Why not play Garcia alongside Harden w/no true PG?

Garcia has made fouling jump shooters a drinking game for fans.

 

The answer to the OP's question is definitely a big fat No, but it deserves some explanation.

First off- Garcia's demise and what is perceived to be as poor play has more to do with the bench NOT getting great open shots on the perimeter and defenses knowing that our bench needs to be run off the 3 point line at all costs. Garcia & Casspi are NOT getting good looks.... period.

Putting Garcia in the starting rotation might get him better shots for a short period of time, but the damage it would do to both running Harden into the ground, the defense that would suffer from Harden having to do too much on the offensive end, and the predictability of the offense would have any success being short lived.

Harden needs another play-maker or two on the court with him throughout the majority if not all of the game. The main weapon of the Rockets offense is its un-predictability that forces defenses to hedge their bets one way and get killed in another way when the Rockets are able to react against the way the defense is playing them. Harden needs another ball-handler/creator in the backcourt with him for this team to really be successful for a long period of time.

Garcia & Casspi will get much much better once Lin and Asik come back to the bench. At that point, you will see defenses have to guard the rim, and that will take pressure off of the perimeter to get those guys better shots. Right now the bench play sucks because you dont have that solid pick and roll big and you dont have that play-maker like Lin attacking the rim so the defense just overcompensates on the shooters from the outside.

 

I thought Lin did well defending Parker and Conley. I think in time he could be a good defender

 

I would rather cut Garcia than play him even more minutes.

 

Defense is something you typically have or you dont have coming into the league. Sure you can improve, but most of it comes down to your physical abilities, discipline, and effort. I dont think discipline & effort are necessarily Lin's only problem on the defensive end.

Sorry, but Lin is never going to an above average defender. He has shown that he can have solid performances every once in awhile, but its probably more likey we see the guy that we have seen the other 169 NBA games he's played in moving forward in his NBA career.

Harden is the guy who has more natural ability to play good defense on the NBA level, but lacks discipline and effort when he's either playing injured or is focusing mentally on the other side of the ball. If the Rockets want to continue to play Lin and Harden together and be adequate on the perimeter defensively, Harden is probably the guy who will have to step it up more over time.

However I think its only a matter of time before Harden and Lin get separated again either by moving Lin back to the bench in a 6th man role, or eventually moved via trade. Just not an ideal fit next to each other.

 

lol start garcia.

 

Garcia is the 2nd worst player on the Rockets just ahead of Brewer. Statistically Rockets do better on offense and defense with his butt on the bench. Why D-Mo is not playing more instead of him is just ugh.

 

dmo is equally as terrible..face it the bench is a collection of spares

 

I can't believe ole SamFisher and I are on the same page for once.

Personally, I see no reason why we shouldn't run out 3 wings alongside Harden and Dwight. Don't know if Garcia is the perfect wing. I think we need a guy that is a little quicker and could guard 1's and 2's effectively...someone like Shumpert. But I see no reason not to go with wings around Harden that can shoot and D rather than some small PG.

 

is this is a joke. Garcia is 1/7 shooting and little playmaking will not help the Rockets

 

On the contrary I don't know why McHale doesn't run Brooks-Lin-Harden more often.