That Kevin Martin has averaged around 50 games a season the past 3 seasons. So the Rockets want to be extra careful with him, no matter what he would prefer. In the preseason. Agreed, and agreed.
Not too many players. Waisted rotations. Absolutely cruising with all of the same players getting minutes in both San Antonio and Dallas then coaches go into brain fart mode with their lineups in the fourth quarter. Thats all i have seen. I seen no Yao, Brooks, or Martin in the fourth quarter. Which is a huge a mistake. Everyone of them should get some time in the fourth quarter. If not all of them finishing the game at the same time.
You have Yao, Martin, Brooks. All of them have averaged over 19 points a game. What do you do? You sit them all. Now i like the preseason and getting things tried out as much as the other guy. What I dont appreciate is embarrassing losses at any point of any part of the season pre or regular. I consider a loss at .4 of game controlled the entire time until .4 an embarrassing loss. I think Houston has had enough of those to start up that habit in preseason as well. Kind of rediculous really. I hope the coaches coach better and we beat the Lakers. That was horribly executed no matter what time of season it is its never ok to be embarrassed or to allow that type of thing as habit of being ok with happening.
Martin is just in eager beaver mode. He worked his ass off this summer and want to show off. He's the kid in the class who always raises his hands. If the guy keeps up with his 60+ TS% (and his TS% for the preseason has been 68.5%) wih a low TO rate (<8% in preason) on a high volume of shots (27 points per 36 minutes in preasason), it's probably gonna be hard for his D to such badly enough to offset the offensive benefitsand keep him off the floor. In a recent interview before the Spurs game, Adelman said he's be fine if there were no more preseason games left. Battier also said the same-- that 6 games are enough and 8 is a bit too many. So while Martin is eager to show what he got, I don't think the coaches value these games all that much. They got an good idea already. Given that I doubt Adelman plays all of his starters only 24 minutes, I doubt Martin's lack of 4th qtr play will continue.
Who's the one complaining? Martin. That's why i didnt say anything about anyone else. Something had to be said to Martin for him to react that way. Maybe he wanted to go in and they told him they needed Lee to go defense, or somthing like that. Starters don't just complain about preseason minutes like that, unless they're worried something will carry over to the season. Perhaps he wants to prove he can stay in and not be a defensive liability, so that they won't question it during the season. They all can get plenty of playing time. There's enough to go around for 2 players at each position... No one is saying martin is going to be benched completely or get garbage/very limited minutes. It's clear this team has had issues with depth and injuries, lack of one possibly causing the other. Now they have the depth to compete more and possibly cut back on injuries, and they're not suppose to use it? Like i said before....i doubt he'll sit out a whole quarter or even half, but there's a good chance he'll be sitting during stretches that he's not used to, which eventually lead to a decrease in PT avg. If preseason PT bothers him, then surely that'll bother him too.
Wow !! Last 2 games, even though they were pre-season games, pissed a lot of people off. Many obvious coaching mistakes.
Isnt benching martin a move in the opposite direction? He's using the depth, not forcing himself to cut back and tighten the rotation. Are you saying a complaint from a player will force him too?
If anything whats wrong with Lee getting Battiers minutes? He can obviously play better than Battier? I dont see a problem with Lee and MArtin on the floor at the same time. You could have moments where you have Yao Hayes Lee Martin Lowry/Brooks Battier is the one that seems to mess up the rotation. Either because he doesnt play good enough offense or because Budinger cant play good enough defense to put him in with Martin. Martins minutes definately shouldnt suffer for Budinger or Battiers deficiencies thats for certain. Lee should get more minutes. At SF if both of those other guys cant play with Martin in the game at the same time.
Honestly, the only way to solve this problem is to do one of those 3 for 1 type trades that can upgrade us at a position, preferrably Small Foward.
We are gonna have at least 2-3 pissed off players who deserve to play. We've got some assets, now put them to good use.
Agreed...although what happened yesterday is a good example of what can happen. Eitherway, im guessing he will get to see time in the 4th.
He will probably get less than the 35-38 minutes that he is accustom to, but not less than 30. It isn't about if that bothers him or not. We won't win if he doesn't play that much.
Well those kids never make a lot of friends, so let's hope this isn't the start of trend for him. The odd thing was just the fact that he felt he needed to speak up for something like that. Usually vets understand that kind of situation. Let's also remember he came with a rep for disappearing late in games (havent seen any stats for this, but i dont think i read anything refuting it)...so as much as i love his efficiency, i have to try and put myself in the coaches' shoes. If the game is tight, they know Martin's production dips at this point in the game, and others are already scoring well (which is likely with this team), then it's goign to be easier to pull Martin than say, Scola, for defensive purposes. You keep a better balance that way.
I dont agree. Martins value never dips late in the fourth quarter until the final play of the game on defense or two. Its always prudent to have your best, most efficient shooter, scorer, freethrow shooter, closer type player next to your second best scorer in Brooks until the final minutes of the game and Then lee and Battier play spot defensive minutes to replace them for defense. Up until then you play normal rotations but the fourth quarter it becomes starter rotation closing time. Its not easy to pull Martin over anyone else for long stretches in the fourth quarter. i think we just proved that.
