To Play or Not to Play?

[moofs]

You should atleast always give them a try.. Like we did Landry in the Minnesota Game.. He EARNED his spots but you have to give them a chance..

No, there's a difference. "Giving them a try" could apply to anyone. Any coach worth his salt will know whether or not the player has a good chance to develop from practice and/or preseason/d-league. This is why VSpan never got in last year. Lots of people moaned because he only played a little in the preseason and virtually none during the regular season. The thing is, he sucked. It was obvious from when he did make it in, I'm sure it was even more obvious from practice. That's before you even go into his attitude problems. Landry started earning his minutes in preseason and practice, then didn't have to re-earn them by dropping a poor showing in the Minnesota game, but he didn't earn them there.

The difference is that these guys showed flashes of what they could do mixed in with a healthy dose of rookie mistakes (missing defensive assignments, badly timed fouls, etc). You don't give minutes to a rookie that can't play just to "give him a chance" unless you're shooting for the lottery. The question was, if you see that they actually do have that potential you thought you saw them displaying against weaker competition, do you let them play through their mistakes. The answer is the same as before: when your veterans they're replacing are making just as many or more mistakes (AB with Francis/James) or causing other issues (Landry with Hayes' offense), yes.

Again, remember that fans don't see but a fraction of what coaches and front offices see.

[King Roosk]

After the Portland game last night I think it's safe to say: to play

[HTown_TMac]

When I say give them a chance... I mean like if we are up by alot or down by alot let them play.. And again with what you said moofs that Landry didnt earn his PT in that Minn. game and V-Span didn'y play ONLY because of practice.. but Landry only played cause we were up by alot and he showed he COULD play, and when V-Span did play he turned the ball over and never really played to his potential when he finally played which is why he DIDNT play...

[cosinostra]

You're assuming the rooks cost the Rox at least 3 games. Other posters are assuming the poor play of the vets cost the Rox cost us those games.

[moofs]

When I say give them a chance... I mean like if we are up by alot or down by alot let them play.. And again with what you said moofs that Landry didnt earn his PT in that Minn. game and V-Span didn'y play ONLY because of practice.. but Landry only played cause we were up by alot and he showed he COULD play, and when V-Span did play he turned the ball over and never really played to his potential when he finally played which is why he DIDNT play...

I didn't say only because of practice. But let's be realistic here. No player is going to earn time strictly by looking good in garbage time. Landry has played his way into the rotation by doubtless playing very well in practice, playing very well in games, gradually upping his minutes through both, and just generally looking like a guy who is going to be able to do a lot of things we need well. It's a process, not some arbitrary decision (unless your name is "Isaiah").

Also remember that garbage time is fairly rare. VSpan fans were calling for him to play regularly "20 mpg to proof that he can play with NBA". It doesn't work that way.