This should be a strategy from the get go, not something to start mid season. As part of the strategy, you also develop other pieces. And I don't buy it that we simply can't do that. Look at the past few seasons, anything one of our star player is out, the other steps up. If you instill that altitude into the team - everyone needs to step up, everyone will be contributing and playing, I think there is a good chance they are. It will pay off at the end when you have more players to rely on while at the same time not running down your main players. In the playoff, you can always play the best group more mins, but during regular season, it doesn't need to be that way. Anyway, it doesn't matter. We know that McHale does not ever want to play the bench. Very stubborn even after 3-4 years of data.
I think this is an interesting idea, and one worth discussing. Especially this year, when all the western playoff teams appear to be contenders except for Dallas and by chance pels make it over OKC. It wouldn't really matter if we play Memphis, Portland, Clippers, or Spurs in the first round anyways. What's more important? Being freshly rested for the playoffs, or increasing your chances of homecourt in the first round? I would be okay if Houston rested Harden and Ariza during back to backs. There aren't a ton of them to begin with anyways.
I agree with you both...utilizing the depth on your roster does have the double benefit as already mentioned, and that the game experience for the reserves are invaluable. Then come playoff time, the team will be fully in sync and all players would be able to raise their intensity up a couple notches.
I wouldn't be surprised if the NBA said no more sitting people out on national tv games like Memphis did last night. With this new TV deal going into effect i would be pissed if I was ESPN or TNT and superstars aren't playing. I would love for the owners to get together and try to combat back to backs or 3 games in 5 nights by sitting players. For teams that have 2 superstars and some even 3 they could rotate stars and maintain a higher winning percentage without tiring players out.
It won't matter one bit if we are higher or lower seeding with home court or not if Harden is spent come playoff time. As Harden goes, so do the Rockets. We might be better served securing at least the 7th seed or better and resting Harden for at least 10 days before the real games begin.
Actually i think CF.net is pretty united on this front. We want less mins for Harden, Bev, Ariza and Howard when he returns.
I think you're right, but even if it did cost some wins and some seeding, I'd accept that trade-off. Obviously, you can't accept too many losses or you're out of the playoffs, but it's okay if you're 5th instead of 3rd, or what have you.
I agree that the heavy minute players need to see more rest. I know it's a different team from last year, but could McHale be banking on KJ possibly being the playoffs surprise x-factor like Troy Daniels?
Spurs are resting guys regularly. Memphis rested theirs against Wizards. Tonight GSW is resting Curry and Klay. Since everybody around us are losing games because of resting players, it doesn't change anything for us if we do the same, right?
Paradoxically, I think you have a better chance at a higher seed because of how tough and long the regular season is. When you have a more balanced team due to development and dependency on more players, I think your team can play at a more sustained optimum level over that long stretch (and if the team stay together for more than a season, that can be translated forward). With how the Rockets played the last few years, it's a roller coaster. At time, they look like champion. At time, they looks awful. Unfortunately, the trend is more toward awful later on the seasons (which suggest that players are being worn out physically, mentally or both). The other obvious very important benefit is once the playoff starts, you have players that are more rested and you have better developed bench players. And perhaps, the system can become a bit more balanced and can still succeed if a star player struggled, like Harden has the past two games.
Our players are young...Harden at 25. If we were talking about guys like Tim Duncan and other Spurs, then yes rest would be advised. Not so for our young team. We are in a position where we could very easily loose home court advantage. Certainly no games off and full loads until we clinch first round home court.
What happened to big papa!!!!!! He could give ariza some rest and also playmake sometimes.. He was prob the best at getting the ball to Howard out of all our players
I think resting stars is stupid. It has not been proven in any substantial way to help your team, but there are *obvious* ways it hurts your team. Then there's the most important part -- it sucks for the fans. And the league exists entirely for the fans.
Total agreement! I would limit the minutes to 35/g & 30/g in the 1st of a B2B rather than taking games off as a general rule. The playoffs are different though. The games are every other day at the worst with some 2 or even 3 days rest.
How do you measure the effect that resting stars help your team though? Unless you have a crystal ball stating Harden will get injured if he plays in 3 or more back to backs per season it's impossible to prove. On the other hand, common sense tells us that less minutes logged per player reduces likelihood of injury, especially when those minutes are close in frequency (back to backs). The other 'proof' is that the Spurs have consistently rested their guys. Miami gave their big 3 nights off in the past, especially Wade who would sit out 1/4th of the season. Both teams have won championships recently. Memphis, Portland, and Golden State have all sat out players this season. Pretty much every contender not battling for seeding will sit out their stars during the last game or two of this season just like in the past decade and no one will hear a peep about how it sucks for the fans. Would you rather Houston cover up resting Harden with a "ankle sprain during practice" excuse instead?
And the wonder why legends call them soft now The fact that lebron b****es about minutes and wants a shorter season is why he could never compete in the 90s. Can you imagine if post players were as rough with lebron as Jordan and him not get a call.
No, I don't wonder why at all. They are soft by comparison. This is professional basketball . Fans pay good money to see the best players play. You want to pay $100 per ticket in Denver to watch GS scrubs led by Livingston loose to the Nuggets? Not me. For a team in the hunt for home court advantage in the playoffs to rest star players is absolutely absurd. Total insanity. Rockets can rest when they clinch home court...until then it should be balls-to-the-wall Any coach should be fired for resting players with home court advantage at stake. GS and Atlanta are not in that category...we are.
