[ClutchFans] Rockets to begin season with Beverley, Asik as starters; Jeremy Lin off bench

Don't be sure of that. Harden played 38-40 minutes even during blowouts last season. McHale did not know much about time management last season. Hope he has improved.

 

So far it's been confirmed by Parsons, implied by Lin and Beverley (yesterday), and McHale still refuses to name the starting lineup. LOL. He is trolling the media hard.

Been looking forward to Lin off the bench since last year. The starting lineup will be okay, they'll do their thing, but the bench needs a consistent (ironic, right?) playmaker to facilitate and setup the shooters. But the most important issue that gets overlooked is Harden needs someone who fits his game and Beverley is the ideal candidate.

And to be fair to Lin fans, it's probably opinions like this tweet that get widely disseminated that pissed them off. I'm a big fan of SBNation, but I thought this tweet was downright leaning toward tabloid sensational more than anything.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Linsanity has been benched. RT <a href="https://twitter.com/DreamShakeSBN">@DreamShakeSBN</a>: Rockets to start Beverley over Lin on opening night <a href="http://t.co/1kUKyPtTHf">http://t.co/1kUKyPtTHf</a></p>&mdash; SB Nation NBA (@SBNationNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/SBNationNBA/statuses/395244807443869696">October 29, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

If they are going to end games with small-ball (not unlikely), then the minutes will have to line up for Lin to be in there after having had enough of a break. That probably means under 30 minutes for Lin on average.

 

There is no way to tell. However, this team is a lot deeper and better and Harden was running on fumes at the end of the season. I think 40 minutes a year is just too many.

 

Excellent example, except Vinny had a left hand and could finish at the rim. But I get the point and would prefer him torching 2nd string guards than having to expend energy going against the top flight point guards in the west.

* Lin B Free
* The Hibachi
* Taiwan Terror
* Tsunami
* Fish Grease

 

I don't see your logic... I think you will see Bev, Harden, Lin, Parsons, Howard on the floor together more often than you think. I think 30 minutes a night is certainly possible.

 

Great move, love Beverley's defense and seems like the right move. Given Lin's personality he's not going to cause any problems but with two capable starters, in the end, it always causes some friction. I hope it stays limited.

 

I think it depends on if McHale uses Harden at SF at all (i.e., lineups using Bev/Lin/Harden at the same time). If not, then I don't expect him to average more than 30 either.

 

Houston is gonna be all over ESPN case of Lin being benched but i don't care. The only thing I care about is winning

 

Both Lin and Bev will probably be a little under 30, unless McHale plays the Lin+Bev lineup a lot.

 

just because Lin will be playing with the 2nd unit more doesnt mean they wont spend just as much time practicing plays with Lin, Harden, & DHO. I'm sure MCHale will let Lin play the 4th and give him just as much chances to close out the game. Remember Lin & DHO make a deadly combination and is still a main focus in practice.

 

I agree it is possible, but I don't know how likely. I think that Bev/Lin/Harden/Parsons/Howard will be our best lineup against a lot of teams. But 4 of those are starters, and one isn't.

If Lin is leading the bench just prior to sliding into a small ball lineup, he will have been on the floor for a large contiguous block of minutes without a break. The easiest way to fix that problem is to cut his minutes so that he is most effective when the small ball lineup is in use.

 

I get this reference. However newbs might mistaken this for
Lin B Free Agent

 

Screw the headlines. I'm excited about this lineup. Anyone who's been paying attention has to be. I think Lin is going to excel in this role and play lots of minutes with everybody on the team. McHale is constantly shifting lineups around.

Jeremy has known since the playoffs that there was a good possibility he'd play more off the bench, and he's had time to prepare for it. He's looked good off the bench in preseason. I don't see how he can fail.

Playing off of Harden and Howard will be great for Beverley, obviously. Just awesome how hard he has worked to take advantage of every opportunity he's been given. From making the team to stepping up in the playoffs to working out every day in the offseason to taking on the mantle of defensive stopper, he's done well in everything that's been asked of him. He's earned this shot, and I'm excited to see what he does with it.

 

I think that's the biggest gain out of bring jlin off the bench and turning him into our Jamal Crawford. He's so good that he actually does have starter level skills but being that our team has a top 5 player (Harden) who plays combo guard like Lin and another top 8 player (Howard) he's better suited coming off the bench.

This is awesome news because not only will the 2nd unit be very dynamic and possibly the most talented in the league but it allows Lin to play to his best while giving harden a major break in action, which should leave him much healthier come playoffs. We all saw Lin go crazy in a handful of games last year. Just because he's on the bench doesn't mean he won't have games like that again and when he does harden can rest all game. Think of it as when the spurs and heat rest their players.

 

So much for Lin's "big test", so much for Lin being the "clear starter", so much for getting the first 20 games of the season.

LOL

Goodbye Jeremy and Omer. I wish you both the best.

 

Asik starting?
Whos the center for Lin's second unit? Greg Smith???

 

If we are kicking butt prior to the trade deadline, and I think we will, I don't think either of those two are going anywhere this year.

If not, they are the most likely to depart. But we won't know until the games have been played.

 

Asik. And Dwight.

 

This. I dont see Lin being on this team after next yr