I should have known someone would have come up with this argument. The fact that Harden was injured on one particular play has no bearing on the average risk of injury of any particular play.
harden will start no matter what only idiots will doubt that now question is who is a better fit with a starting five of harden, parsons, asik, and howard
How do you think the average risk of injury increases with minutes/usage? Honest question. Of course there is a correlation, but it may be more of an issue for some players than others. I'm not aware of any studies that have explored this topic. And Harden gets to the foul line a lot, but people shouldn't mistake that for him playing a rough, physical style. He's a master of exploiting angles and "embellishing" what is typically minimal contact.
If you watched any of the games last season, harden did in fact, go 1 on 5 on many, many occasions. Also, take a look at his splits. His fg% in the last two months of the regular season were an abysmal 38.9%. In april he averaged an astronomical FIVE turnovers per game. If the lin haters are going to complain about lin's fg%, then certainly they should be calling for harden's head with a fg% under 40% as the team fights for a playoff spot and seed. Obviously that didn't happen, because there is a double standard.
harden = top 5 player, lin = top 50 player harden=superstar, lin=roleplayer harden >>>>>>>>>> lin they're on a different level just like what howard himself said harden is a "once in every 10 years player"
You're missing the point. Harden's efficiency plummeted in the stretch run of the regular season. He shot a horrid 38.9% from the field in march and april. Figure it out. Harden was overworked. And this was when he wasn't even being held accountable on the defensive end. Now he's going to be lead scorer, pg, AND an excelltent defender? He was overworked as a one player, and now he's being asked to effectively double his workload and yet he'll still be daisy fresh at the end of the season going into the playoffs? Are there harden clones who are going to sub in and out mid possession?
Really I don't see any proof that Asik and Howard will be an everyday thing. It was effective only against the Grizzlies and quite frankly they were playing sluggishly. Looking to the direction that the league seems to be taking in stretch and mobile 4's, Asik and Dwight starting together is a pipe dream. Opening day Line Up 1. Lin 2. Harden 3. Parsons 4. D-Mo 5. Howard First off bench 1.Beverley 2. Asik Then Barrage of 3 point shooters 1. Garcia 2. Casspi
No, but are you seriously suggesting the risk of injury for a three pointer could possibly be higher than driving down the lane?
If it ain't broken, don't fix it. It might be foreign concept to many Internet big shots here, but it's so common and important in real life. Let me talk about something I am more familiar with than basketball. There are only 2 major reasons for a company to go through important system changes: 1. The current one is broken or is a liability of daily usage. 2. The proposed new one has clearer PROVEN advantage. Otherwise, if you just want to change it because it COULD be more suitable, or someone just wants to see what the new one can bring. That decision maker will be fired in real life, at any decent company. Again, the decision is in McHale's hands. Before Camby is waived, McHale can even make him the starting PG, with lots of "advantages" or "reasons". Let me name a few to start with, experience, length, rebounding, defensive minded etc. Lin started 82 games last season, when Houston Rockets advanced to playoffs. That system wasn't broken, nor was Lin a liability. PB is no CP3 or Rondo. There is NO reason to change that, except some people WANT to change, be it coach or fans. According to some, it doesn't matter that players get disrespected, because they get paid, so they are supposed to machines. The politically correct line is, as long as you do anything in the name of THE TEAM, everything is fine. Nobody will care about your feelings unless you are No. 1 or 2 for the organization, then you can get coaches or GMs fired, of course, in the name of THE TEAM. Lin is not there yet. So screw him, because starting PB COULD be better, based on strong evidence that SOME people Believe so. Let's wait and see the final decision and result.
It's partly a political as well as a basketball decision. Asik is being shopped, and starting him will pad his stats and help him to retain value as trade bait. It also serves to assuage his ego, so he doesn't become a bitter, complaining wreck who undermines team chemistry and become a major distraction. Anyone who thinks this is strictly a basketball decision is naive.
see how easy it is to put LOF's in their place :grin: so you honestly think Kobe and Jordan would have played longer while still getting the same number of rings if they played with Lin instead of Fisher and Kerr?
I would also add that lin is clearly a better player than he was last season. He's injury free, lighter and faster, a better shooter and is more composed, putting far less pressure on himself. This is a major upgrade, but mchale and his staff don't see it. Their loss, as well as the team's. A boon for lin haters, however.
