It makes sense to me to rest guys when needed. The Spurs do this for their guys, both young and old. Some of our guys have been logging heavy minutes and the magic number for hca is 2.
Like I posted in the other thread a week ago, I just don't see us going 2-3 with this softball lineup remaining (excluding SAS, which might even rest their own starters though given what Pop likes to do if they are in good position as #1) AND POR winning out.
I think we need to win tonight first. We have to go 2-3 to clinch HCA. Will Portland win out? If they know we are resting starters and taking it easy, they have a lot more incentive. Winning tonight will do a lot to let a team like G.S. beat up on them. I think you aim to win tonight and at Minnie then take it easy the rest of the way - using it to work on certain things but limiting starters to 10-15 minutes a game and giving the bench some practice. But it's ridiculous to rest guys tonight - not when HCA is still in play.
Morey has mentioned several times (after the Howard signing) that our goal is to secure HCA in the 1st round. I seriously doubt he'll change course at this point and allow McHale to bench his starters with home court still undetermined. It's not going to happen. Today's call-ups (Cov/Daniels) are here for garbage minutes. Expect Harden/Parsons to keep starting until HCA has been secured. In the case of tonight's Denver game, I can see Harden/Parsons starting strong and sitting in the 4th if we're blowing them out--which is likely. Any combination of Portland Ls -or- Rockets Ws that locks us into the 4th spot is when you'll probably see Harden/Parsons in street clothes. Even then, I suspect it will only be for one or two games.
Maybe, but it's dangerous to assume anything. Remember, it wasn't that long ago that the Rockets had dropped 3 straight(including 2 against beatable teams) and were sweating out wins against OKC and Denver at home. Things can go south very quickly if they drop the next 2 games on this road trip. The last thing you want is to have all the starters logging heavy minutes(including Dwight and Bev) at the end of the season because you still haven't clinched home court in Round 1. And it's extremely risky to assume that Portland will drop anymore games. Yes, they did lose at home to the Suns(although Phoenix was playing for their postseason lives in that one), but their next 2 are layups against the Kings and at the Jazz. And their last 2 games are at home against the Warriors and Clippers. In theory, both should be tough matchups, but Golden State is banged up right now and L.A. may have nothing to play for if OKC has locked up the 2nd seed by then. I'm from the school of keeping it simple. Win 2 out of the next 3. Then rest Parsons and Harden after that. Best case scenario, they get limited or no minutes starting this Saturday against the Pelicans. That gives them a week to rest heading into the following weekend when Game 1 will be scheduled.
Don't feel bad. My first Rockets game was after being a fan for 10+ years, and the Thunder annihilated us at the Toyota Center last December. That was our worse home loss ever, I believe.
I think it's a bit too premature to rest the starters. We still haven't clinched the 4th seed and only need to win 2 more games to do so. Go all out and take care of the Nuggets & Wolves these next 2 games and then rest the starters the last 3 games.
A good road win in the altitude of Denver will be useful. I would rest Parsons and give Harden a game or two off,once the 4th seed has been secured.
Due to missed games, no one on the team has played a very high amount of total minutes this season. I don't want to see anybody playing 35+ the last couple games, but I don't think rest is that big of a concern.
Yeah, it's clinched. Maybe not quite as clinched as the sixth seed was clinched last year. Maybe not quite as clinched as a playoff spot was clinched the year before. Still, it's clinched.
I agree with you; I don't see the logic either. Home court is not wrapped up and it is critical. Play to win.
A few years ago, the Rockets had the 2nd seed clinched... all they had to do is win the last game of the season. They lost, and ended up the 5th seed.
It may sound funny to anyone who noticed me complain several times during the season about the minutes Harden and Parsons have been playing, but I lean towards agreeing with you. We have the 3rd youngest team in the league, a team that is consistently great for a few games, and then seemingly lose their way for a while, until they get it together again. We aren't the Spurs, who's core have played together for what seems like forever. We can't assume that our guys will "turn it on" on command. So maybe cut the minutes of Parsons and Harden a little until we win those 2 games, and then cut them a lot. In my humble opinion.
5 games to go (4 for Portland) and we're 3 ahead in the loss column and own the tie breaker. About as close to a guarantee as you can get. To put it another way, we could go 2-3, Portland could win out, and we'd still have homecourt.
If he rests the starters and we somehow land in the 5th spot while then existing the first round, then where's the damn "FIRE MCHALE" thread at cause that is where I'm headed next?
Thank goodness that kind of free-fall is highly unlikely this time around. 4th to 5th seed doesn't sound nearly as bad as 2nd to 5th!
I dont think we should sit them the whole time. Maybe give them 7 minutes per quarter, not to exceed a total of 30 min per game. Give the bench some reps and allow the starters to build up a big lead
