[ClutchFans] The numbers are clear: Patrick Beverley deserves to start over Jeremy Lin

Some good analysis and commentary in this thread.

Overall, the underlying issue here is we need an upgrade at PG. Despite our great organizational depth, it's still our weakest position.

Lin's play has been erratic. Beverley is probably best suited coming off the bench. It's highly unlikely Lin will be retained after next season. Clearly, there's a lot of uncertainty moving forward.

Not sure what the market's like for a player like Lin, but I trust DM is testing it in the hopes of making a deal happen.

 

This.

 

Why is Beverley right there with Harden? Because when Beverley is on the floor, Harden is also for the most part! A rising tide lifts all boats.

 

You keep Lowry you probably don't KEEP Parsons either.


Lowry's contract is finished this summer and he'd get paid more than $8 million a year.

 

That's why I mentioned Steve Blake and Kendall Marshall lol. Just saying the system makes a difference. Not that we should adopt it.

 

PER is a kindergarten stat.

It's all based in Usage (high-usage, low-efficiency players can achieve high PER), and one of Beverley's best qualities as a PG is his incredibly low-usage, which allows Harden, Dwight and Parsons to get more opportunities to create.

 

Sure, Harden got tired as the year went on because of his high usage - I don't really think that's a valid comparison here though. Bev isn't starting because he's hot shooting and Lin is cold from the field, he's starting because he's a better fit.

Is it possible that Bev regresses so much on offense that he becomes a net liability? I suppose it's theoretically possible, but not very likely given his trajectory. I don't htink he's going to wear down either, though of course he's an injury risk obviously I guess it's also possible that Lin channels Linsanity again, but it would probably take a bunch of injuries again (Harden Bev & Parsons) for him to start shooting 15-20 times a night he'd need to do it. Both of these don't seem very likely.

 

Then I can only suggest to not mention Mchale or coaches when talking about his recent play. Is it possible that he is feeling so much pressure from the unrealistic expectations from his fans that it is getting to his head?

 

Great post. I agree with you. It is nice to see people here that can still maintain an unbiased view towards this situation.

 

That is true. However, as shown in Clutch's article, Lin also had more game played along with other starting players including JH than Beverley did this season.

 

Ok, i can agree to that. As for the unrealistic pressure, I'm sure he learned last year that Linsanity wont happen. And if hes feeling that kind of pressure, he needs to learn to adapt to it, otherwise it wont help. The kid has potential, even his most die-hard haters cant deny that. Its up to him to show it.

 

Some great post by all, I'm hopeful that Jlin finds a right place with the Rockets. However, we spend way too much time discussing what happens with our 5th and 6th best players. The key to winning is playing D down the stretch in the 4th Qtr. Can you get stops, Portland was up by 5 with 5 minutes to go last night against OKC and didn't score again as KD when on a 13-0 run by himself. It amazes me that NBA coaches don't attempt to deny the ball to KD or run a double at him and force lesser skilled players to shoot!!!

 

Totally agree with this. Our success is directly related on how consistent our players perform especially Jlin because with the current lineup, he is the leader of our second unit and once (not if) they get in that groove, we will be unstoppable.

 

Oh quit it. The unbiased view is to see Beverly as the better player.


Throw stats out the window. Use the eye test. Beverly is the better two-way player. End of discussion.

 

what if they don't watch the games?
what if their sole purpose here was to reply anything that does not have Lin to be the highest priority?
what if they aren't really rockets fans at all??

 

Great post. (From start to finish, but no need to repost the entire thing again.) Spot on in pretty much every aspect.

With regard to Harden learning to play off the ball, the fact that he plays the second most minutes in the league, but moves (according to SportsVu) very little per minute is a sign that he needs to play fewer minutes. McHale has got to tell him that he's going to cut his minutes to those of a typical league-wide starter, with the expectation that he should always bring his A game on defense and that he should move without the ball more on offense. (I suspect that the criticism of his "weak motor" that has dogged him since college is really rooted in his endurance. Some players, no matter how much they work on conditioning, just have naturally poor endurance. I think he's one of them.) Because he is such a great offensive player, the reduced minutes from Harden may hurt the team at first. But by instilling good habits--of working hard on both ends all the time--it will eventually help, especially in the playoffs (when maybe his minutes could rise with more rest days).

As for the part of your comments that I reposted, I applaud you (and Sabonis) for pointing out that perhaps the administrator of this great forum should reflect on how his own actions might be contributing (even in a small way) to the poisonous atmosphere. With your join dates, you guys can do it. I can't, really.

 

nah part of Linsanity is winning...Kendall Marshall is not carrying the Lakers to victory or taking the last shot.

To say Lin is mentally weak is insane given everything thrown at him even when he was a kid in hs and college. THen in the NBA his career was on the freaking line and he had 1 game to change that. Then he had to prove it again to show it wasnt a fluke. Then he had to do it again and again and again.

The problem is figuring out what the coach wants from you. WIth D'Antoni it was clear, go out and just ball, throw caution to the wind and full steam ahead. With McHale who freaking knows. Even in the Knick game, he was playing just fine, 3-4 bad minutes in the 3rd and he's done for the game.

Lin know 2 turnovers and a missed shot and he could be done for the day. SO he starts holding back, playing cautiously, which makes things worse. That's like a running back who knows if he doesnt go for at least 20 yards in his first 3 carries he's done. He no longer plays within himself, because he's too worried about being taken out.

 

Great OP and thread!!

600 posts less than 24 hours.

 

To be honest, if fear is making your play cautiously - by definition you are mentally weak. Lin has been given the green light to be aggressive this season. That's his job. If he turns the ball over a lot and misses a lot of bad shots, yeah, McHale will pull him. And if he sits there passively playing super cautiously, McHale will pull him.

It's up to Lin, not McHale to figure it out.

 

It is not green light if you are not allowed to play through some bad stretches. No need to sugar coat it. There are only three players on the team that have the green light and we all know who they are. Everyone else can be pulled for no reason.