If Asik and Howard both start: Howard picks up 2 fouls at the 8 minute mark. Goes out. In this situation, you want to bring him back around the 7-8 minute mark in the second quarter. To keep a defensive anchor on the floor for 48 minutes, this means Asik will have to play all the way until that time. Which is 16-17 minutes in a row. That's not going to happen. If Howard starts and Asik backs him up: Howard picks up the same 2 fouls at 8 minutes. Asik comes in for him and plays until the same 7-8 minute mark in the second quarter. Which is 12-13 minutes in a row. Can Asik play a full quarter straight? It isn't ideal, but he's done it before. It puts a little stress on the rotation, but at least you still have 48 minutes of rim protection. Agenda driven? Try common sense.
OP, when it comes to predicting wins or analyzing the game, I am VERY interested with what you have to say. You are one of the better posters with good track records. However.....*cough**cough* when it come to talent evaluation, your batting average is simply abysmal! Weren't you the one who predicted Covington will be our staring 4 not long ago??
Yeah, sometimes people just aren't any good at talent evaluation. It happens. I don't hold it against them no matter how far off base they are.
I am hit or miss like everyone. Marcus Morris would have been the better example of getting one wrong. I said this about Covington in that same post about him starting: That thread was more about poking fun of myself. Then again, I was head cheerleader for Lowry when the debate was him versus Brooks. Not that it matters. I think we are all hit or miss around here, other wise we wouldn't be typing on a message board.
This is not a clear advantage for Casspi.. You can bet that Casspi will pick up more fouls defending opposition starting 4's. This could easily be a disadvantage more than anything. Common sense.....
It's not a problem if Casspi picks up quick fouls. We could either slide Parsons down to the 4, or bring Asik in for twin towers. Casspi getting in foul trouble does not jeopardize 48 minutes of rim protection. If Howard picks up quick fouls, and his supposed backup has already been in the game the whole time because he's starting too, then its much less flexible in what you can do to maintain 48 minutes of rim protection.
If Casspi is inconsideration as the starting 4, then I'd just assume start Parsons at the 4 and run Garcia at the 3. Making our starting lineup: Beverly Harden Garcia Parsons Howard
LOL yeah, Dwight Howard picks up quick fouls failing to defend someone, better put someone who is a terrible defender even against SF's against them at the 4.......brilliant plan.
you don't present the biggest reason most people want to start the Twin Towers. Defense and Rebounding advantage on almost every team in the league.
The question was who should START. Just because you don't start twin towers doesn't mean you don't play it. We would still have that advantage by playing it situationally throughout the game.
you mentioned that you want to impress your style of play upon the first minute of the game, and I agree. But that style should involve our best defensive unit, since our offense does not suffer much anyway.
Aside from talent evaluation, CXbby is still one of my favorite posters. :grin: You simply start the game with the best possible lineup. It's a terrible strategy not to start the game that way. Why would anyone start a lineup "protecting" the "48-min rim protection strategy" in mind?
You start Casspi next to Howard for the same reason why you start Beverley next to Harden. It isn't always about overall talent, it is about maximizing everyone's talent by using lineups that create synergy. And it's especially about catering to your best player's strengths: you play Beverley next to Harden because Harden's strength is with the ball in his hands. You play Casspi next to Howard because, proven over 9 seasons, he is at his best playing next to a stretch 4. The Thunder and Spurs both brought one of their best players off the bench, to maximize the TEAM. They did not think it was "terrible strategy". Neither did McHale's Celtics. Asik is our 3rd best player, he is going to get his 25 minutes a night one way or another. Even if he doesn't start, he won't go to waste.
I voted Asik. Start him and Beverley as long as it works. Our 1-2 punch: Punch 1: Beat them up, shake their confidence and frustrate them with Beverley, Asik and Howard. - Look at the Grizzlies losing their cool, look at PBev vs. Holiday with Jrue trying to impose his will to the detriment of team play and losing his composure in the process. Punch 2: Pull the rug and run away with Lin, Garcia and Casspi. - Most benches can't hang with our second unit and their starters should be drained and frustrated. In case of foul trouble you can sub Jones in for Asik or Howard if you want to play more like the poor man's version of the first unit above. Sub in D-Mo for Casspi/Asik/Howard if you want to continue putting points to the board. In any case, Jones/D-Mo/Brewer/Brooks are all situational players and I don't see them in the regular rotation if everyone is healthy and not in early foul trouble.
Maintaining the 48 minutes of rim protection is a top priority because as evidenced by all of last year, this team gets absolutely MURDERED when it plays without a rim protector. That is worth a much higher tangible benefit than the arbitrary "start your best players" mantra.
So you'd prefer to start a SF at PF who will get absolutely MURDERED by every starting PF in the NBA? Interesting idea, tell me more about it.
