Asik and Howard to start next game (Updated w/ Blog Post)

It wasn't much, but I do remember one play specifically when Asik helped too long on a pick and roll and his man got a layup.

 

How many of these threads are we going to have? Maybe I'll simply copy and paste a post from one of the other discussions, and park it here.

 

You should but this one is official.

Come on deckard you remember drexler olajuwon when we first got drexler. Tell the little kids here how it took like 20 games to get it going. Remind these guys that it's preseason too. Also 26 rebounds from TT aint half bad to me

 

Yeah, I think twin-tower lineups will get 6-18 minutes depending on matchups. I was just saying they'd be particularly well suited to the beginning of the fourth quarter with a lead (to slow the pace down and to prevent the other team from getting second-chance points).

 

The rebounding was ridiculous.

26 combined in 54 minutes.

Not sure how Dalembert and Dirk outblocked them 7-1 though. We can't give up that many and need more.

 

The defense was super terrible in the first quarter. Couple of brutal back doors and generally not great effort. It was much better the rest of the way.

 

Game replay is on nbatv right now.

 

I thought everything looked alright when they were together on the court. Asik did look a little off like everyone was saying but that's understandable considering lack of practice. I hope McHale starts them both again against Memphis, and that'll give us a better measuring stick.

 

5-6 shots. I predicted that in a highly contested thread. Hell even the man himself weighed in on that one.

 

And the starters are not playing starters minutes in the preseason.

 

I'd have to see them play again. This was a sloppy game for everybody, so it kind of ruined the experiment.

Missing easy shots, making stupid passes, turning the ball over, lazy defense, etc... and I'm talking about everybody.

 

Asik / Howard may not work. But last nights game shouldn't figure very heavily on any weighting at this point.

1) Asik first game of the season
2) Still another starting lineup (chemistry)
3) Playing against Dirk

Insufficient data if you asked me. Jury has barely sat down their chambers.

 

this!

The sample size at this moment is way too small and Asik was super rusty. Some patience please.

 

It looked OK. Still think they will look better in 10 games.

 

In trying to figure out if it's going to work, I mostly care about 2 things. One, did the opposing stretch-4 (Nowitzki) murderize us from outside? No, he shot 1-3. Two, when Howard and Asik were both in, did Asik get in Howard's way? Did Asik's man leave Asik to double Howard or help unduly on penetration? I don't see that Calderon beating Lin on pnr matters much to the twin towers experiment.

 

durvasa hasn't updated his preseason stats (and the fifth game would be complicated because you'd have to account for Dwight's shots at the four spot) but as of game four Casspi had 21 points per 36 (TS% of .72), D-Mo had 18.4 points (.54 TS%) and Jones had 10.9 (TS%48). Convert to 48 minutes and do the algebra. The four spot is getting way more than 5-6 shots per game. Jones is the only one in the range per 36, let alone 48.

 

Rather, Jones is the only one close. He's not in the range.

 

I really want Lin, Dmo, and Asik off the bench. Dmo plays best in the pick-n-roll with Lin.