net a LMA, Love, or rondo or some other all star type, I don't want Lin dealt. That's just me being a Lin fan.

 

Lin won't be dealt for anyone less than a superstar. The stakes are too high now.

 

Please refer to the part of your post I was addressing. Your condescension is not appreciated.

 

Those sentiments have got to be shared by most if not all Rockets' fans. I want Morey to figure out a way to bring in Rondo without trading Lin. He can become one of the best 6th men in the league and we are always going to need reliable offense off the bench, which Lin can give because he's an aggressive, attacking guard.

 

Why does Harden need a defensive pg? If we can have the best backcourt with Harden and Lin combo, why do we need to sacrifice that for a little bit more defense?

Compare to many other backcourts, even with Jeremy, our backcourt defense still are better. I do not accept that Harden and Lin are worst defensively than Curry and his Sidekick.

Defense? Lin can't become Linsanity? These excuses are trumped by #1 Backcourt. #1 BACKCOURT. MCHALE BETTER MAKE THIS WORK.

 

I agree they can do both and could be concerned with both individuals and team assets. They are dropping the ball on the 'individuals' though.