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

Think about all the Rockets players last year. Now think about every aspect of their game that the staff, fans, and management wanted them to work on. Now who has actually improved. JH looked great before the injuries, Parsons i guess worked on pump faking instead of shooting. Lin's improvement really has to give everyone hope that maybe he can really be a big time player for the Rockets. Thats what seperates the good from the great. Lin's shot is going in and damn near looks wet everytime he shoots it. So now we wait for when Lin to realize how good he is and looks to dominate every game. I actually like how Mchale is tough on Lin. You are tough on players you really think are good and you want to push to become better. Everytime Mchale talks about Lin he's talking about "being aggressive" and "attack the defense". He knows the kids talent, its just now Lin has to believe in his talent and do it consistently play to play, posession to possession, and game to game. LOH or LOF...i dont know or care what that means...I like everyone on the team and want to see them do well especially when they are good dudes like the dudes on our team.

Go Rockets...and Lin is no joke on 2k14 right now...3pt rating is 83...killing these fools on xbox..haha

 

Yeah, I get it that the LOH have been quiet. You've been posting that same message all over the board. Not happy until you can stir things back up?

I have nothing against LOHs or LOFs but the ish disturbers go to the Ignore list.

 

Raymond Felton and Jeremy Lin comparison

http://bkref.com/tiny/Wll7R

 

Listening to Zach Lowe talk about the Rockets perimeter defense.

He just said that Parsons and Lin are BAD defenders and have been their entire career. Said that Kelvin Sampson will say the same.

 

did he mention harden? or will Sampson has the ball to say the same on harden?:grin:

 

This isn't true. Parsons defense was solid when he was a rookie and Lin's D in GSW was the only redeeming quality about him.

 

Lowe and Simmons mentioned Harden. Lowe said Harden defended fine in OKC but hasn't for most of last year and this year. I don't think that anyone really is surprised.

It will be interesting to see what trades are/are not made involving Parsons/Lin/Asik

 

If he is listening to the podcast I think he is then, yes he included Harden on that list and that Sampson had said the same.

 

I don't think that Lowe was saying that Parsons was a bad defender as a rookie, but was saying that Lin's defense has always been bad. He said that Sampson would tell you that Parsons and Lin are bad defenders.

They also did discuss Harden and his matador defense, but I don't think ANYONE is surprised by that.

 

You are correct. I am not sure if it was Lowe or Simmons that discussed Harden's defense, but I remember Lowe saying Harden hasn't defended most of last year and this year. I think everyone expected the comments on Harden.... however I was surprised by how harsh Lowe was on Lin and Parsons defensively.... they also said Brooks sucks defensively.

Lowe gets some credibility from me only because he is deeply involved in metrics and statistics and knows his stuff.

It makes me wonder if the Rockets will have to make a deal for a stud defender at the 1 and/or 3, because we all know Harden is going no where.

 

This is what you said. I was just going by your initial post.

They haven't been bad defenders their entire career and Lin's defense wasn't always bad ex/ in GSW it was actually the only thing he was good at. If anything I still disagree I don't think Lin or Parsons are BAD defenders. I'd say they are average at it.

 

I never said I agreed, I only passed on what Lowe said. It is only worth repeating because he has some credibility.

 

Wait he said Harden defended fine defensively? Really? if anything harden was an average defender in OKC he wasn't fine at all. If he defended fine then they would have started him in OKC. Not sure I agree with him.

 

I am not talking about you I am talking about Lowe I don't agree with him. And yes it was worth repeating because he does have some credibility which is why I was really surprised at his comments. I seem to remember him writing an article in Parsons rookie year where he said Parsons was a good defender.

 

Yes, he said something to the effect that Harden defensively was fine in OKC and that the Thunder even used him on LBJ at times.

I don't know if I agree with Lowe. I respect his opinion and know he doesn't just say things for effect.

I always considered Lin a serviceable defender and figured that Parsons defense suffered last year due to concentrating on offense and so much chaos last year.

I will say that what I have seen this year is Parsons and Lin hustling defensively, trying to pick up and switch but over pursuing at time and not always being smart in their decision process. Harden will defend if he is playing someone he respects, otherwise he is abysmal and just ball watches and guards a spot on the floor and not switching.

 

In his interview on Rockets.com Kelvin Samson said:

 

Cool. You should tweet it to Zach Lowe and see what he says. Maybe Sampson says something else off the records? I don't know. Maybe Lowe is just flat out wrong.

 

Note: Kelvin Sampson also said Jeremy Lin had to get better. But the overall impression left was not of him being a BAD defender.

 

Don't think this is a case where Sampson was saying something else off the record... he was definitely calling people out. But you will notice differences in his reference to Parsons, Harden and Lin... e.g.

 

I honestly couldn't agree with you more on pretty much everything you said.

And were they putting Harden on LBJ because he was a good defender or because they didn't want KD to get into foul trouble?