I m so upset...as a fan, I wish I could do something about it...I wish the we have a voice. Somebody need to question the Rockets organization. I m sick of this
I couldn't believe what I was seeing today. McFail tried to punk out his own starting PG by not allowing lin to play any min on the 4Q again!!!! *OMFG* Unfortunately, for McFail it didn't work this time around. How can a coach do this to his own starting PG???? Are you kidding me!?!?!?!! Your entire D system is broken!!! Today I have lost full respect for McFail!! JLin it's time you should be vocal about this BS! This is total nonense!!
I guess he was trying to make a point. Had McHale won this one Lin would have looked pretty bad.
Yes... the organisation has pointed out couple of times that they sub players to get the most energy out on the court but that does not explain why James Harlem plays that much.
Dont get me wrong. Harden is awesome but only in one aspect of the game. Also - his numbers 8 of 17 and 2 of 6...??? Turnovers??? Id rather see Harlem play less minutes but - he could play more energetic and also play some d.
Right now the whole team is set to give Harden a lot of shots but it aint working.
The Rockets confidence are running on empty. The team fought hard in the first half yet it was shattered like broken glass in the second half. All I can do is watch in agony.
It may be revenge from McHale after he received tons of emails/text messages.... from angry fan..... that is unprofessional.... but what can you do.... can someone setup a fire McHale petition of some sort....
Lin's D tonight was fine. He kept Lawson under control. Beverley didn't play that well tonight. He hustles and has some quickness, but he is beginning to look more and more like a back-up. I thought TD played better than PB even though most of TD's production came in garbage time when the game was out of hand.
Great post JK! Numbers don't lie. Looks like the Rockets bigs stopped tanking and made a solid effort to help Lin. Props to KHuang for calling out the other Rockets players for being lame.
None of the other Rockets point guards really have the defensive prowess and desire of Lin.
To me he has been looking like a backup right from the beginning. I see talent, I like his energy, Im not hating on him - but he cant be compared to a guy like Lin - at least not yet.
That "replace Lin with a better PG" thing is not new. First they tried TD - then they did it with Beverly. They are just trying to make the PG position (Lin) look bad. They have no clue what Lin is capable of and how smart he is. They are just trying to cover their cluelessness as they stick to their dumb gameplan as if they all suffered from OCD.
"Gotta shoot 3s, gotta shoot 3s, gotta shoot 3s, dont let Lin look good, gotta shoots 3s..."
this is pathetic. why is there a confidence issue? I don't think they lose their confidence because of many games they lost but because they don't know their roles, they don't know what they are doing.
Thats not Lins fault. Every player has to have the confidence to play his game right from the beginning. If not - blame the head. Fish stinks from the head -> coaching staff.
he said we are holding the ball now, does that implicate too much iso ball? not pushing the pace, isn't lin is capable of doing that pretty good? getting more ball movement?
Lin played pretty well actually. Yes, he didn't take my advice of taking more shots but Lin is the least to blame for the loss. I knew Rockets would lose so no surprise here. Mac is going to run Harden to injury.
Agreed. Lin actually had a very good game tonight. McHale's decision to bench him for most of the 2nd half was absolutely baffling. Beverley didn't bring much to the offense in my opinion and he had trouble controlling Lawson. Douglas had a nice game (albeit mostly when the game was out of hand).
I think the Patrick Beverley experiment should end and TD should be the first PG off the bench.
Turnovers (7 by Harden!) and poor rebounding absolutely killed the Rockets tonight.
They really, REALLY, need better PFs. I like Asik, so I don't like to point out his faults. But if that Euro could catch balls just a bit better, and have more burst, it'd be sick. In his defense, it's pretty fucking hard to be the only one getting rebounds on both ends.
@JK: Asik's inability to catch even the simplest of passes totally frustrated fans here in Chicago while he was with the Bulls, as did his poor free throw shooting. Both have not improved since he moved to Houston. At least he can make a layup for the Rockets. He is a great rebounder though. He was a great defender for the Bulls who, unlike the Rockets, put a high premium on good defense. With the Rockets, it's hard to tell if he is still a good defender because the rest of the team doesn't defend well.
Yeah, I can totally understand Bulls' fans frustrations. Esp cause Rose is so athletic. If I watched Asik blow plays made by Rose game after game, I'd lose my shit too. I would say that overall, Asik is the most cooperative player on the team, and genuinely works with JLin, in other words, he's not a dickbag. I give Asik quite a bit of leeway because he's like 60% of their D.
Yeah, he did fumble a ton of potential assists from D.Rose and others. Actually, the Bulls management really liked Asik for his defense and rebounding, but only as a backup because his offensive game needed a ton of work. That's why it didn't make sense to match Houston's offer. They didn't feel he had the offensive game to warrant that kind of contract. So now he's in Houston where he's averaging more PPG than he did in Chicago. But from what I have seen, that's only because he's getting a lot more minutes. Still has terrible hands though. At least he sets screens for Jeremy as you implied.
I do miss all the jokes about Asik's bad fashion sense though. That was mildly entertaining fodder for the Chicago sports media.
no leadership in this team, from top to bottom and worst of all, no chemistry among players:(, really feel bad for lin who is a team player. Again, he deserve a better team and even better coach.
i know this has been said many times before but i just need to get it off my chest
McHale is all over the place. he says the team needs to cut down on turnovers but harden gets the ball in his hands constantly over his 39mins today and results in 7 turnovers
he was the 6th man last season and still produced the same stats as most of the leagues starting SG. so why force feed him minutes, touches and shots? Harden is able to get his without being put in this situation where he gets more turnovers (and assists) than the starting PG?
we all know Jeremy starts games slow. and we all know hes unselfish. the ball isn't going to disappear into a black hole when it is in Jeremy's hands. so let him do his job and run the point! he has been having great 4th quarters so being benched for the 4th quarter in 2 games straight is just ridiculous! especially when harden is still on the court with a 20point deficit!
if you're going to bench your starting PG then bench the whole starters group! why is harden there risking injury to try to catch up a 20point deficit with pat beverly who is playing his 3rd NBA game this season??
i hate that we can't do anything about this
EVEN IF Lin was an average NBA starting point guard. you are still misusing him. even jeff teague is allowed more freedom than Lin@
i also don't know the reason why jeremy runs the ball past half court and then dumps it off to harden or parsons and then camps in the corner.
is this something that hes deciding to do? or mchale is telling him to do?
it seems contradictory that mchale is saying Lin needs to be more aggressive if the direct order is for Lin to camp in the corner and not get into the play
He did try to make some plays, problem is Nuggets D was pretty stifling and no one was moving off ball, so Harden would run to the top of the key to either set a pick or get the ball on his weak side.
Even our forwards are playing camp the perimeter...So frustrating.
I was only able to watch the 1st half and some of the 3rd, but I guess I didn't miss much since JLin sat the entire 4th again.
I thought JLin played better defense today. He fought through screens and got to Lawson early, but I still would like to see JLin get up on Lawson a bit more to at least prevent him from penetrating. As I mentioned previously, the interior defense, rebounding, and ball deflections in the passing lane were right on par in the 1st half. There was team defense and the Roxs were competitive in the 1st half.
I wasn't paying full attention in the 3rd quarter so I don't even know where to start to analyze, but the Roxs appears to revert back to the old habits of bad defense and other stuff. LOL, what a game. I still can't believe JLin got benched. I need to rewatch the game.
So....From all comments I saw, Lin actually played ok (maybe still flawed of course). The rox related reporters such as Jason, Howard and Johnathan kept tweeting some thing meaningless....and a lot of time, they imply it was JL's issue.....I am speechless.
Yeah, I thought JLin could have given the Rockets a little more offensive thrust in the 3rd, but the entire team was playing poorly. JLin getting benched the entire 4th again is really mind boggling.
Lin actually played very well tonight. Asik and Patterson were setting screens for him and he was looking to attack. Jeremy was setting up his teammates and running the offense. Even Harden set a screen-and-pop for him and was looking to pass at times. Then came the turnovers and poor rebounding. Harden had 7 turnovers. Asik has two of the flimsiest hands in the NBA and kept fumbling rebounds and passes.
On defense, I disagree with you and thought Jeremy guarded Lawson quite well. Unlike in Charlotte, he got some help when needed off screens in the first half. The team defense broke down in the 2nd half though.
Lin's benching tonight was a mistake. There really was no reason to bench him. In fact, I think it hurt Houston in this game. Lin played well on both ends. Beverley brought very little to this game and Lawson had his way with him. Douglas came in and provided some offense but by then it was pretty much garbage time.
I think McHale needs to go back to the substitution rotation where he was staggering Lin and Harden's minutes by using Douglas. Patrick Beverley can be useful at times to provide some energy but he really should be the 3rd PG off the bench.
Hey Racha, someone told me you played in the NBA, and you were making $25mils for a 3 years contract. And you know what? I never even heard of you and anyone saying, "oh, Racha should have done this and that to help his team, or Racha's D could have been better, or Racha was a mediocre player at best." Seriously man, don't use Lin's game to make sense out of your wild fantasy of being a genius at basketball. Let's wait and see if you or your kids or your whole freaking entire family tree ever have someone like JLin, then feel free to get on here and bash whoever you're effing feel like it. But until then, just stfu about your effing negative b.s. about JLin.
Check out the play by play for when JLin brought the score to within 4 with his jumper, and then to have other players turn over/miss, and then miss a lay-up/blocked by McGee before sitting out the rest of the game - his comeuppance for being aggressive.
Support from a previous game where he got a "what the shit" look from McHale after pulling off a similar jumper.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1f2AgZ5w_g
- 15 second mark
Something else that's interesting is the reactions from the coaching staff when JLin makes baskets. Go over past games and look at the difference in Sampson/McHale/Assistant Coaches' reactions when JLin scores vs. when Harden/Parsons/Asik/Anyone else scores. Pretty jokes. Especially focus on points he makes that aren't drives/3-pts.
I still remember b4 this season, McHail said to reporters that he told Lin to be aggressive, and do not worry about been too aggressive, because he will tell Lin if Lin does. I guess Lin is too aggressive already...
I think Morey and McHale's Moneyball philosophy is to take 3s/layups/FTs only and mid range jumper is not encouraged because it's deemed a lower efficient shot. Maybe that's why the coaches didn't like it even Lin made the shot.
Just to clarify - he was pulled at the 3 minute mark of the THIRD, when they were down by 11, after his teammates fucked up 3 plays and blew a 4 point game to 11.
I am starting to wonder if all this is all a publicity stunt. You know, hire a coach that misuses Lin and tanks the team. Hire all the sports writers to write articles that say bad things about Lin which are easy to refute by even the most casual sports fans. Hiring seemingly random posters on forums going around instigating arguments in Lin forums...
Am I paranoid? Well, it sure ain't boring. This whole "PR" thing is more interesting than the actual games.
I really, REALLY think there's truth to what you're insinuating here, Etane, sarcastic or otherwise.
As this story unfolds, I'm reminded of the old WWF feuds/story lines involving the Rock/Steve Austin - purposely setting up antagonists/corrupt reffing/betrayals from supposed allies/collusion from enemies. Like, oddly, eerily similar.
There's legit no way all of this is without any influence and purely a result of the pursuit of a trophy.
then why did harden get 39mins tonight? and all of garbage time too?
how come Lin is always the first starter pulled in the first quarter?
how come when Lin turns over the ball then he always looks towards the bench to see if hes going to get pulled. but harden turns it over 7 times and gets 39mins?
Because Harden is the franchise player so he gets the preferential treatment, understand? Every star player in the nba gets preferential treatment. And as much as we love Lin here as Lin fans, Lin's not deemed as a star player on this team. Is that clear?
I don't see the point of whining of Lin not getting to play in garbage time to pad stats. You guys act like Lin should play 48 mins every game and should never be rested.
"Did Lin get his eye brows trimmed along with his new hair do?" seems like it. lol. it must be an accident! cause it looks weird and not perfectly trimmed!
Chill! Nothing is clear and I dont understand you AT ALL. You really dont make sense.
You say Lin didnt get to play garbage time but - did Lin win games in garbage time last season? He did!
Did Beverly - a noname player from nowhere cut into TDs and Lins playing time? Oh yes!
Does that make Lin and TD look bad in the eyes of bball fans? Yes!
Do people have the feeling that McHale blames the bad team performance on Lin? Yes!
You say that Harem (I now call Harden so) gets preferential treatment but how is that preferential treatment?
Havent you seen his numbers go down? Havent you seen him getting slower and slower? The man is being run into the ground.
You seriously believe that the man wants to play 40 minutes a night? Have you ever played against good players for 40 minutes? Day in and day out?
Dont you think that bad sub pattern is one of the many problems that the Rockets have right now?
Seriously - I have pointed out many times that my expectation was low and that I wouldnt be disappointed if the team didnt get far - they are so young.
But - McHale and his buddies arent young. They are supposed to be coaching! I would at least want to see the team make progress every now and then.
But - what I see is that there is no system behind it all. No good gameplans, no strucutre within the team, bad role asignemnts, players not playing at their best, players losing confidence... that aint progress...
McHale looks lost and sound confused in the post game...and of course when asked about Lin, he said everything is going to be fine, no its not you moron
I dont neccessarily want Lin traded but I sure want him to be on a team where he can play his game.
Whether being a bench player is bad or not depends on who is the starting PG. Imagine Lin behind Nash. Nash would basicly be Lins mentor. Wouldnt that be great?
Did anyone see that Lin is ranked #11 most eligible bachelor by Town and Country? The only people that ranked higher than him were mostly princes and heirs. Lol. Lin has clout.
Come on guys. Relax, don't be too serious. NBA is a Entertainment show Business instead a pure sport. I am very satisfy bc JLin already has a 25M 3 years contract on hand compare to almost got cut last year. Just sit back and enjoy the drama show keep going. I believe Lin will continue give us a good show rest of the year. Below is joke to entertain JLin's fan.
14 days ago, Harden and Lin conspire to have McFail be fired.
Lin: What should we do?
Harden: Let's just miss all the 3 point shot. That's coach only strategic anyway. Then plus some TOs. Loss 9 out of 10. That will do it.
Lin: ok, let's do it.
Loss Loss Loss Loss Loss Loss Loss Won Loss Loss
After 9 games.....
Harden: Damn.. why you can rested right away when you had only 1 TO. But after my 7 TOs and we are way behind, I still had to run 43 minutes. Do They try to kill me?
Wow...Is GSW that good? Beat the Clippers and now the Thunders. Watching that game and the Rox's game is like watching playoff basketball vs preseason basketball, preseason basketball being the Rox, of course. This is sad.
Yup. GSW is the most exciting team right now after they fired Keith Smart and hired Mark Jackson. Now, they just need Lin to complete the picture, connect the dots, cross the Ts, dot the Is... Houston is a joke!
No, we don't need Golden State that cut Lin because Jerry West and Mark Jackson think that Charles Jenkins is a better player than Lin.
I had my doubts about Jerry West when he ditched Shane Battier, but I lost whatever support I had for West when he ejected Lin. I only could shake my head when West was asked about Lin last season and West said "My God, what a player!"
I really don't understand this "coach". I put that in quotes because I don't know what he is but he is no coach. How is it that you do not know the strengths of your starting PG? I saw a clip of D'Antoni being asked about Jeremy (I think it was shortly after D'Antoni became the coach for the Lakers), and clearly D'Antoni knows the kind of player Jeremy is and can be. I am summarizing but he basically said that Jeremy might not always have a great first half but gets going in the second, and that Jeremy just needs a consistent jumper. It's as if McHale was under a rock last year and knows absolutely nothing about Jeremy's game, and has learned nothing thus far this season. I still remember the Knicks commentators saying, "He's got his fourth quarter moves on," and stats about how he was one of the players who scored the most in the fourth.
I would love to see Jeremy here with the Lakers and D'Antoni. I mean honestly, Nash is 39 and Duhon and Morris have not helped much although they are okay. Who know about Blake since he's been out. I saw a part of Backstage Lakers where Nash was showing some moves/giving pointers to Duhon and all I could think was how much Jeremy could learn.
At the same time, if Jeremy came here now, with all the Lakers troubles, he would likely be crucified in the media if he didn't play like he did last year under D'Antoni.
Is sports reporting is soft generally? It certainly isn't in LA from what I've seen. I don't know what's up in Houston. People seem scared to ask direct questions and get to the heart of the matter. No offense to anyone there. For example, there is a turnover issue, and Harden has a high turnover rate, so why does he keep having so much of the ball-handling duties? I support Harden but he needs time to adapt too and I do think it is a lot on him and it will wear him down.
RE: Jeremy's D. I also saw a clip where Robert Horry was talking about Jeremy's good defense during halftime of the Lakers game in Houston. He was saying how Jeremy was a "pest." Haha. I also remember that the Knicks defense, after Jeremy became a starter, improved a lot.
I mean speculating as to the why it seems this "coach" is seemingly sabatoging Jeremy is useless, but it boggles my mind everytime. No player deserves this. Frankly, I am sorry about what happened with the "coach's" daughter but this is a business, a multi-million dollar franchise, and this coaching staff is a biggest liability. I believe this team, as presently constituted, has a chance of making the playoffs, but only with the right coach. You can't keep changing rotations. We're more than halfway through the season and chemistry isn't going to get better by changing it up constantly. Nor is it the answer to get consistent wins.
RE: TD. I really like TD. I think he knows what Jeremy is capable of, obviously because he saw firsthand what Jeremy did last year with the Knicks. There are clips where TD gives Jeremy a hug or a high five last year, and I think TD is a good guy. He doesn't deserve what he has been experiencing either.
Also, I think the starters need to have a starters dinner.
I have been reading but never commented. Just had to vent. Thanks.
McHale is probably the worst coach you can have for a very young team - no structure, bad communication, arbitrary decision-making, no clear roles for players. Actually, he's just a bad coach, period. This is the most visibly incompetent coaching I've seen in the NBA, and he has no answers for questions about Lin because he really has no answers - he doesn't know what he's doing.
It's really too bad that this is going on in houston and so the national media hasn't picked up on this.
Rockets can't keep it going, lose to Nuggets - from csnhouston
SYNOPSIS The Rockets turned the ball over a bunch and kept on doing so throughout on their way to a 105-95 loss to the Nuggets.
James Harden finished with 23 points and seven assists, but he also had seven turnovers. As a team, the Rockets had 22 turnovers.
TURNING POINT The Rockets were within two points at 59-57 in the third quarter. Then, the Nuggets made a 13-2 run. From that point on, the wheels came off. Denver outscored Houston 36-22 in that third quarter.
FROM THE FIELD The Rockets were 37-83 from the field for 45 percent. From distance, they were 11-for-34. They actually started out pretty hot from the outside at 6-13, but the finish wasn’t so amazing.
AT THE LINE On the bright side, the Rockets hit their free throws, hitting 10-13. The Nuggets focused a ton on limiting Harden’s free throw trips and they succeeded. Harden only had five free throw attempts. He hit all of them.
HIGHLIGHT REEL Harden had a nice through-the-lane dunk. Javale McGee had a million dunks for Denver. At least, that’s what it felt like. He’ll be making the national highlights.
UP NEXT The Rockets have a practice day before going to New Orleans to take on the Hornets on Friday. The Hornets only have 14 wins on the year, but they’ve been a lot better with Eric Gordon back in the lineup. They’ve won seven of their last nine heading into Wednesday night’s action.
Lin, McHale: Team confidence an issue - from csnhouston
After Wednesday's loss to the Nuggets, Jeremy Lin and Kevin McHale both say the team needs to improve its confidence.
When asked whether confidence or focus caused all the different lapses in the game, McHale responded, "Right now, we're low on confidence."
To which Lin said: "I think we, as a team, from the coaching staff to the players, we've got to get back to feeling good about ourselves and feeling confident about what we're doing. Right now, I think there's a hint of hesitation and I think that's hurting. I think people are trying to make the right plays, definitely, but I think we're trying to figure it all out. And I think everyone's thinking a lot. Everyone has a lot on their minds right now."
The Rockets have now lost eight of their last nine games.
The problem is McHale to dumb to comprehend what Lin is saying. He doesn't know how to read between the lines. Can't get a clue. Doesn't have a clue. He is clueless. He is a cancer.
This reminds me of a fake joke flowing around regarding Lin and McGee=McHale.
JaVale McGee Can anybody help me with my math homework? Mom won't let me play until it's done.
Jeremy Lin Sure, JaVale. What are you having trouble with?
JaVale McGee Math.
Jeremy Lin ...No JaVale, what are you not getting in math?
JaVale McGee The answer.
Jeremy Lin Ok, so what's the question?
JaVale McGee The question is if you'll help me in math or not!
Jeremy lin ...........We're gonna be here for a while.
Rockets blown out; Lin sits out 4th quarter - from csnhouston.com
In this Mandarin Minute, Howard Chen AKA 陳定豪 explains that while Jeremy Lin sat the fourth quarter for a second straight game, that wasn't why the Rockets lost to Denver.
A 36-22 Nuggets third quarter gave them a double-digit lead. Kevin McHale's rotations have usually featured Lin coming in in the latter half of the fourth quarter. By the time that point of the game rolled around, the Rockets were hopelessly out of it.
Whether Lin played the fourth quarter or not, he or his benching wasn't the reason the team lost. The team had a total of 22 turnovers, just two off a season high. Afterwards, the mood in the locker room was somber. All of the Rockets, be it Coach McHale or the players, said the defense was an issue. They said they came out flat. They said the ball movement wasn't there. They said the offense wasn't good.
The Rockets have now lost eight of their last nine. Their next game is on Friday night against the Hornets.
With another terrible start and second-half collapse in the books, Rockets coach Kevin McHale was open to making changes. He just did not have much enthusiasm for it. The problems, he knew, were much deeper than changing the names introduced before the game.
“We’re going to have to take a look at everything right now,” he said after the Denver Nuggets rolled to a 22-point lead and easily sent the Rockets to 105-95 loss Wednesday night at Toyota Center. “But mostly, we have to get back to (being) us.”
McHale hoped getting back to what had worked before the Rockets cratered would be a solution because if this is who they really are, the past two weeks of losing will be a maddening prelude to the agonizing times ahead.
As with their stretch of eight losses in nine games, the Rockets were going well, hit a rough spot and then fell apart, demonstrating many of the issues of the January collapse. They made 21 mostly careless turnovers before they even reached the fourth quarter. They stopped running, stopped moving the ball and themselves. They were beaten off the dribble on defense and in the paint.
“We just need to do a good job of being ourselves the whole game,” Jeremy Lin said. “We show stints and spurts of who we can be. Then we show spurts of who we don’t want to be.”
Everything the Rockets had hoped to solve at their Tuesday practice and had seemed to have corrected after Wednesday’s poor start fell apart until the Nuggets’ Wilson Chandler was almost skipping down the lane to the rim and JaVale McGee was tossing a pass to himself off the backboard to a one-hand catch and spike.
“It was like it’s been for a while with us,” McHale said after a long postgame, locker-room session. “It just snowballs on us. You call a timeout. Call another one. We’re not able to pull ourselves out of those minor tailspins.”
Flurry of turnovers More than be incapable or turning around the runs that typically come in NBA games or seasons, the Rockets have increasingly pressed until they have exacerbated the problems. On Wednesday, that led to the third-quarter flurry of turnovers
and stagnant possessions, not only limiting themselves offensively but kick-starting Denver’s offense to take off the other way.
“Right now, everybody’s kind of holding the ball,” McHale said. “The ball’s not flying around. That’s been going on for a while.”
A team built to run and move the ball, the Rockets have forced themselves to go one-on-one, sometimes just to beat the shot clock. In the third quarter, when the Nuggets took command with 61.9 percent shooting against a porous defense, James Harden was the only Rockets player with an assist and the team did not score a single point on the break.
A matter of trust “If you get down and someone wants to make plays to get us back in the game, that leads to excessive dribbling, trying to put the game on your shoulders,” Patrick Patterson said. “James is a great player. James is our best player, hands down. But we all try to make plays for ourselves and sometimes for our teammates when we should just pass the ball and set screens.
“When you get down, people try to make the big home-run play. We have to stop doing that. We have to learn to trust in the system, trust our teammates and share the ball.”
The issue, however, is not that the Rockets cannot still play the way they must.
Even on Wednesday, they had a 12-0 second-quarter run to a lead when they packed the paint, rebounded, took care of the ball and ran. They just have been unable to stick with their style and priorities through the tough times.
A matter of trust “If you get down and someone wants to make plays to get us back in the game, that leads to excessive dribbling, trying to put the game on your shoulders,” Patrick Patterson said. “James is a great player. James is our best player, hands down. But we all try to make plays for ourselves and sometimes for our teammates when we should just pass the ball and set screens.
Lin getting more time on bench - houston chronicles
For a second consecutive game, Jeremy Lin sat out the entire fourth quarter, this time with the game out of hand and Toney Douglas playing down the stretch. Lin was out the last 15 minutes Monday in Charlotte and to start the second half Saturday in Minnesota. He said he did not like being benched, but the concern at the time was on ending the losing streak.
“No player ever wishes that on themselves, but me, Chandler (Parsons) and Pat (Patterson) were all the bench,” Lin said. “We honestly all wanted to win. We didn’t care. We obviously wanted to play, but we don’t care. We just wanted the win. Losing seven in a row was a terrible feeling. We’re happy we could get the win.”
He also said he saw areas in which to improve.
“Just being more of a pest on defense,” Lin said. “For me, it’s just finding a way to be effective every game and to be consistent. One of our weaknesses, one of my weaknesses, is just the inconsistency of everything.”
Everybody has some weaknesses - it doesnt matter. What matters is remember your strength and keep going.
I always say -> Boris Becker was never that great a player - in terms of overall talent. But he knew what he was good at - he forced him opponents into their weak spots and he was an ass. So... he became a champ.
With another terrible start and second-half collapse in the books, Rockets coach Kevin McHale was open to making changes. He just did not have much enthusiasm for it. The problems, he knew, were much deeper than changing the names introduced before the game.
“We’re going to have to take a look at everything right now,” he said after the Denver Nuggets rolled to a 22-point lead and easily sent the Rockets to 105-95 loss Wednesday night at Toyota Center. “But mostly, we have to get back to (being) us.”
McHale hoped getting back to what had worked before the Rockets cratered would be a solution because if this is who they really are, the past two weeks of losing will be a maddening prelude to the agonizing times ahead.
As with their stretch of eight losses in nine games, the Rockets were going well, hit a rough spot and then fell apart, demonstrating many of the issues of the January collapse. They made 21 mostly careless turnovers before they even reached the fourth quarter. They stopped running, stopped moving the ball and themselves. They were beaten off the dribble on defense and in the paint.
“We just need to do a good job of being ourselves the whole game,” Jeremy Lin said. “We show stints and spurts of who we can be. Then we show spurts of who we don’t want to be.”
Everything the Rockets had hoped to solve at their Tuesday practice and had seemed to have corrected after Wednesday’s poor start fell apart until the Nuggets’ Wilson Chandler was almost skipping down the lane to the rim and JaVale McGee was tossing a pass to himself off the backboard to a one-hand catch and spike.
“It was like it’s been for a while with us,” McHale said after a long postgame, locker-room session. “It just snowballs on us. You call a timeout. Call another one. We’re not able to pull ourselves out of those minor tailspins.”
Flurry of turnovers More than be incapable or turning around the runs that typically come in NBA games or seasons, the Rockets have increasingly pressed until they have exacerbated the problems. On Wednesday, that led to the third-quarter flurry of turnovers
and stagnant possessions, not only limiting themselves offensively but kick-starting Denver’s offense to take off the other way.
“Right now, everybody’s kind of holding the ball,” McHale said. “The ball’s not flying around. That’s been going on for a while.”
A team built to run and move the ball, the Rockets have forced themselves to go one-on-one, sometimes just to beat the shot clock. In the third quarter, when the Nuggets took command with 61.9 percent shooting against a porous defense, James Harden was the only Rockets player with an assist and the team did not score a single point on the break.
A matter of trust “If you get down and someone wants to make plays to get us back in the game, that leads to excessive dribbling, trying to put the game on your shoulders,” Patrick Patterson said. “James is a great player. James is our best player, hands down. But we all try to make plays for ourselves and sometimes for our teammates when we should just pass the ball and set screens.
“When you get down, people try to make the big home-run play. We have to stop doing that. We have to learn to trust in the system, trust our teammates and share the ball.”
The issue, however, is not that the Rockets cannot still play the way they must.
Even on Wednesday, they had a 12-0 second-quarter run to a lead when they packed the paint, rebounded, took care of the ball and ran. They just have been unable to stick with their style and priorities through the tough times.
Lol. Good point. It also made it plain and clear that Beverly and TD are just back-up point guards and are not the "sparks" that can get the team going.
That spark is on the team, but, because Harden dominates the ball, that spark is relegated to being a spot-up shooter instead of a play-maker.
The solution is obvious and basic basketball 101 - have your point guard actually play point guard and run the offense.
Stagnant play, players holding the ball - gee, who does that on the Rockets?
Harden is looking a lot like Carmelo, a superstar player who makes the players around him worse. He's the supreme ballstopper, and ballstoppers stop ball movement. You want to have the ball moving, McHale? Stop having the ballstopper have the ball ALL the fucking time.
Oh, even more irony - the Linsanity documentary was screened tonight while McHale was doing his best to turn an inspirational story into a tragi-comedy.
Interesting comment from George Karl on Jeremy Lin:
"But with Lin, as Nuggets coach George Karl pointed out, "I still think he's the motor of their team, and when he plays well, they have a good chance of beating people.""
Robert horry apart from praising lin's defense also said : " the way lin plays is how the rockets go". We don't need to be experts to see that if lin is given freedom to play his game , he normally plays well and more often than not his team wins.
It's nice to see that George Karl and Robert Horry can see what we all can plainly see - that Lin is the best player on the Rockets and as he goes, so does the team.
I still think that the Rockets are tanking on Lin.
Let's see Lin's ball usage and defensive help and playcalling privileges approach that of a normal point guard coming off the BENCH.
Then if Lin can't produce, I'll start calling him "barely above average" or "not elite" or any other fake compliment that critics use to undercut his OVERSIZED production in his current situation.
We should somehow send those positive and insightful comments regarding Lin to Les.
Is there any financially resourceful Asian GM out there that would build a team around Lin? Just wishing that some Chinese rich boss would buy up a NBA team and showcase Lin.
Lin doesn't need an Asian owner, just like you and I don't neccesarily need an Asian employer. Lin will showcase himself off in no time. Any intelligent and sensible owners will do so too.
Royce White must be laughing his ass off right now. "I'm glad I'm not a part of that train wreck ... just hold off and keep actin' crazy ... then I can be traded to the Thunder, Heat, or Bulls. I'm a genius."
Royce is a case of its own. Jeremy does whatever is asked of him but Royce doesnt. JLin therefor gets the respect of a lot of coaches and players - people are kind of fed up when it comes to Royce. McHale wanted Royce when no one else did. JLin doesnt owe McHale anything. Royce does...
Mchale: I think people think of Jeremy as a (veteran), but Jeremy has started 68 games. So he's going to go up and down, and that's not untypical. And I don't know why people are surprised. People are starting to play him differently; he has adjustments to make."
I like the last line "People (meaning me, Kevin McHale) are starting to play him differently (specifically OFF GUARD or OFF THE COURT IN THE 4th Q); he has adjustments to make (to my poor coaching decisions; specifically those that don't allow him to utilize his strengths.)
ultimate rockets comment from someone at the toyota center
27211 12:30 AM on January 24, 2013 I was in the arena and actually could feel the game. The laudest moment was when Jeremy made the tough shot for 3 points play in second qtr. That is also the qauter that rockets made lead 44-40. Lin scored most of his 9 points in that qtr. Why coach benched Lin is beyond comprehension. Beverly played good defense, that enforced the team including Lin up their D. However, without Lin on the floor, the team was not playing organized ball. It was chaos and ugly to watch to say the least. Lin was on the bench heads down with his towel. At one moment even Harden was kind of lost like day dreaming when TD tried to pass him the ball.
I would say this Mchale and his coaching staff will not last long, because they are not good at coaching. Sooner or later they will get dismissed. Now I understand why Timberwolves dismissed him. He shouldn't be a NBA coach.
When the "coach" says about Lin, "Well, he played 24 minutes... He will be fine." Is he saying what I think he is saying? Even the Denver's coach has more respect for Lin than his own coach. It's there anyways that we can demand change? I'm tired of this.
How about Jeremy to Orlando for Jameer Nelson? The salaries match.
Nelson is a veteran with a solid 3pt shot. Jeremy is younger with more upside. Houston needs a vet to keep Harden in line and manage TOs. Orlando has tons of 3pt shooters to complement an attacking PG like Jeremy.
Either that or fire McHale. And Morey while you're at it.
So far I've seen Larry Drew and George Karl make positive comments, not to mention D'Antoni. (Did I miss anyone else?) On the other hand, we also have confirmed non-believers/haters/racists in Keith Smart, Kevin McHale/Kelvin Sampson, Mike Woodson and Avery Johnson.
I think it's more, Rockets fans are ignorant, fools and don't deserve Lin. They don't get out of clutch fans, they don't like facts or stats and they call everyone who disagrees with them a player only fan. That place sucks because of Clutch, the forum owner. He sets the tone...an ignorant, hate-filled one at that.
Here's the turning point of the game in Q3, from a 4-point deficit all the way up to 16 by the end of the quarter:
4:54 63-59 Jeremy Lin makes 13-foot two point shot 4:47 JaVale McGee makes two point shot (Ty Lawson assists) 65-59 4:35 65-59 James Harden bad pass (Wilson Chandler steals) 4:24 Danilo Gallinari makes 23-foot three point jumper (Ty Lawson assists) 68-59
Without a doubt, some idiot on BR will still find a way to pin it on Lin, despite him not being in the game half the time. The only even-keeled columnists on BR that I've seen so far are Maxwell Ogden, Marshall Zweig and Matt Dagostino.
here is the issue... in this sequence LIN is guarding LAWSON I believe... and Sampson immediately called for a sub for LIN because he thought LIN allowed LAWSON to penetrate too far. I saw this on the TV. Also, this is close to the normal sub time for LIN... he usually comes out after 8 minutes in a quarter... so its a convenient excuse to take LIN out too. The problem here is... after LIN hit his shot... its time for a pick and roll with LIN... there is rarely ever any focus to get people HOT except HARDEN. We all know Jeremy is a guy who puts things together in sequences. McHale rarely, if ever, tries to create flow for him. And, yes, Jeremy allowed some deep penetration... but this is not a game of perfection. Jeremy had been containing Lawson the better part of the night in the half court. The guy who should have come out fo the game and should come out of the game after 8 minutes is Harden, the ISO, ball stopping, Turnover Machine.
Jeremy Lin is playing his game, no matter what stunts are being pulled.
The result is that everybody can see he's doing his best, especially the head coach of the opposing team who gets an And1 for calling out Lin as the Rockets most important player.
Lin just has to keep on having games like this, no matter what happens in Houston. Everything else is out of his control.
I'm a bit torn on this. As a father I sympathize with McHale's tremendous loss, there is no sorrow greater than that of losing a child. That said, McHale is acting like a fool in exposing himself to what he's desperately trying to avoid: eating crow. In trying to prove that he did no wrong in waiving Lin in 2011, McHale plays Lin out of position to "expose" Lin. However, with the seven losses and last night's clear indication of failed PG experiment (Harden, Parsons, Beverley, TD or anyone but Lin as primary ball-handlers), he's shot himself in the foot. There is no shame for a professional, especially with his achievement, to backpedal on a decision and admit error. What's more, it shows class and professionalism. Sometimes you just gotta swallow your pride to regain respect, denial will only shove you into a downward spiral. The Rockets current state proves that all too well.
I agreed with KHuang that Jeremy played his game today. He took good shots and did not shy away from taking shots. He also found teammates that are opened, but they did not have confident to shoot. 2 TO to Asik can easily be points if Asik has better hands. So from my perspective, Jeremy had a good game.
(Rox coaches' decisions and skills are very questionable, but making coaching decisions are not the responsibility of the point guard.)
I myself don't have any problems with other players handling the ball and assuming Lin's turnovers.
What I do have a problem is the ongoing refusal of teammates to play team basketball with Lin on both ends of the court.
I also have an issue with McHale is that simply allowing teammates to ignore Lin is both fatal to the team and the coaching staff. McHale needs to stop preaching ping pong ball and START COACHING.
I wish McHale had a legendary coach on his staff the way Phil Jackson did with the TRUE force behind him, Tex Winter. One day Phil Jackson was coaching the Lakers and they were getting beat while he passively watched his players trying to play freeball with the triangle offense. In the ensuing timeout, assistant Winter jumped off the bench into head coach Jackson's face and screamed "You better do some coaching!!!!"
I guess nobody even posted this except for comments from Ppat, but clearly in this video he is blaming the loss on Harden in a polite way and telling Harden to stop being a ball hog and play team ball.
Finally somebody calls out Harden besides the coach staff. I am beginning to believe that most of the Houston players see this, but are too afraid to voice their opinions. Houston is going into a tail spin right now and Les needs to take a hard look at all the games that Houston lost. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that everybody is playing out of their position. When Lin was with the Knicks last year, the reason the Knicks were winning is because Lin found his teammates and put the ball in their natural position to score. He maximizes his teammates abilities. Houston is far from being on the same wavelength as the Knicks last year because they do not have veterans savyness. The Harden as PG experiment is not working and the Beverly for Lin experiment is not working. Since none of your BIGS can actually play inside the paint except for maybe Asik who has hands like butter then perhaps it is time to rethink this. Let Lin play and work it through even if he makes mistakes. Sub Lin out when he is tired and needs the rest and bring him back in when you need the final push, especially in the 4th quarter where Lin always excel. This formula has been working for Houston and I don't know why they ran away from it. You don't always need to be constantly running in order to win the game. Rest your main players and have them rested for the 4th quarter. You will run your guys ragged when you keep them out there too long even in a blow out loss.
Wow - at first I thought he was talking about Lin (cause everybody seems to blame the asian guy) but it became quite clear that he was talking jabout James Harden when he said "James" :)
PPat: "James is a great player, don't get me wrong. We all tried to make plays for ourselves (and for our teammates) ... but we should just pass the ball, move the ball, set screens, sacrifice ourselves to make this team a better team. When you get down, you tend to have plays where people want to make the Big Play. We have to STOP doing that We need learn to trust the system, trust our teammates, pretty much share the ball, average high assists, get to the free throw lines, knock down shots and we have the big wins"
You gotta respect PPat for speaking his mind. There is some disconnect from what players discussed during MN player-only dinner to what transpired in the past 2 games. This is the first time players shared disconnect with the media. Big changes will come soon.
Hey KHuang I think you said something before about how vets speaking out but looks like 2pat is so pinning it on James playing iso! Oh boy you can see the restrained anger in his face!
Great post John Ly. Who on the team actively searching for his teammates and trusting his teammates to make plays regardless of their inconsistency? Like I posted before, Jeremy just has to do his job with passion and fun, and leave the rest to God. Godspeed Jeremy.
But I did suspect a major disconnect between the frontcourt and the perimeter players.
I think that the frontcourt is mad at Harden for bricking and turnovering selfishly and is especially mad at Lin for being Asian and not getting them the ball "enough". My suspicion is that the frontcourt is punishing Harden by not protecting him on defense and taking the brunt of their anger out on Lin since Lin is the player most involved in trying to make guys better.
Patterson can moan and gripe about Harden all he wants. But he's gotta start setting those picks for Lin and helping Lin cover guys when he gets pick and rolled without defensive coverage.
What enrages me about this Rockets team is that Lin is trying his hardest to make guys better, yet they keep backstabbing him.
If I were coach, I'd likely scream my frontcourt to STOP TANKING and play their roles, scream at Harden to stop playing SCARED and let guys pass to him within the flow of the offense, and token growl at Lin to keep running the show just to let everybody know I wasn't playing favorites.
dang. I thought I was fairer than Gregg Popovich who I don't think is fair at all. Oh well, I'd be a scrub coach too. NEXT to myself.
KHuang, I don't sense animosity towards Lin from Patterson in the interview.
He only played 15 min in the DEN game, was benched 2 min earlier than Lin in the 3Q and never entered the game again.
PPat was really thinking about the lack of ball movement when Harden tried to play big to get fouled driving to the baskets without involving his teammates much. Lin was always circling around to find open teammates.
I didn't think 2P specifically called out Haren but was stating the obvious that the team does too much individual stat padding instead of sharing/moving the ball and make some sacrifices for the good of the team.
Here are my novice wannabe coach's suggestions (everybody please pick them apart, as I don't actually care what people think of me but care very much about the hoopz).
Bear in mind that these suggestions are geared toward expanding Lin's role on the team so that everyone can win.
1) Give James Harden a Reggie Miller video and demand that he BE a NBA shooting guard by moving without the basketball. Instead of letting defenses (and now recalcitrant teammates) load up on him, run AWAY from those defenses and let Lin do the Stockton to Malone. I wanna see Harden do flex cuts, flare cuts off the give and go, divedowns, and backscreens.
2) Run a UCLA high post screener set with Asik and Greg Smith utilizing Parsons and Morris. Basically this set puts the center at the high post on one side of the basket and then uses a perimeter player to run an Adolph Rupp "guard around" play where that perimeter guy dribbles behind the screen. In the UCLA play, the guard hands the ball off to Asik and Asik is forced to make the pass. I'd rather Asik making passes than catching them, plus Asik needs to feel more included in offensive decisionmaking. Some of those Asik passes could go to a cutting Lin moving off the ball on the other side of the court. This is a routine NBA set used by all teams.
3) Run a true Lin isolation play. I have written here that there is no such thing as a true isolation play in the NBA because it still requires the cooperation of the 4 other players. As I am a fan of isoball, I'd like to see Lin stare down the middle of the court and call guys to screen for him as he sees fit. Lin would probably pass for assists out of isolation more than he'd shoot it himself.
4) Play the young bigs, Jones and Motiejeunas. When Hubie Brown coached the Grizzlies, he said that he played at least 10 guys because his uptempo system was so physically demanding. The Rockets need to play those two because they have springy young legs. A guy like Jones would be able to pogo stick against trampoline players like Nic Batum or bash around Pac Man players like Kenneth Faried, and Motie provides some length and offensive skills that Asik will never had. I'd also like to see some BIG lineups where Lin is on the court with Marcus Morris at 2, Jones at 3, Motie at 4, and Asik at 5.
5) Institute a hard man to man defense rule. For all the trapping done in today's NBA, it's still a man to man league. The problem with the Rockets is that their players are tanking on Lin defensively. Yet a simple man to man scheme would at least put another player out on the perimeter when Lin is getting screened often by more than one big. Also, then nondefenders like Parsons and Harden could be held accountable for blown assignments.
Don't buy into the GARBAGE spewed out by my haters here, JK.
That race card thing is so overblown. I usually am the one defending myself against sociopaths and psychopaths who love to flame me because of my Asian screenname.
Leave the race card stuff out of this, JK. Otherwise I WILL make it an issue between you and me.
Seriously, your point 4 echoes what I've said during the past few days that the team needs to rotate players more often to keep their legs fresh as well as giving younger players a chance to see real minutes.
But, honestly, it's hard to provide constructive criticisms on this forum anymore when Houston coaches are total jokers.
I live in the SF Bay Area, am Asian American and came to be a fan of Lin's originally, because I have followed the Warriors for decades. They are doing great lately (It's a great time out!) I bought NBA League Pass so I could watch Houston as well. I now find the Rockets to be an unwatchable waste of time. The money I spent is a sunk cost. I still come to this site to get news and opinions on the Lin situation and watch highlights when links are posted so thanks to everyone's thoughts positive or negative. As a Lin fan, I'm still in, as a Rockets fan, I'm out.
@getjie: I'm in a similar boat as you. I'm a basketball nut. I live in Chicago, am Asian American, and Lin is my favorite player though the Bulls are my favorite team. Bulls are doing great despite being without D.Rose thus far. I bought NBA League Pass during Houston's win streak so I could see Jeremy in action and I thought Houston's uptempo style would be entertaining in contrast to the Bulls defensive-minded style.
You're right. This team has become unbearable to watch. NBA-LP is starting to look like a waste of money. The Rockets looked decent in the 1st half yesterday (guys were cutting, setting screens, Jeremy looked good running the team and looking for his shot), but then they sunk into the same ol' ugly ball. They play terrible defense. If they get stuck in a half-court game, they stand around and look befuddled while Harden coughs up turnovers and struggles to get his 20. I like Harden, but I don't think his skills are being used to get wins. He shouldn't handle the ball as much as he does.
And I think McHale is a bad head coach. I'm not sure why Houston hired him other than the fact that he was a great player. But great players often don't make great coaches (or GMs for that matter---McHale has been both). He did very little in Minnesota and was in and out as a head coach up there. Has he even coached a full NBA season?
Anyway, like you, I'm still a Lin fan, but I'm not into these Rockets except that I like to criticize them.
On a side note: I had an opportunity to catch J.Lin face off against my Bulls at the United Center on Christmas Day, but my wife wouldn't allow it because of family time on Christmas. Understandable, but now she owes me a trip to Houston. Haha.
I agree - I got the LP too to watch JLin since he is not in NY anymore (our family rooted for Knicks for years even through the bad times, but cannot find a reason to do it any longer after how they handled the issue with Lin the past off season). These rockets games are hard to watch but i still watch to support J Lin, although it would just get me upset and so is like self torture. I just feel for Lin since if we here are feeling this upset one can only imagine what he is going though.
Honestly, after the past few games and losses I am getting numb about it, maybe it's good since it has been emotionally draining lol! Still concerned about the treatment JLin is getting though and hope it will all turn out good for him at the end. Proud to be a fan and will continue to support!
Heh I'm a Lin only fan that is now a NBA fan, I seriously written off basketball since the late 90s early 2ks.
Lin is a breath of fresh air, watching him command the court is like watching poetry in motion. Yes I know there are other greats like CP3 and upcoming Kyrie but none of them made a team hustle as much as Lin did...His overwhelming offensive flow is hard to contain, and just when you think you've stopped him he'll put a dagger in your back...Funny thing is I think Lin is perfect with the kind of tempo Rockets play, if they didn't misuse him Rockets would be kicking league's asses all day, because Lin elevates his team. When he is in charge you'd get 4-6 players with double digits.
I bought leaguepass both seasons, I get 25% discount because I work for one of the media companies but still not cheap. Just so I can watch Lin play.
I also watch Clippers/GSW/Spurs/Bulls games now as well. NBA should be THANKING Lin but they are treating him like sh*t.
I don't really understand why they are doing this to such a good kid? If JLin's a arrogant and obnoxious person like most NBA players, then I can make some sense out of this, but he's not. He's the ideal role model for millions around the world, not just for his basketball talents but also for his genuine good character. Honestly, I even named my nephew after Jeremy, who was born on September 9th, 2012. If my nephew grows up to be half the man JLin is, I will be a happy uncle.
A couple of things that I think are happening: I think Mchale is having a mental breakdown and also Morey wants to get Finch to be the new head coach, because finch coached the Vipers to a championship. Also Finch coached the Russian Olympic team, where Morey was in attendance. Mchale is not Morey's pick. What better way to get rid of Mchale then to let him shoot himself in the foot.just sayin
If I wanted a coach that REALLY understood Lin and knew exactly how to deploy him, I'd go with the ONLY pro coach that has ever truly understood Lin's full ability:
Eric Musselman.
Under Musselman, Lin and the Reno Bighorns totally dominated the D League. Though I wasn't on this board at the time, I was hoping that Golden State would leave Lin down there long enough to win the D League Championship. But Lin was 1st Team All D League under Musselman who adored Lin's winning ways.
I know nothing about Chris Finch and his philosophy. But I do know that Eric Musselman would deploy Lin properly in the NBA.
@KHuang personally I think it is more of Lin than Musselman. Lin was under NBA contract at the time so Lin was the man of the team so to speak. But Musselman did a good job by not messing Lin up.
Houston Rockets to be in great trouble. McFail, Isoball Harden, team players talking in the press and only Lin continues thinking on your team. Lin is much more than just a great player, he is a great person
I m so upset...as a fan, I wish I could do something about it...I wish the we have a voice. Somebody need to question the Rockets organization. I m sick of this
ReplyDeleteI m tired of hearing McHale saying "everything is fine and he is going to be OK" after everything game
DeleteIt's f€?&ing bs !!! His overall game was one of the best among the starter... Why bench him ? Mchale is really gonna lose his job soon ...
ReplyDeleteI couldn't believe what I was seeing today. McFail tried to punk out his own starting PG by not allowing lin to play any min on the 4Q again!!!! *OMFG*
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, for McFail it didn't work this time around.
How can a coach do this to his own starting PG???? Are you kidding me!?!?!?!! Your entire D system is broken!!!
Today I have lost full respect for McFail!!
JLin it's time you should be vocal about this BS! This is total nonense!!
I guess he was trying to make a point. Had McHale won this one Lin would have looked pretty bad.
DeleteYes... the organisation has pointed out couple of times that they sub players to get the most energy out on the court but that does not explain why James Harlem plays that much.
Dont get me wrong. Harden is awesome but only in one aspect of the game. Also - his numbers 8 of 17 and 2 of 6...??? Turnovers??? Id rather see Harlem play less minutes but - he could play more energetic and also play some d.
Right now the whole team is set to give Harden a lot of shots but it aint working.
I want more Lin/TD action - without Harden...
Oops - I meant to write "Harem" instead of "Harlem".
DeleteHarem because -> no D but lots of money, minutes and maids.
The Rockets confidence are running on empty. The team fought hard in the first half yet it was shattered like broken glass in the second half. All I can do is watch in agony.
ReplyDeleteIt may be revenge from McHale after he received tons of emails/text messages.... from angry fan..... that is unprofessional.... but what can you do.... can someone setup a fire McHale petition of some sort....
ReplyDeleteShitstorm on Facebook! Thats not a petition but it gives the organisation an idea of what people are thinking.
DeleteI did not see the game today, how was Lin's defense? Is PB still the "sparks"?
ReplyDeleteFirst 33 minutes of the game, during which JLin played 24 minutes, Lawson had 11 pts.
DeleteFinal 15 minutes of the game, during which JLin played 0 minutes, Lawson had 10 pts.
I'm going to go out on a limb and say he was twice as effective as the other players guarding Lawson.
lin's D was stellar, as usual.
DeleteLin's D tonight was fine. He kept Lawson under control. Beverley didn't play that well tonight. He hustles and has some quickness, but he is beginning to look more and more like a back-up. I thought TD played better than PB even though most of TD's production came in garbage time when the game was out of hand.
DeleteGreat post JK! Numbers don't lie. Looks like the Rockets bigs stopped tanking and made a solid effort to help Lin. Props to KHuang for calling out the other Rockets players for being lame.
DeleteNone of the other Rockets point guards really have the defensive prowess and desire of Lin.
@chiball93:
DeleteTo me he has been looking like a backup right from the beginning. I see talent, I like his energy, Im not hating on him - but he cant be compared to a guy like Lin - at least not yet.
That "replace Lin with a better PG" thing is not new. First they tried TD - then they did it with Beverly. They are just trying to make the PG position (Lin) look bad. They have no clue what Lin is capable of and how smart he is. They are just trying to cover their cluelessness as they stick to their dumb gameplan as if they all suffered from OCD.
"Gotta shoot 3s, gotta shoot 3s, gotta shoot 3s, dont let Lin look good, gotta shoots 3s..."
isn't it the coach's job to adjust the team's inside game and defense when 3-point shooting goes cold?!?!?
ReplyDeleteI know right?
DeleteDepends on who we are dealing with. Some seem to suffer from OCD
Delete"Gotta shoot 3s, gotta shoot 3s, gotta shoot 3s, dont let Lin look good, gotta shoots 3s..."
Howard Chen
ReplyDeleteLin acknowledges confidence issue, says the extra thinking causes hesitation, but stops short of saying THAT's what's holding team back.
Lin: "We show stints n spurts of who we can be. & then we show stints n spurts of who we don't wanna be."
this is pathetic. why is there a confidence issue? I don't think they lose their confidence because of many games they lost but because they don't know their roles, they don't know what they are doing.
DeleteThats not Lins fault. Every player has to have the confidence to play his game right from the beginning. If not - blame the head. Fish stinks from the head -> coaching staff.
DeleteToday's loss is not lin's fault
ReplyDeleteits 70% McHale's fault, 29% harden's fault and 1% the rest of the team
I wouldn't go that far, our bigs were getting mudstomped pretty hard, and that's not all McHale's fault.
DeleteThough what gets me is McHale has Dmo and TJ and aldrich and why he doesn't use them against an obvious big team boggles the mind.
Jonathan Feigen
ReplyDeleteRockets begin 4th quarter as if they are not sure defense is permissable. Few fans boo. Many, many, many more head for exits. Nuggets up 22.
Howard Chen
ReplyDeleteMcHale: We're holding the ball now. Not pushing the pace. Spacing's poor. Gotta reinforce who we are.
McHale: gotta get back runnin again, playing with pace, spacing. Gonna hafta look at everything right now.
McHale: "Right now, we're low on confidence."
he said we are holding the ball now, does that implicate too much iso ball? not pushing the pace, isn't lin is capable of doing that pretty good? getting more ball movement?
Deleteeh, isn't McHale the motivator of the team? low confidence? whose fault?
DeleteIt's Jeremy's fault. His TOs are causing serious depression.
Delete@Etane:
DeleteTotally! :)
Seriously - I never quite understoof McHale. Even his interviews -> always the same bla bla that makes no sense to me.
Lin played pretty well actually. Yes, he didn't take my advice of taking more shots but Lin is the least to blame for the loss. I knew Rockets would lose so no surprise here. Mac is going to run Harden to injury.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. Lin actually had a very good game tonight. McHale's decision to bench him for most of the 2nd half was absolutely baffling. Beverley didn't bring much to the offense in my opinion and he had trouble controlling Lawson. Douglas had a nice game (albeit mostly when the game was out of hand).
DeleteI think the Patrick Beverley experiment should end and TD should be the first PG off the bench.
Turnovers (7 by Harden!) and poor rebounding absolutely killed the Rockets tonight.
They really, REALLY, need better PFs. I like Asik, so I don't like to point out his faults. But if that Euro could catch balls just a bit better, and have more burst, it'd be sick. In his defense, it's pretty fucking hard to be the only one getting rebounds on both ends.
Delete@JK: Asik's inability to catch even the simplest of passes totally frustrated fans here in Chicago while he was with the Bulls, as did his poor free throw shooting. Both have not improved since he moved to Houston. At least he can make a layup for the Rockets. He is a great rebounder though. He was a great defender for the Bulls who, unlike the Rockets, put a high premium on good defense. With the Rockets, it's hard to tell if he is still a good defender because the rest of the team doesn't defend well.
DeleteYeah, I can totally understand Bulls' fans frustrations. Esp cause Rose is so athletic. If I watched Asik blow plays made by Rose game after game, I'd lose my shit too. I would say that overall, Asik is the most cooperative player on the team, and genuinely works with JLin, in other words, he's not a dickbag. I give Asik quite a bit of leeway because he's like 60% of their D.
DeleteYeah, he did fumble a ton of potential assists from D.Rose and others. Actually, the Bulls management really liked Asik for his defense and rebounding, but only as a backup because his offensive game needed a ton of work. That's why it didn't make sense to match Houston's offer. They didn't feel he had the offensive game to warrant that kind of contract. So now he's in Houston where he's averaging more PPG than he did in Chicago. But from what I have seen, that's only because he's getting a lot more minutes. Still has terrible hands though. At least he sets screens for Jeremy as you implied.
DeleteI do miss all the jokes about Asik's bad fashion sense though. That was mildly entertaining fodder for the Chicago sports media.
I didn't see the game but sounds like it was not very good just by looking at lin and his teammates stats.
ReplyDeleteno leadership in this team, from top to bottom and worst of all, no chemistry among players:(, really feel bad for lin who is a team player. Again, he deserve a better team and even better coach.
ReplyDeleteI agree totally. Trade Lin to Lakers.
Deletelove coach etch a sketch getting exposed.
ReplyDeleteand fuck you racha. lin owned lawson today.
:)
DeleteWouldn't it be funny if we can all go to a Rockets game and hold up signs asking Les to either trade lin or fire mcfail.
ReplyDeleteI wish the fans would start chanting "Jeremy, Jeremy "in the 4th like in New York. Or atleast chant "McHale Must Go"
Deletetime for Les to focus more on rockets than his wine
Delete@Etane:
DeleteSimplified -> "Lin OR McHale"
Les just to stop drinking the kool-aid that Morey has been feeding him.
Deletei know this has been said many times before but i just need to get it off my chest
ReplyDeleteMcHale is all over the place. he says the team needs to cut down on turnovers but harden gets the ball in his hands constantly over his 39mins today and results in 7 turnovers
he was the 6th man last season and still produced the same stats as most of the leagues starting SG. so why force feed him minutes, touches and shots? Harden is able to get his without being put in this situation where he gets more turnovers (and assists) than the starting PG?
we all know Jeremy starts games slow. and we all know hes unselfish. the ball isn't going to disappear into a black hole when it is in Jeremy's hands. so let him do his job and run the point! he has been having great 4th quarters so being benched for the 4th quarter in 2 games straight is just ridiculous! especially when harden is still on the court with a 20point deficit!
if you're going to bench your starting PG then bench the whole starters group! why is harden there risking injury to try to catch up a 20point deficit with pat beverly who is playing his 3rd NBA game this season??
i hate that we can't do anything about this
EVEN IF Lin was an average NBA starting point guard. you are still misusing him. even jeff teague is allowed more freedom than Lin@
i also don't know the reason why jeremy runs the ball past half court and then dumps it off to harden or parsons and then camps in the corner.
ReplyDeleteis this something that hes deciding to do? or mchale is telling him to do?
it seems contradictory that mchale is saying Lin needs to be more aggressive if the direct order is for Lin to camp in the corner and not get into the play
He did try to make some plays, problem is Nuggets D was pretty stifling and no one was moving off ball, so Harden would run to the top of the key to either set a pick or get the ball on his weak side.
DeleteEven our forwards are playing camp the perimeter...So frustrating.
I was only able to watch the 1st half and some of the 3rd, but I guess I didn't miss much since JLin sat the entire 4th again.
ReplyDeleteI thought JLin played better defense today. He fought through screens and got to Lawson early, but I still would like to see JLin get up on Lawson a bit more to at least prevent him from penetrating. As I mentioned previously, the interior defense, rebounding, and ball deflections in the passing lane were right on par in the 1st half. There was team defense and the Roxs were competitive in the 1st half.
I wasn't paying full attention in the 3rd quarter so I don't even know where to start to analyze, but the Roxs appears to revert back to the old habits of bad defense and other stuff. LOL, what a game. I still can't believe JLin got benched. I need to rewatch the game.
So....From all comments I saw, Lin actually played ok (maybe still flawed of course). The rox related reporters such as Jason, Howard and Johnathan kept tweeting some thing meaningless....and a lot of time, they imply it was JL's issue.....I am speechless.
DeleteYeah, I thought JLin could have given the Rockets a little more offensive thrust in the 3rd, but the entire team was playing poorly. JLin getting benched the entire 4th again is really mind boggling.
DeleteLin actually played very well tonight. Asik and Patterson were setting screens for him and he was looking to attack. Jeremy was setting up his teammates and running the offense. Even Harden set a screen-and-pop for him and was looking to pass at times. Then came the turnovers and poor rebounding. Harden had 7 turnovers. Asik has two of the flimsiest hands in the NBA and kept fumbling rebounds and passes.
DeleteOn defense, I disagree with you and thought Jeremy guarded Lawson quite well. Unlike in Charlotte, he got some help when needed off screens in the first half. The team defense broke down in the 2nd half though.
Lin's benching tonight was a mistake. There really was no reason to bench him. In fact, I think it hurt Houston in this game. Lin played well on both ends. Beverley brought very little to this game and Lawson had his way with him. Douglas came in and provided some offense but by then it was pretty much garbage time.
I think McHale needs to go back to the substitution rotation where he was staggering Lin and Harden's minutes by using Douglas. Patrick Beverley can be useful at times to provide some energy but he really should be the 3rd PG off the bench.
chilball93, thanks for your assessment of the game. I definitely have to rewatch the game closer tonight. It's hard trying to watch at work, LOL.
DeleteHey Racha, someone told me you played in the NBA, and you were making $25mils for a 3 years contract. And you know what? I never even heard of you and anyone saying, "oh, Racha should have done this and that to help his team, or Racha's D could have been better, or Racha was a mediocre player at best." Seriously man, don't use Lin's game to make sense out of your wild fantasy of being a genius at basketball. Let's wait and see if you or your kids or your whole freaking entire family tree ever have someone like JLin, then feel free to get on here and bash whoever you're effing feel like it. But until then, just stfu about your effing negative b.s. about JLin.
Deleteyou know what happens if lin "gets up on lawson a bit more"? he gets lit up like beverly did.
Delete@iHoopsAlot:
DeleteVery well phrased! I absolutely agree!
I'm going to throw a very accusatory assertion out there:
ReplyDeleteJLin was pulled at the 3 minute mark for 2 reasons:
1) Taking the last shot of the first half
2) Making a fadeaway jumper
http://www.nba.com/games/20130123/DENHOU/gameinfo.html#nbaGIboxscore
Check out the play by play for when JLin brought the score to within 4 with his jumper, and then to have other players turn over/miss, and then miss a lay-up/blocked by McGee before sitting out the rest of the game - his comeuppance for being aggressive.
Support from a previous game where he got a "what the shit" look from McHale after pulling off a similar jumper.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1f2AgZ5w_g
- 15 second mark
Something else that's interesting is the reactions from the coaching staff when JLin makes baskets. Go over past games and look at the difference in Sampson/McHale/Assistant Coaches' reactions when JLin scores vs. when Harden/Parsons/Asik/Anyone else scores. Pretty jokes. Especially focus on points he makes that aren't drives/3-pts.
I still remember b4 this season, McHail said to reporters that he told Lin to be aggressive, and do not worry about been too aggressive, because he will tell Lin if Lin does. I guess Lin is too aggressive already...
DeleteI think Morey and McHale's Moneyball philosophy is to take 3s/layups/FTs only and mid range jumper is not encouraged because it's deemed a lower efficient shot. Maybe that's why the coaches didn't like it even Lin made the shot.
Deletewell, statistically yes...but some times given the situation, the mid-range jumper might be the only option at the time...other than a TO at least
DeleteYah that's why they are asking Lin to shoot spot up 3s because, statistically speaking, Lin is a great spot up shooter.
DeleteJust to clarify - he was pulled at the 3 minute mark of the THIRD, when they were down by 11, after his teammates fucked up 3 plays and blew a 4 point game to 11.
Delete@Etane haha, we all know how that worked out
DeleteI am starting to wonder if all this is all a publicity stunt. You know, hire a coach that misuses Lin and tanks the team. Hire all the sports writers to write articles that say bad things about Lin which are easy to refute by even the most casual sports fans. Hiring seemingly random posters on forums going around instigating arguments in Lin forums...
ReplyDeleteAm I paranoid? Well, it sure ain't boring. This whole "PR" thing is more interesting than the actual games.
Lin is a team player in a hostile and a non-team playing team
DeleteSo you are not a fan of Lin but a fan of drama, right?
Delete@Etane,
DeleteAnd the journalist who uncovers this ugly publicity stunt wins a Pulitzer Prize!
Cara, I know you are but what am I?
DeleteI really, REALLY think there's truth to what you're insinuating here, Etane, sarcastic or otherwise.
ReplyDeleteAs this story unfolds, I'm reminded of the old WWF feuds/story lines involving the Rock/Steve Austin - purposely setting up antagonists/corrupt reffing/betrayals from supposed allies/collusion from enemies. Like, oddly, eerily similar.
There's legit no way all of this is without any influence and purely a result of the pursuit of a trophy.
Three ring circus right? What you're describing is exactly what I am getting at.
DeleteMcFail at any other team would have been fired long ago. This whole situation is too absurd for it to be real.
http://www.nba.com/rockets/video/post-game-01232013-jeremy-lin
ReplyDeleteJLin post game
he doesn't seem to be bothered by the benching. just seems to be angry about the team losing in general
is it possible that he and mchale has agreed for him to be the scapegoat?
Did Lin get his eye brows trimmed along with his new hair do?
DeleteI just think you guys made too big of a deal out of this "benching" thing. It's not a benching because the coach didn't put you in garbage time.
Deletethen why did harden get 39mins tonight? and all of garbage time too?
Deletehow come Lin is always the first starter pulled in the first quarter?
how come when Lin turns over the ball then he always looks towards the bench to see if hes going to get pulled. but harden turns it over 7 times and gets 39mins?
Because Harden is the franchise player so he gets the preferential treatment, understand? Every star player in the nba gets preferential treatment. And as much as we love Lin here as Lin fans, Lin's not deemed as a star player on this team. Is that clear?
DeleteI don't see the point of whining of Lin not getting to play in garbage time to pad stats. You guys act like Lin should play 48 mins every game and should never be rested.
no i don't understand because mchale himself has said so many times that they just need to win and get back to winning
Deleteand by force feeding harden minutes, shots and touches. hes basically signing the rocket's death certificate and any chance at a playoffs berth
it'll be like the days of melo in denver. 9 straight years of a first round playoffs exit
Yah just like when Sampson said everything is OK when shots are falling... der.
Delete"Did Lin get his eye brows trimmed along with his new hair do?" seems like it. lol. it must be an accident! cause it looks weird and not perfectly trimmed!
DeleteLydia,
DeleteI think it was just the lighting.
@Cara:
DeleteChill! Nothing is clear and I dont understand you AT ALL. You really dont make sense.
You say Lin didnt get to play garbage time but - did Lin win games in garbage time last season? He did!
Did Beverly - a noname player from nowhere cut into TDs and Lins playing time? Oh yes!
Does that make Lin and TD look bad in the eyes of bball fans? Yes!
Do people have the feeling that McHale blames the bad team performance on Lin? Yes!
You say that Harem (I now call Harden so) gets preferential treatment but how is that preferential treatment?
Havent you seen his numbers go down? Havent you seen him getting slower and slower? The man is being run into the ground.
You seriously believe that the man wants to play 40 minutes a night? Have you ever played against good players for 40 minutes? Day in and day out?
Dont you think that bad sub pattern is one of the many problems that the Rockets have right now?
Seriously - I have pointed out many times that my expectation was low and that I wouldnt be disappointed if the team didnt get far - they are so young.
But - McHale and his buddies arent young. They are supposed to be coaching! I would at least want to see the team make progress every now and then.
But - what I see is that there is no system behind it all. No good gameplans, no strucutre within the team, bad role asignemnts, players not playing at their best, players losing confidence... that aint progress...
Easy, willydilly.
DeleteCara is on the same page as you and everybody else here.
She's just playing a sarcastic devil's advocate. She is the biggest Lin fan there is.
McHale looks lost and sound confused in the post game...and of course when asked about Lin, he said everything is going to be fine, no its not you moron
ReplyDeleteI think Lin's getting traded. No facts...just a gut feeling. That's why PB and TD are getting the minutes.
ReplyDeletePlease please. Hope this is true.
Deleteme too, i think its going two ways: either Lin is leaving or McHale is leaving
DeleteThat will be better than Christmas if Lin leaves or McHale is fired. Only thing is I worry that Lin will be a bench player on another team.
DeleteThis is similar to how Knicks lost with D'Antoni at the end. Would love to see Lin play for the Seattle Supersonics later this year.
@Stu:
DeleteI dont neccessarily want Lin traded but I sure want him to be on a team where he can play his game.
Whether being a bench player is bad or not depends on who is the starting PG. Imagine Lin behind Nash. Nash would basicly be Lins mentor. Wouldnt that be great?
No willydilly, I don't want Kobe Bryant screaming at Lin constantly for D-obermaning the Mamba and Mashing the Nash in practice.
DeleteDid anyone see that Lin is ranked #11 most eligible bachelor by Town and Country? The only people that ranked higher than him were mostly princes and heirs. Lol. Lin has clout.
ReplyDeleteLadies night with Lin?
DeleteLakers lost again today, maybe D'Antoni is thinking about his happy days with Lin
ReplyDeleteCome on guys. Relax, don't be too serious. NBA is a Entertainment show Business instead a pure sport. I am very satisfy bc JLin already has a 25M 3 years contract on hand compare to almost got cut last year. Just sit back and enjoy the drama show keep going. I believe Lin will continue give us a good show rest of the year.
ReplyDeleteBelow is joke to entertain JLin's fan.
14 days ago, Harden and Lin conspire to have McFail be fired.
ReplyDeleteLin: What should we do?
Harden: Let's just miss all the 3 point shot. That's coach only strategic anyway. Then plus some TOs. Loss 9 out of 10. That will do it.
Lin: ok, let's do it.
Loss
Loss
Loss
Loss
Loss
Loss
Loss
Won
Loss
Loss
After 9 games.....
Harden: Damn.. why you can rested right away when you had only 1 TO. But after my 7 TOs and we are way behind, I still had to run 43 minutes. Do They try to kill me?
Lin: oh.. maybe McFail find out that's your idea.
@Alan Xie well done, hahaha
DeleteYah it's like a bad Twilight Zone episode, "Time enough at last".
DeleteFunny!
DeleteHilarious!!! Good job!
DeleteJeremy Lin might be in Houston but Linsanity is alive in Golden State. 40 seconds left and GSW ahead of OKC by 3 points.
ReplyDeleteSteph Curry with the steal!!
DeleteLin gave Linsanity to his bromance partner David Lee, and now they are the most exciting team int he NBA!
Go Warriors!
DeleteJeremy, you know you miss the Yay Area! 650 Yo!
Get your agent on the phone with Mark Jackson ASAP!
Oh wait is GSW in 510? I forgot?
DeleteWow...Is GSW that good? Beat the Clippers and now the Thunders. Watching that game and the Rox's game is like watching playoff basketball vs preseason basketball, preseason basketball being the Rox, of course. This is sad.
DeleteYup. GSW is the most exciting team right now after they fired Keith Smart and hired Mark Jackson. Now, they just need Lin to complete the picture, connect the dots, cross the Ts, dot the Is... Houston is a joke!
Deleteand hired Jerry West.
DeleteNo, we don't need Golden State that cut Lin because Jerry West and Mark Jackson think that Charles Jenkins is a better player than Lin.
DeleteI had my doubts about Jerry West when he ditched Shane Battier, but I lost whatever support I had for West when he ejected Lin. I only could shake my head when West was asked about Lin last season and West said "My God, what a player!"
Yes we all know you want Lin to stay in Houston!
DeleteHolycow back to back 4th quarter benching. Nice going Houston Rockets coaching staff
ReplyDeleteWith the game gone, better to give Lin a rest.
DeleteMcFail said his young players have no rhythm.
ReplyDeleteI think they do have rhythm..
On last 10 games.
1st Qtr: Starter digging a hole.
2nd Qtr: Bench keep digging deeper.
3rd Qtr: Out score by Opposite team 30 to 10.
4th Qtr: Bench JLin and every one just keep shooting 3 and miss.
Next game: repeat...
I really don't understand this "coach". I put that in quotes because I don't know what he is but he is no coach. How is it that you do not know the strengths of your starting PG? I saw a clip of D'Antoni being asked about Jeremy (I think it was shortly after D'Antoni became the coach for the Lakers), and clearly D'Antoni knows the kind of player Jeremy is and can be. I am summarizing but he basically said that Jeremy might not always have a great first half but gets going in the second, and that Jeremy just needs a consistent jumper. It's as if McHale was under a rock last year and knows absolutely nothing about Jeremy's game, and has learned nothing thus far this season. I still remember the Knicks commentators saying, "He's got his fourth quarter moves on," and stats about how he was one of the players who scored the most in the fourth.
ReplyDeleteI would love to see Jeremy here with the Lakers and D'Antoni. I mean honestly, Nash is 39 and Duhon and Morris have not helped much although they are okay. Who know about Blake since he's been out. I saw a part of Backstage Lakers where Nash was showing some moves/giving pointers to Duhon and all I could think was how much Jeremy could learn.
At the same time, if Jeremy came here now, with all the Lakers troubles, he would likely be crucified in the media if he didn't play like he did last year under D'Antoni.
Is sports reporting is soft generally? It certainly isn't in LA from what I've seen. I don't know what's up in Houston. People seem scared to ask direct questions and get to the heart of the matter. No offense to anyone there. For example, there is a turnover issue, and Harden has a high turnover rate, so why does he keep having so much of the ball-handling duties? I support Harden but he needs time to adapt too and I do think it is a lot on him and it will wear him down.
RE: Jeremy's D. I also saw a clip where Robert Horry was talking about Jeremy's good defense during halftime of the Lakers game in Houston. He was saying how Jeremy was a "pest." Haha. I also remember that the Knicks defense, after Jeremy became a starter, improved a lot.
I mean speculating as to the why it seems this "coach" is seemingly sabatoging Jeremy is useless, but it boggles my mind everytime. No player deserves this. Frankly, I am sorry about what happened with the "coach's" daughter but this is a business, a multi-million dollar franchise, and this coaching staff is a biggest liability. I believe this team, as presently constituted, has a chance of making the playoffs, but only with the right coach. You can't keep changing rotations. We're more than halfway through the season and chemistry isn't going to get better by changing it up constantly. Nor is it the answer to get consistent wins.
RE: TD. I really like TD. I think he knows what Jeremy is capable of, obviously because he saw firsthand what Jeremy did last year with the Knicks. There are clips where TD gives Jeremy a hug or a high five last year, and I think TD is a good guy. He doesn't deserve what he has been experiencing either.
Also, I think the starters need to have a starters dinner.
I have been reading but never commented. Just had to vent. Thanks.
McHale is probably the worst coach you can have for a very young team - no structure, bad communication, arbitrary decision-making, no clear roles for players. Actually, he's just a bad coach, period. This is the most visibly incompetent coaching I've seen in the NBA, and he has no answers for questions about Lin because he really has no answers - he doesn't know what he's doing.
ReplyDeleteIt's really too bad that this is going on in houston and so the national media hasn't picked up on this.
If I had a kid and he happens to be on a JV team that McHell is coaching, I would do whatever I can to get my kid on a different team.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteRockets can't keep it going, lose to Nuggets - from csnhouston
ReplyDeleteSYNOPSIS
The Rockets turned the ball over a bunch and kept on doing so throughout on their way to a 105-95 loss to the Nuggets.
James Harden finished with 23 points and seven assists, but he also had seven turnovers. As a team, the Rockets had 22 turnovers.
TURNING POINT
The Rockets were within two points at 59-57 in the third quarter. Then, the Nuggets made a 13-2 run. From that point on, the wheels came off. Denver outscored Houston 36-22 in that third quarter.
FROM THE FIELD
The Rockets were 37-83 from the field for 45 percent. From distance, they were 11-for-34. They actually started out pretty hot from the outside at 6-13, but the finish wasn’t so amazing.
AT THE LINE
On the bright side, the Rockets hit their free throws, hitting 10-13. The Nuggets focused a ton on limiting Harden’s free throw trips and they succeeded. Harden only had five free throw attempts. He hit all of them.
HIGHLIGHT REEL
Harden had a nice through-the-lane dunk. Javale McGee had a million dunks for Denver. At least, that’s what it felt like. He’ll be making the national highlights.
UP NEXT
The Rockets have a practice day before going to New Orleans to take on the Hornets on Friday. The Hornets only have 14 wins on the year, but they’ve been a lot better with Eric Gordon back in the lineup. They’ve won seven of their last nine heading into Wednesday night’s action.
Lin, McHale: Team confidence an issue - from csnhouston
ReplyDeleteAfter Wednesday's loss to the Nuggets, Jeremy Lin and Kevin McHale both say the team needs to improve its confidence.
When asked whether confidence or focus caused all the different lapses in the game, McHale responded, "Right now, we're low on confidence."
To which Lin said: "I think we, as a team, from the coaching staff to the players, we've got to get back to feeling good about ourselves and feeling confident about what we're doing. Right now, I think there's a hint of hesitation and I think that's hurting. I think people are trying to make the right plays, definitely, but I think we're trying to figure it all out. And I think everyone's thinking a lot. Everyone has a lot on their minds right now."
The Rockets have now lost eight of their last nine games.
lin is really great at articulating what everyone sucks at. he does it in a non offensive way.
DeleteThe problem is McHale to dumb to comprehend what Lin is saying. He doesn't know how to read between the lines. Can't get a clue. Doesn't have a clue. He is clueless. He is a cancer.
DeleteThis reminds me of a fake joke flowing around regarding Lin and McGee=McHale.
JaVale McGee Can anybody help me with my math homework? Mom won't let me play until it's done.
Jeremy Lin Sure, JaVale. What are you having trouble with?
JaVale McGee Math.
Jeremy Lin ...No JaVale, what are you not getting in math?
JaVale McGee The answer.
Jeremy Lin Ok, so what's the question?
JaVale McGee The question is if you'll help me in math or not!
Jeremy lin ...........We're gonna be here for a while.
Rockets blown out; Lin sits out 4th quarter - from csnhouston.com
ReplyDeleteIn this Mandarin Minute, Howard Chen AKA 陳定豪 explains that while Jeremy Lin sat the fourth quarter for a second straight game, that wasn't why the Rockets lost to Denver.
A 36-22 Nuggets third quarter gave them a double-digit lead. Kevin McHale's rotations have usually featured Lin coming in in the latter half of the fourth quarter. By the time that point of the game rolled around, the Rockets were hopelessly out of it.
Whether Lin played the fourth quarter or not, he or his benching wasn't the reason the team lost. The team had a total of 22 turnovers, just two off a season high. Afterwards, the mood in the locker room was somber. All of the Rockets, be it Coach McHale or the players, said the defense was an issue. They said they came out flat. They said the ball movement wasn't there. They said the offense wasn't good.
The Rockets have now lost eight of their last nine. Their next game is on Friday night against the Hornets.
Nuggets exploit Rockets’ porous defense - houston chronicle
ReplyDeleteWith another terrible start and second-half collapse in the books, Rockets coach Kevin McHale was open to making changes. He just did not have much enthusiasm for it. The problems, he knew, were much deeper than changing the names introduced before the game.
“We’re going to have to take a look at everything right now,” he said after the Denver Nuggets rolled to a 22-point lead and easily sent the Rockets to 105-95 loss Wednesday night at Toyota Center. “But mostly, we have to get back to (being) us.”
McHale hoped getting back to what had worked before the Rockets cratered would be a solution because if this is who they really are, the past two weeks of losing will be a maddening prelude to the agonizing times ahead.
As with their stretch of eight losses in nine games, the Rockets were going well, hit a rough spot and then fell apart, demonstrating many of the issues of the January collapse. They made 21 mostly careless turnovers before they even reached the fourth quarter. They stopped running, stopped moving the ball and themselves. They were beaten off the dribble on defense and in the paint.
“We just need to do a good job of being ourselves the whole game,” Jeremy Lin said. “We show stints and spurts of who we can be. Then we show spurts of who we don’t want to be.”
Everything the Rockets had hoped to solve at their Tuesday practice and had seemed to have corrected after Wednesday’s poor start fell apart until the Nuggets’ Wilson Chandler was almost skipping down the lane to the rim and JaVale McGee was tossing a pass to himself off the backboard to a one-hand catch and spike.
“It was like it’s been for a while with us,” McHale said after a long postgame, locker-room session. “It just snowballs on us. You call a timeout. Call another one. We’re not able to pull ourselves out of those minor tailspins.”
Flurry of turnovers
More than be incapable or turning around the runs that typically come in NBA games or seasons, the Rockets have increasingly pressed until they have exacerbated the problems. On Wednesday, that led to the third-quarter flurry of turnovers
and stagnant possessions, not only limiting themselves offensively but kick-starting Denver’s offense to take off the other way.
“Right now, everybody’s kind of holding the ball,” McHale said. “The ball’s not flying around. That’s been going on for a while.”
A team built to run and move the ball, the Rockets have forced themselves to go one-on-one, sometimes just to beat the shot clock. In the third quarter, when the Nuggets took command with 61.9 percent shooting against a porous defense, James Harden was the only Rockets player with an assist and the team did not score a single point on the break.
A matter of trust
“If you get down and someone wants to make plays to get us back in the game, that leads to excessive dribbling, trying to put the game on your shoulders,” Patrick Patterson said. “James is a great player. James is our best player, hands down. But we all try to make plays for ourselves and sometimes for our teammates when we should just pass the ball and set screens.
“When you get down, people try to make the big home-run play. We have to stop doing that. We have to learn to trust in the system, trust our teammates and share the ball.”
The issue, however, is not that the Rockets cannot still play the way they must.
Even on Wednesday, they had a 12-0 second-quarter run to a lead when they packed the paint, rebounded, took care of the ball and ran. They just have been unable to stick with their style and priorities through the tough times.
Does Patrick Patterson just point out something?
DeleteA matter of trust
“If you get down and someone wants to make plays to get us back in the game, that leads to excessive dribbling, trying to put the game on your shoulders,” Patrick Patterson said. “James is a great player. James is our best player, hands down. But we all try to make plays for ourselves and sometimes for our teammates when we should just pass the ball and set screens.
someone=James?
DeleteLin getting more time on bench - houston chronicles
ReplyDeleteFor a second consecutive game, Jeremy Lin sat out the entire fourth quarter, this time with the game out of hand and Toney Douglas playing down the stretch. Lin was out the last 15 minutes Monday in Charlotte and to start the second half Saturday in Minnesota. He said he did not like being benched, but the concern at the time was on ending the losing streak.
“No player ever wishes that on themselves, but me, Chandler (Parsons) and Pat (Patterson) were all the bench,” Lin said. “We honestly all wanted to win. We didn’t care. We obviously wanted to play, but we don’t care. We just wanted the win. Losing seven in a row was a terrible feeling. We’re happy we could get the win.”
He also said he saw areas in which to improve.
“Just being more of a pest on defense,” Lin said. “For me, it’s just finding a way to be effective every game and to be consistent. One of our weaknesses, one of my weaknesses, is just the inconsistency of everything.”
Damn - Lin seems to blame it on himself.
DeleteEverybody has some weaknesses - it doesnt matter. What matters is remember your strength and keep going.
I always say -> Boris Becker was never that great a player - in terms of overall talent. But he knew what he was good at - he forced him opponents into their weak spots and he was an ass. So... he became a champ.
Boris was one of premier power serve and volley player on grass and hard court like Sampras. But yes, Lin needs to be more cocky like him.
DeleteMeant Lin needs to play more cocky, not be cocky.
Delete:) You need to be cocky in order to play cocky.
DeleteNo, sees Durant. He is humble but plays fearless.
DeleteDamn why are you Lin fanbois always comparing Lin to Durant? Lin is average at best. He's lucky McHell is playing him at all.
DeleteNuggets exploit Rockets’ porous defense
ReplyDeleteWith another terrible start and second-half collapse in the books, Rockets coach Kevin McHale was open to making changes. He just did not have much enthusiasm for it. The problems, he knew, were much deeper than changing the names introduced before the game.
“We’re going to have to take a look at everything right now,” he said after the Denver Nuggets rolled to a 22-point lead and easily sent the Rockets to 105-95 loss Wednesday night at Toyota Center. “But mostly, we have to get back to (being) us.”
McHale hoped getting back to what had worked before the Rockets cratered would be a solution because if this is who they really are, the past two weeks of losing will be a maddening prelude to the agonizing times ahead.
As with their stretch of eight losses in nine games, the Rockets were going well, hit a rough spot and then fell apart, demonstrating many of the issues of the January collapse. They made 21 mostly careless turnovers before they even reached the fourth quarter. They stopped running, stopped moving the ball and themselves. They were beaten off the dribble on defense and in the paint.
“We just need to do a good job of being ourselves the whole game,” Jeremy Lin said. “We show stints and spurts of who we can be. Then we show spurts of who we don’t want to be.”
Everything the Rockets had hoped to solve at their Tuesday practice and had seemed to have corrected after Wednesday’s poor start fell apart until the Nuggets’ Wilson Chandler was almost skipping down the lane to the rim and JaVale McGee was tossing a pass to himself off the backboard to a one-hand catch and spike.
“It was like it’s been for a while with us,” McHale said after a long postgame, locker-room session. “It just snowballs on us. You call a timeout. Call another one. We’re not able to pull ourselves out of those minor tailspins.”
Flurry of turnovers
More than be incapable or turning around the runs that typically come in NBA games or seasons, the Rockets have increasingly pressed until they have exacerbated the problems. On Wednesday, that led to the third-quarter flurry of turnovers
and stagnant possessions, not only limiting themselves offensively but kick-starting Denver’s offense to take off the other way.
“Right now, everybody’s kind of holding the ball,” McHale said. “The ball’s not flying around. That’s been going on for a while.”
A team built to run and move the ball, the Rockets have forced themselves to go one-on-one, sometimes just to beat the shot clock. In the third quarter, when the Nuggets took command with 61.9 percent shooting against a porous defense, James Harden was the only Rockets player with an assist and the team did not score a single point on the break.
A matter of trust
“If you get down and someone wants to make plays to get us back in the game, that leads to excessive dribbling, trying to put the game on your shoulders,” Patrick Patterson said. “James is a great player. James is our best player, hands down. But we all try to make plays for ourselves and sometimes for our teammates when we should just pass the ball and set screens.
“When you get down, people try to make the big home-run play. We have to stop doing that. We have to learn to trust in the system, trust our teammates and share the ball.”
The issue, however, is not that the Rockets cannot still play the way they must.
Even on Wednesday, they had a 12-0 second-quarter run to a lead when they packed the paint, rebounded, took care of the ball and ran. They just have been unable to stick with their style and priorities through the tough times.
this was a great game. can't possibly pin this debacle on lin.
ReplyDeleteyou guys notice beverley is also sitting at the 3 point line on offense now? no more screens and driving like previous games.
derp derp.
Lol. Good point. It also made it plain and clear that Beverly and TD are just back-up point guards and are not the "sparks" that can get the team going.
DeleteThat spark is on the team, but, because Harden dominates the ball, that spark is relegated to being a spot-up shooter instead of a play-maker.
The solution is obvious and basic basketball 101 - have your point guard actually play point guard and run the offense.
Stagnant play, players holding the ball - gee, who does that on the Rockets?
ReplyDeleteHarden is looking a lot like Carmelo, a superstar player who makes the players around him worse. He's the supreme ballstopper, and ballstoppers stop ball movement. You want to have the ball moving, McHale? Stop having the ballstopper have the ball ALL the fucking time.
Oh, even more irony - the Linsanity documentary was screened tonight while McHale was doing his best to turn an inspirational story into a tragi-comedy.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know when we will be able to watch it?
DeleteInteresting comment from George Karl on Jeremy Lin:
ReplyDelete"But with Lin, as Nuggets coach George Karl pointed out, "I still think he's the motor of their team, and when he plays well, they have a good chance of beating people.""
http://www.denverpost.com/nuggets/ci_22437660/nuggets-journal-take-look-at-jeremy-lin-now
Why can't Mchail ever say something straight meaningful?
Deletedamn...
how sad..Karl believes in lin more than mchale/sampson.
DeleteI really wished Lin could be coached by George Karl or Pop someday
DeleteRobert horry apart from praising lin's defense also said : " the way lin plays is how the rockets go". We don't need to be experts to see that if lin is given freedom to play his game , he normally plays well and more often than not his team wins.
DeleteCool.
DeleteIt's nice to see that George Karl and Robert Horry can see what we all can plainly see - that Lin is the best player on the Rockets and as he goes, so does the team.
I still think that the Rockets are tanking on Lin.
Let's see Lin's ball usage and defensive help and playcalling privileges approach that of a normal point guard coming off the BENCH.
Then if Lin can't produce, I'll start calling him "barely above average" or "not elite" or any other fake compliment that critics use to undercut his OVERSIZED production in his current situation.
We should somehow send those positive and insightful comments regarding Lin to Les.
DeleteIs there any financially resourceful Asian GM out there that would build a team around Lin? Just wishing that some Chinese rich boss would buy up a NBA team and showcase Lin.
Lin doesn't need an Asian owner, just like you and I don't neccesarily need an Asian employer. Lin will showcase himself off in no time. Any intelligent and sensible owners will do so too.
Delete@Cali7 Good job on finding G. Karl's comment.
DeleteRoyce White must be laughing his ass off right now. "I'm glad I'm not a part of that train wreck ... just hold off and keep actin' crazy ... then I can be traded to the Thunder, Heat, or Bulls. I'm a genius."
ReplyDeleteRoyce is a case of its own. Jeremy does whatever is asked of him but Royce doesnt. JLin therefor gets the respect of a lot of coaches and players - people are kind of fed up when it comes to Royce. McHale wanted Royce when no one else did. JLin doesnt owe McHale anything. Royce does...
DeleteJerm earned the respect but doesn't mean he's going to get it unless he demands it.
DeleteMchale: I think people think of Jeremy as a (veteran), but Jeremy has started 68 games. So he's going to go up and down, and that's not untypical. And I don't know why people are surprised. People are starting to play him differently; he has adjustments to make."
ReplyDeleteI like the last line "People (meaning me, Kevin McHale) are starting to play him differently (specifically OFF GUARD or OFF THE COURT IN THE 4th Q); he has adjustments to make (to my poor coaching decisions; specifically those that don't allow him to utilize his strengths.)
how many allyoops have the rockets made this season?
ReplyDelete#morey drafting.
ultimate rockets comment from someone at the toyota center
ReplyDelete27211 12:30 AM on January 24, 2013
I was in the arena and actually could feel the game. The laudest moment was when Jeremy made the tough shot for 3 points play in second qtr. That is also the qauter that rockets made lead 44-40. Lin scored most of his 9 points in that qtr. Why coach benched Lin is beyond comprehension. Beverly played good defense, that enforced the team including Lin up their D. However, without Lin on the floor, the team was not playing organized ball. It was chaos and ugly to watch to say the least. Lin was on the bench heads down with his towel. At one moment even Harden was kind of lost like day dreaming when TD tried to pass him the ball.
I would say this Mchale and his coaching staff will not last long, because they are not good at coaching. Sooner or later they will get dismissed. Now I understand why Timberwolves dismissed him. He shouldn't be a NBA coach.
Actually You won't even make it as a college coach. You can't fix stupidity.
DeleteWhen the "coach" says about Lin, "Well, he played 24 minutes... He will be fine." Is he saying what I think he is saying? Even the Denver's coach has more respect for Lin than his own coach. It's there anyways that we can demand change? I'm tired of this.
ReplyDeleteHow about Jeremy to Orlando for Jameer Nelson? The salaries match.
ReplyDeleteNelson is a veteran with a solid 3pt shot. Jeremy is younger with more upside. Houston needs a vet to keep Harden in line and manage TOs. Orlando has tons of 3pt shooters to complement an attacking PG like Jeremy.
Either that or fire McHale. And Morey while you're at it.
Jeremy Lin and Nikola Vucevic? Me likey
DeleteJust unsure of the possibility for trade to happen, Rockets have made Lin looked so bad
They are killing his career; they just dont realize the gem that they are holding!
Deleteso true, but their must be a few coaches who believe.
DeleteSo far I've seen Larry Drew and George Karl make positive comments, not to mention D'Antoni. (Did I miss anyone else?) On the other hand, we also have confirmed non-believers/haters/racists in Keith Smart, Kevin McHale/Kelvin Sampson, Mike Woodson and Avery Johnson.
DeleteI guess it's always Lin's fault in McHale's eyes.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sick of the Rox coaching staff, I'm sick of Clutchfans, I'm sick of everything Rox related except Lin. The Rox don't deserve a player like Lin.
ReplyDeleteI think it's more, Rockets fans are ignorant, fools and don't deserve Lin. They don't get out of clutch fans, they don't like facts or stats and they call everyone who disagrees with them a player only fan. That place sucks because of Clutch, the forum owner. He sets the tone...an ignorant, hate-filled one at that.
DeleteHOU fans make it easy to root against them.
Here's the turning point of the game in Q3, from a 4-point deficit all the way up to 16 by the end of the quarter:
ReplyDelete4:54 63-59 Jeremy Lin makes 13-foot two point shot
4:47 JaVale McGee makes two point shot (Ty Lawson assists) 65-59
4:35 65-59 James Harden bad pass (Wilson Chandler steals)
4:24 Danilo Gallinari makes 23-foot three point jumper (Ty Lawson assists) 68-59
Without a doubt, some idiot on BR will still find a way to pin it on Lin, despite him not being in the game half the time. The only even-keeled columnists on BR that I've seen so far are Maxwell Ogden, Marshall Zweig and Matt Dagostino.
here is the issue... in this sequence LIN is guarding LAWSON I believe... and Sampson immediately called for a sub for LIN because he thought LIN allowed LAWSON to penetrate too far. I saw this on the TV. Also, this is close to the normal sub time for LIN... he usually comes out after 8 minutes in a quarter... so its a convenient excuse to take LIN out too. The problem here is... after LIN hit his shot... its time for a pick and roll with LIN... there is rarely ever any focus to get people HOT except HARDEN. We all know Jeremy is a guy who puts things together in sequences. McHale rarely, if ever, tries to create flow for him. And, yes, Jeremy allowed some deep penetration... but this is not a game of perfection. Jeremy had been containing Lawson the better part of the night in the half court. The guy who should have come out fo the game and should come out of the game after 8 minutes is Harden, the ISO, ball stopping, Turnover Machine.
DeleteI'm ENJOYING this.
ReplyDeleteJeremy Lin is playing his game, no matter what stunts are being pulled.
The result is that everybody can see he's doing his best, especially the head coach of the opposing team who gets an And1 for calling out Lin as the Rockets most important player.
Lin just has to keep on having games like this, no matter what happens in Houston. Everything else is out of his control.
I'm a bit torn on this. As a father I sympathize with McHale's tremendous loss, there is no sorrow greater than that of losing a child. That said, McHale is acting like a fool in exposing himself to what he's desperately trying to avoid: eating crow. In trying to prove that he did no wrong in waiving Lin in 2011, McHale plays Lin out of position to "expose" Lin. However, with the seven losses and last night's clear indication of failed PG experiment (Harden, Parsons, Beverley, TD or anyone but Lin as primary ball-handlers), he's shot himself in the foot. There is no shame for a professional, especially with his achievement, to backpedal on a decision and admit error. What's more, it shows class and professionalism. Sometimes you just gotta swallow your pride to regain respect, denial will only shove you into a downward spiral. The Rockets current state proves that all too well.
Deletebut the thing is McHale is not a professional.he and his ugly goatee does not belong in the NBA.
DeleteRox management wants to let Lin go, again, so they can get him back as a max contract player.
DeleteI agreed with KHuang that Jeremy played his game today. He took good shots and did not shy away from taking shots. He also found teammates that are opened, but they did not have confident to shoot. 2 TO to Asik can easily be points if Asik has better hands. So from my perspective, Jeremy had a good game.
Delete(Rox coaches' decisions and skills are very questionable, but making coaching decisions are not the responsibility of the point guard.)
I myself don't have any problems with other players handling the ball and assuming Lin's turnovers.
DeleteWhat I do have a problem is the ongoing refusal of teammates to play team basketball with Lin on both ends of the court.
I also have an issue with McHale is that simply allowing teammates to ignore Lin is both fatal to the team and the coaching staff. McHale needs to stop preaching ping pong ball and START COACHING.
I wish McHale had a legendary coach on his staff the way Phil Jackson did with the TRUE force behind him, Tex Winter. One day Phil Jackson was coaching the Lakers and they were getting beat while he passively watched his players trying to play freeball with the triangle offense. In the ensuing timeout, assistant Winter jumped off the bench into head coach Jackson's face and screamed "You better do some coaching!!!!"
I guess nobody even posted this except for comments from Ppat, but clearly in this video he is blaming the loss on Harden in a polite way and telling Harden to stop being a ball hog and play team ball.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nba.com/rockets/video/post-game-01232013-patrick-patterson
Finally somebody calls out Harden besides the coach staff. I am beginning to believe that most of the Houston players see this, but are too afraid to voice their opinions. Houston is going into a tail spin right now and Les needs to take a hard look at all the games that Houston lost. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that everybody is playing out of their position. When Lin was with the Knicks last year, the reason the Knicks were winning is because Lin found his teammates and put the ball in their natural position to score. He maximizes his teammates abilities. Houston is far from being on the same wavelength as the Knicks last year because they do not have veterans savyness. The Harden as PG experiment is not working and the Beverly for Lin experiment is not working. Since none of your BIGS can actually play inside the paint except for maybe Asik who has hands like butter then perhaps it is time to rethink this. Let Lin play and work it through even if he makes mistakes. Sub Lin out when he is tired and needs the rest and bring him back in when you need the final push, especially in the 4th quarter where Lin always excel. This formula has been working for Houston and I don't know why they ran away from it. You don't always need to be constantly running in order to win the game. Rest your main players and have them rested for the 4th quarter. You will run your guys ragged when you keep them out there too long even in a blow out loss.
Wow - at first I thought he was talking about Lin (cause everybody seems to blame the asian guy) but it became quite clear that he was talking jabout James Harden when he said "James" :)
DeleteRespect PatPat!!!
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeletePPat: "James is a great player, don't get me wrong.
DeleteWe all tried to make plays for ourselves (and for our teammates) ... but we should just pass the ball, move the ball, set screens, sacrifice ourselves to make this team a better team.
When you get down, you tend to have plays where people want to make the Big Play. We have to STOP doing that
We need learn to trust the system, trust our teammates, pretty much share the ball, average high assists, get to the free throw lines, knock down shots and we have the big wins"
You gotta respect PPat for speaking his mind. There is some disconnect from what players discussed during MN player-only dinner to what transpired in the past 2 games. This is the first time players shared disconnect with the media. Big changes will come soon.
WOW!!!
Delete2pat called James Harden on his bs!
Hey KHuang I think you said something before about how vets speaking out but looks like 2pat is so pinning it on James playing iso! Oh boy you can see the restrained anger in his face!
Hahahaha!!!
Great post John Ly. Who on the team actively searching for his teammates and trusting his teammates to make plays regardless of their inconsistency?
DeleteLike I posted before, Jeremy just has to do his job with passion and fun, and leave the rest to God. Godspeed Jeremy.
It wasn't me who talked about vets speaking out.
DeleteBut I did suspect a major disconnect between the frontcourt and the perimeter players.
I think that the frontcourt is mad at Harden for bricking and turnovering selfishly and is especially mad at Lin for being Asian and not getting them the ball "enough". My suspicion is that the frontcourt is punishing Harden by not protecting him on defense and taking the brunt of their anger out on Lin since Lin is the player most involved in trying to make guys better.
Patterson can moan and gripe about Harden all he wants. But he's gotta start setting those picks for Lin and helping Lin cover guys when he gets pick and rolled without defensive coverage.
What enrages me about this Rockets team is that Lin is trying his hardest to make guys better, yet they keep backstabbing him.
If I were coach, I'd likely scream my frontcourt to STOP TANKING and play their roles, scream at Harden to stop playing SCARED and let guys pass to him within the flow of the offense, and token growl at Lin to keep running the show just to let everybody know I wasn't playing favorites.
dang. I thought I was fairer than Gregg Popovich who I don't think is fair at all. Oh well, I'd be a scrub coach too. NEXT to myself.
KHuang, I don't sense animosity towards Lin from Patterson in the interview.
DeleteHe only played 15 min in the DEN game, was benched 2 min earlier than Lin in the 3Q and never entered the game again.
PPat was really thinking about the lack of ball movement when Harden tried to play big to get fouled driving to the baskets without involving his teammates much. Lin was always circling around to find open teammates.
I didn't think 2P specifically called out Haren but was stating the obvious that the team does too much individual stat padding instead of sharing/moving the ball and make some sacrifices for the good of the team.
DeleteI dont even blame Harden. Harden is too young to know whats good for the team. He is too well paid to stop playing the way he does on his own.
DeleteThats why I think -> the fish stinks from the head downwards. Head -> coaches.
willy, I am with you here. Harden is just doing what he's supposed to do in the system, which is drive to the basket to get fouled or launch 3PTs.
DeleteHarden played 41 min and 39 min in the past 2 games. Harden's minutes have been clearly mismanaged.
The HOU system will weed itself out when losses mounted. What I want to know is whose system it is? McHale, Sampson, or Finch?
Here are my novice wannabe coach's suggestions (everybody please pick them apart, as I don't actually care what people think of me but care very much about the hoopz).
ReplyDeleteBear in mind that these suggestions are geared toward expanding Lin's role on the team so that everyone can win.
1) Give James Harden a Reggie Miller video and demand that he BE a NBA shooting guard by moving without the basketball. Instead of letting defenses (and now recalcitrant teammates) load up on him, run AWAY from those defenses and let Lin do the Stockton to Malone. I wanna see Harden do flex cuts, flare cuts off the give and go, divedowns, and backscreens.
2) Run a UCLA high post screener set with Asik and Greg Smith utilizing Parsons and Morris. Basically this set puts the center at the high post on one side of the basket and then uses a perimeter player to run an Adolph Rupp "guard around" play where that perimeter guy dribbles behind the screen. In the UCLA play, the guard hands the ball off to Asik and Asik is forced to make the pass. I'd rather Asik making passes than catching them, plus Asik needs to feel more included in offensive decisionmaking. Some of those Asik passes could go to a cutting Lin moving off the ball on the other side of the court. This is a routine NBA set used by all teams.
3) Run a true Lin isolation play. I have written here that there is no such thing as a true isolation play in the NBA because it still requires the cooperation of the 4 other players. As I am a fan of isoball, I'd like to see Lin stare down the middle of the court and call guys to screen for him as he sees fit. Lin would probably pass for assists out of isolation more than he'd shoot it himself.
4) Play the young bigs, Jones and Motiejeunas. When Hubie Brown coached the Grizzlies, he said that he played at least 10 guys because his uptempo system was so physically demanding. The Rockets need to play those two because they have springy young legs. A guy like Jones would be able to pogo stick against trampoline players like Nic Batum or bash around Pac Man players like Kenneth Faried, and Motie provides some length and offensive skills that Asik will never had. I'd also like to see some BIG lineups where Lin is on the court with Marcus Morris at 2, Jones at 3, Motie at 4, and Asik at 5.
5) Institute a hard man to man defense rule. For all the trapping done in today's NBA, it's still a man to man league. The problem with the Rockets is that their players are tanking on Lin defensively. Yet a simple man to man scheme would at least put another player out on the perimeter when Lin is getting screened often by more than one big. Also, then nondefenders like Parsons and Harden could be held accountable for blown assignments.
If only the MGMT team could read this post. Thanks for leaving the race card out of these objective points of advice.
DeletePfft.
DeleteDon't buy into the GARBAGE spewed out by my haters here, JK.
That race card thing is so overblown. I usually am the one defending myself against sociopaths and psychopaths who love to flame me because of my Asian screenname.
Leave the race card stuff out of this, JK. Otherwise I WILL make it an issue between you and me.
Race card rant over (huff, puff, huff, puff).
DeleteJK, thanks for reading my post.
Do you have any further basketball suggestions on how to get Lin and thus the Rockets going?
I think you left out the most important part.
Delete6) Fire McHell or trade Lin.
Seriously, your point 4 echoes what I've said during the past few days that the team needs to rotate players more often to keep their legs fresh as well as giving younger players a chance to see real minutes.
But, honestly, it's hard to provide constructive criticisms on this forum anymore when Houston coaches are total jokers.
I live in the SF Bay Area, am Asian American and came to be a fan of Lin's originally, because I have followed the Warriors for decades. They are doing great lately (It's a great time out!) I bought NBA League Pass so I could watch Houston as well. I now find the Rockets to be an unwatchable waste of time. The money I spent is a sunk cost. I still come to this site to get news and opinions on the Lin situation and watch highlights when links are posted so thanks to everyone's thoughts positive or negative. As a Lin fan, I'm still in, as a Rockets fan, I'm out.
ReplyDelete@getjie: I'm in a similar boat as you. I'm a basketball nut. I live in Chicago, am Asian American, and Lin is my favorite player though the Bulls are my favorite team. Bulls are doing great despite being without D.Rose thus far. I bought NBA League Pass during Houston's win streak so I could see Jeremy in action and I thought Houston's uptempo style would be entertaining in contrast to the Bulls defensive-minded style.
DeleteYou're right. This team has become unbearable to watch. NBA-LP is starting to look like a waste of money. The Rockets looked decent in the 1st half yesterday (guys were cutting, setting screens, Jeremy looked good running the team and looking for his shot), but then they sunk into the same ol' ugly ball. They play terrible defense. If they get stuck in a half-court game, they stand around and look befuddled while Harden coughs up turnovers and struggles to get his 20. I like Harden, but I don't think his skills are being used to get wins. He shouldn't handle the ball as much as he does.
And I think McHale is a bad head coach. I'm not sure why Houston hired him other than the fact that he was a great player. But great players often don't make great coaches (or GMs for that matter---McHale has been both). He did very little in Minnesota and was in and out as a head coach up there. Has he even coached a full NBA season?
Anyway, like you, I'm still a Lin fan, but I'm not into these Rockets except that I like to criticize them.
On a side note: I had an opportunity to catch J.Lin face off against my Bulls at the United Center on Christmas Day, but my wife wouldn't allow it because of family time on Christmas. Understandable, but now she owes me a trip to Houston. Haha.
Many people here (I dare not say "most people here") are Lin-only-fans so they feel pretty much the way you do :)
DeleteUnfortunately its very unlikely for Lin to get traded. So - a lot of people here root for the Rockets. What choice do they have :)
Is self certified LIN-ONLY-FAN and proud of it.
DeleteI agree - I got the LP too to watch JLin since he is not in NY anymore (our family rooted for Knicks for years even through the bad times, but cannot find a reason to do it any longer after how they handled the issue with Lin the past off season). These rockets games are hard to watch but i still watch to support J Lin, although it would just get me upset and so is like self torture. I just feel for Lin since if we here are feeling this upset one can only imagine what he is going though.
DeleteHonestly, after the past few games and losses I am getting numb about it, maybe it's good since it has been emotionally draining lol! Still concerned about the treatment JLin is getting though and hope it will all turn out good for him at the end. Proud to be a fan and will continue to support!
Heh I'm a Lin only fan that is now a NBA fan, I seriously written off basketball since the late 90s early 2ks.
DeleteLin is a breath of fresh air, watching him command the court is like watching poetry in motion. Yes I know there are other greats like CP3 and upcoming Kyrie but none of them made a team hustle as much as Lin did...His overwhelming offensive flow is hard to contain, and just when you think you've stopped him he'll put a dagger in your back...Funny thing is I think Lin is perfect with the kind of tempo Rockets play, if they didn't misuse him Rockets would be kicking league's asses all day, because Lin elevates his team. When he is in charge you'd get 4-6 players with double digits.
I bought leaguepass both seasons, I get 25% discount because I work for one of the media companies but still not cheap. Just so I can watch Lin play.
I also watch Clippers/GSW/Spurs/Bulls games now as well. NBA should be THANKING Lin but they are treating him like sh*t.
I don't really understand why they are doing this to such a good kid? If JLin's a arrogant and obnoxious person like most NBA players, then I can make some sense out of this, but he's not. He's the ideal role model for millions around the world, not just for his basketball talents but also for his genuine good character. Honestly, I even named my nephew after Jeremy, who was born on September 9th, 2012. If my nephew grows up to be half the man JLin is, I will be a happy uncle.
DeleteA couple of things that I think are happening: I think Mchale is having a mental breakdown and also Morey wants to get Finch to be the new head coach, because finch coached the Vipers to a championship. Also Finch coached the Russian Olympic team, where Morey was in attendance. Mchale is not Morey's pick. What better way to get rid of Mchale then to let him shoot himself in the foot.just sayin
ReplyDeletewouldn't lin be playing the exact same role under finch?
DeleteGood call. Let's hope Finch get promoted to Head Coach. I think Morey is waiting until after the AllStar game.
DeleteChris Finch's Bio: http://www.nba.com/coachfile/chris_finch/index.html
If I wanted a coach that REALLY understood Lin and knew exactly how to deploy him, I'd go with the ONLY pro coach that has ever truly understood Lin's full ability:
DeleteEric Musselman.
Under Musselman, Lin and the Reno Bighorns totally dominated the D League. Though I wasn't on this board at the time, I was hoping that Golden State would leave Lin down there long enough to win the D League Championship. But Lin was 1st Team All D League under Musselman who adored Lin's winning ways.
I know nothing about Chris Finch and his philosophy. But I do know that Eric Musselman would deploy Lin properly in the NBA.
@KHuang personally I think it is more of Lin than Musselman. Lin was under NBA contract at the time so Lin was the man of the team so to speak. But Musselman did a good job by not messing Lin up.
DeleteHouston Rockets to be in great trouble.
ReplyDeleteMcFail, Isoball Harden, team players talking in the press and only Lin continues thinking on your team.
Lin is much more than just a great player, he is a great person
Ulysses, you make yourself so clear in your English!
DeleteI am actually learning from you how to be more consise and direct in my posts!
Guys, this looks like so much fun to watch. I guess this is how it was meant to be. :'(
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpLtPPqW57g&list=PLQJKs2aqTi0k5pNWsLG4LXNCERVnQUlUj
And Lin was still recuperating from his knee injury. I think all his teammates liked him a lot back then cause he will give them the pass.
I like the commentator, "You know, and they havn't installed what he (lin) does best. The high pick and roll." LOL They still havn't! lol
DeleteWhat about this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoF5fuJsV64&list=PLQJKs2aqTi0k5pNWsLG4LXNCERVnQUlUj
DeleteNo one can stop Harden except for Lin lol