[CHRON] Gaines aiming to prove worth in second season

Bunch of stuff.

1. Don't drag EG into every conversation. The relevance is tenuous at best and has more to do with EG than Gaines. Besides that, if I took the effort, I could likely find a couple of articles, complete with quotes, about how Eddie was going to work hard and just try to learn as much as he can. If those articles didn't keep EG from going off the deep-end, what assurance do you have for Gaines?

2. The article says playing Gaines at PG was a failed experiment. Is that true? Will we not be seeing him at PG?

3. Van Gundy is such a stat hound. When he's talking to the media, he always throws out some arcane statistic on the topic at hand.

4. Gaines may be the only true SG on the bench, but JJ can slide into that position, being a SG himself. And, with both Nachbar and Bowen being legit SFs, Gaines will have 2 guys to compete with to get the backup minutes.

 

Bowen is not a SG, he's a 6'9 white guy. You don't honestly think he will be guarding AI, Hamilton et co.


And yes JJ can move to the 2, but i would be weary of doing that. Hes 34 and played 40 mins last year, that needs to go down. The main reason he played so much last year was because he was one of the only people who could throw a decent entry pass. Also, hes our best shooter. And he was probably our most consistent player.

This year we have Tmac who can pass to Yao. Ward, Lue, Tmac are all good shooters. And we have enough veterans to stabilize the team. JJs role won't be as critical. IMHO.

 

With Sura out, I think the rotation is basically set other than the 9th player.

Ward and Lue at the point, TMac at SG, JJ at SF, Howard and MoT at the 4 and Yao and Deke at center (8 players). Unless Van Grumpy is going with a ten man rotation (unlikely IMO), JJ will back up TMac, and one player will get the reserve minutes at SF. I have no issues with JJ at SG, but would like to see his minutes cut back to 32 - 34 per game.

Right now its between Boki, Bowen, and possibly Gaines (JJ back to SF). My guess is Boki will get the minutes, and Bowen and Gaines are going to log serious time on the pine.

When Sura comes back its going to be a dog fight for minutes, assuming eveyone else is healthy.

 

I'm not ready to write off Gaines as a PG in light of him guarding Ward in the pic. Sura was also considered a SG for most of his career but stated he was competing for the PG spot in one of his interviews. Still to early to close the book IMO.

 

Thats exactly what I had in mind. I think that would make a good 3rd jersey.

 

I don't understand--this guy hit threes all over the place at Louisville. What happened to his outside shot? I didn't get a chance to EVER see him playing for the Magic, but I can't imagine his shot has gone away that fast.

 

This guy can shoot as good as anybody on the team. The thing he didn't have last year was confidence and thats' what the rockets want him to gain. Mark my words other than T-Mac he could end of being the best player in the trade. To be honest I watched him in college and I was pumped to find out the Rockets and Majic were negotiating with the Bobcats for them not to take Gaines. I love this guys game he has no major weakness. He won't never be a point guard, just a two with great handles and vision for a two guard. Reminds me of a stronger Brent Barry.