Would Lin be best as a 6th man?

It might work, as long as they have a training camp to develop that Harden/Beverly/Parsons chemistry. But there isn't enough time for that midway the season to do that, especially the postseason. We've already lost enough games after trading away Patterson, and replacing him with D-Mo/Delfino @ the 4. That killed the team chemistry for almost a month.

 

Lin isn't good enough to justify paying him 8 million to be a 6th man. Morey would move him the following summer to get more cap space to sign a versatile, complementary starting pg next to Harden.

 

in order for us to do well, our starting back court (whatever it may be) needs to average between 15-25 assists per game. look at the numbers - for games that we've done well offensively, we've had very high assists from both harden and lin. you take away lin from the starting back court, you take away more than half of those assists.

unless you think harden can average his normal points output of 20-24/gm (and we need him to score 20-24/gm) AND average 10 assists all by himself, then you need a PG on the court that focuses on getting shots for others and getting others involved, and have harden focus on his scoring opportunities.

last night was a good example of this could work and work well. lin was looking to pass in the 1st half, and harden was looking to get himself going scoring wise. doesn't mean harden goes hero mode - just that his first option is to score the ball, but move the ball quickly if nothing is there. whereas lin's first option is to look for cutter/open man and create some easy shots for the bigs or for chandler.

when they play like they did last night, it makes things VERY easy for harden, and makes him super efficient. he was off last night but even then was very productive stat wise. imagine the night he would've had last night if he had make half of his shots. this is what happens when harden looks to score and makes quick decisions as opposed to playing both SG and PG roles at the same time.

having manu come off the bench works for spurs because TP is a point guard first and foremost. harden is NOT. he can pass very well, is a willing passer, but doesn't mean he's role and objective should be to first distribute the ball. his role and objective is to first score the ball. big difference between him and parker.

 

Same here. Of course, on my team the starting PG is Tony Parker and his backup is Chris Paul...

Anyways, back to reality... I wouldn't mind if he was a 6th man like how the Spurs have Ginóbili. But the key is that when he's in, he needs to have control of the ball.

 

you think he has continued to play below expectations at to this point? what kind of expectations did you have for a second year starting PG, on a brand new team with new system and new teammates, playing a new, diminished role? 20 and 10? 18 and 9, 16 and 7, 14 and 6?

it's been argued and proven with numbers many times on this board that he's doing what a 8mil/yr pg should be doing, no more, no less.

 

He's already doing more than what a 8mil/yr gives. Also he hasn't missed a single game. I'd like to see a team sign a PG like that.

 

so this...

the point is not how we can generate best stats for harden or lin. the point is... which combo of 5 would work best together. i don't have the stats (i'm sure morey does) but my eye-test and hunch tells me that the combo we've seen so far this year (minus PF) has been the most effective for all 5 players.

 

but the question is - what does it do for the other three? could you see the same easy looks that parsons and the big were seeing last night without bev instead of lin on the court? yes harden could give them good looks as well but we also need him to score too.

also, harden plays 40'some minutes a game. even with lin off the bench, if he is to play true 6th man role of 30'some minutes, both of them will be on the court together a majority of the time anyway. i really don't mind both of them sacrificing a bit of their game if it means improving the whole team. and from the looks of it (at times), that's what we're seeing and it's a very welcome sight.

 

Lin is good just were he is at, in the starting lineup....

 

At this stage I'd rather put Harden as the 6th man and limit his minutes since he clearly doesn't seem to be 100% yet.

 

Problem being chemistry going into playoffs, you don't want Lin and Harden to switch roles after he gets healthy. But I think you get the point, its not so much about Lin being the 6th man but rather being the leader of a different squad from Harden. Starter or 6th, I think he just needs his own squad.

 

I think ideally when Lin, Harden and Parsons are on the floor, the PG role should be shared like Lin 70%, Harden 20%, Parsons 10%. Harden is a talented scorer and should be used and developed as so. Lin has improved a lot playing off the ball this season, however he is natural floor general. When Harden's ASTs was more than Lin's, an indicator Harden playing the point more, I always had a bad feeling that Rockets could lose the game and I was usually right on it. Hopefully the players will figure it out eventually since they are young.

 

Lin is the best PG on the team, and second best playmaker. therefore he should be playing "starter" minutes anyways. He's going to be playing the majority of his minutes with Harden anyways, so I dont see what difference it would make other than to stagger Harden and Lin's minutes.

At this stage I would rather them take this year, and next to try and complement each other better and better as time goes on since they will be playing the majority of their minutes together regardless. Moving him to the bench this season can do more damage than good.

So No.

Oh, and we sure as hell didn't need another Lin thread that self-creates LOH vs LOF dialog.

 

Lin is a PG when Harden on the floor.
Lin is a PG when Bev on the floor.
Only Lin has green light to be THE PG. Harden still our 1st option.
Only Lin has green light to be The PG. He could make difference as 6th man.
Did anyone ask MC permission?

 

I cant help but laugh over here in my working unit...bwhahahahahaha,,,we have one of the best back courts in the NBA. They are also one of the youngest back courts and yall are trippin....Oh Lin isnt better when Harden is in the game,,,Oh Lin is better without Harden being in the game....Wow are yall serious...People are just not satisfied. As long as Ive been following basketball, I never seen so many fans bickering about two certain players on the same team. I thought we suppose to cheer together and for every player on the same team. We are in the playoff's, dang finally,,,its been 3 long ash years...And this is the type of drama coming out some of you cats mouth....dangggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

 

Thats not going to ever happen, Harden is your Superstar. How many times over his career did Jordan bring the ball up the floor..Clyde, Pippen, Kobe, Lebron, Durant and other very talented SF and SG. Wade brought the ball up a lot over his career as well.

 

I want to know what kind wee the original poster smooked...........

 

Sometimes learning to play together involves improving on an unfamiliar skillset.
Jeremy has definitely struggled at times when he has had to play off the ball consistently. While that may be good for his development, it does not play to his strengths.

So really, what you have here is a situation where you are trying to force a player to play a way he's not that good at, in the hopes that he learns and improves VS playing in a way that will bring out his best.

The 1st situation is fine in the regular season but come playoffs, the coach better have a plan to bring out his player's best.

 

I have 16/8 as my expectations for him. What did you have?