Starting Daequan Cook

[Krodis]

This is a completely hypothetical question, as we know it won't happen this year and Cook might not even be on the team next year, but Thabo in the starting lineup makes the offense too easy to stop. Playing 3 v 5 (even counting Ibaka) is just not smart.

Now the obvious solution is to start Harden. But then people bring up the fact that:

A. Harden is useful for bench offense, and we'd be lacking in it if he started
and
B. Harden hardly gets the ball with Westbrook and Durant on the court, becoming a spot up shooter

So why don't we simply start our spot-up shooter? I mean, he's a bit of a defensive liability, but it's a pretty solid fit offensively in the starting lineup. Plenty of other teams start players who can only shoot. This theoretically opens up the starting offense while still letting Harden play to his strengths.

I think obviously the long-term solution is to get Harden integrated with Westbrook and Durant and simply stagger the substitutions, but the Spurs brought Ginobili off the bench for years.2

[bbms]

I think it would do a great immediate impact, since sefolosha is completely useless offensively and ddefensively I don't get why should he play against Memphis and Dallas since they don't have any slashing guards, I think Cook is acceptable to guard Stevenson and Tony Allen.

Last game Cook's threes got us started to 18-pt lead reaction.

I think right now Jarden is important to our bench because there's no other guy at our bench that can create his own shot like he does and Maynor is not a great administrator. But also, I think Harden could be the guy to cool down Westbrook just like Ginobili did to Parker and at lower rate, Hawkins did to Payton but since we have no time to implement this right now...

Also, I think if we play against Mavs Hardens is more than enough to keep Terry away from beast us and if we don't face Dwyane Wade nor Kobe this playoffs, Sefolosha wouldn't be that necessary because he plays the best on ball defense.

[HeartSouloma]

You know Scott Brooks is not a smart coach to do that, he will always go with the same line-up.

[theokie]

Start Harden. Have Cook come off the bench behind him. Sit Sefolosha next to Ivey and Aldrich.

[Clangus]

we're in the second round of the playoff with a good chance of getting to the conf finals.
We won 55 games in the reg season.

yeah that Brooks sure is an idiot and has no idea what he is doing.

SMH

[slick_watts]

we're in the second round of the playoff with a good chance of getting to the conf finals.
We won 55 games in the reg season.

yeah that Brooks sure is an idiot and has no idea what he is doing.

SMH

Coaches can be good at some things, bad at others. Brooks isn't so hot at lineup construction and seems to spare his players' feelings a little too much. Looking at how the starting unit has performed post trade (and considering what went on with Green over Ibaka), I think that keeping the current unit intact is a fair criticism.

[Clangus]

we're in the second round of the playoff with a good chance of getting to the conf finals.
We won 55 games in the reg season.

yeah that Brooks sure is an idiot and has no idea what he is doing.

SMH

Coaches can be good at some things, bad at others. Brooks isn't so hot at lineup construction and seems to spare his players' feelings a little too much. Looking at how the starting unit has performed post trade (and considering what went on with Green over Ibaka), I think that keeping the current unit intact is a fair criticism.

I think continuity is a significant factor for why this team that is SO YOUNG performs so well. Most teams with young guys jerk them around, change the lineup. I think Brooks sparing the players feeling is part of why the team is so together. Young guys can have large but fragile egos

Do i hate his late game play calls? Hell Yes! Do i think that he loves small ball too much? Again Hell Yes.
I am far from in love with every aspect of Brooks coaching style, but I dont think rotation changes in the middle of a successful playoff run is the answer. And I think he is actually a very good coach that is great for young guys development. Work hard and your chance will come - seems like a good motto to me

[slick_watts]

Well, I think the bottom line is that it's clear the starting unit isn't really working well. Point to wins or whatever, but the Thunder seem to win in spite of their starters' poor offensive performance. I can understand Scott Brooks not wanting to make a change in the lineups now, and that's fine. The time the change should have been made was after the trades (actually, it was last season...). Floor balance is a vital component for a successful offense and I don't think anyone had to watch a game to surmise that it wouldn't be there anymore. Just like interior defense and size is important, but Brooks did not slide Jeff Green to the bench even if it would have benefited the team. This issue isn't as big as that one was since our starters play defense, but still.

It's not a bad thing to criticize a coach. Brooks' good coaching decisions have been recognized as well. He seems to be playing Harden a lot more at least (save the game three debacle).

[Clangus]

Well, I think the bottom line is that it's clear the starting unit isn't really working well. Point to wins or whatever, but the Thunder seem to win in spite of their starters' poor offensive performance. I can understand Scott Brooks not wanting to make a change in the lineups now, and that's fine. The time the change should have been made was after the trades (actually, it was last season...). Floor balance is a vital component for a successful offense and I don't think anyone had to watch a game to surmise that it wouldn't be there anymore. Just like interior defense and size is important, but Brooks did not slide Jeff Green to the bench even if it would have benefited the team. This issue isn't as big as that one was since our starters play defense, but still.

It's not a bad thing to criticize a coach. Brooks' good coaching decisions have been recognized as well. He seems to be playing Harden a lot more at least (save the game three debacle).

I agree that it is good and fair to criticize the coach. However, I think some people are taking it too far and suggesting that he is a bad coach. That simply pisses me off, because i think he does a very good job and I have never seen a group of players evolve so fast in my many years of watching hoop. ANd that evolution started immediately after PJ was fired and Brooks was given the HC job.

[Clangus]

The Jeff Green Debarcle was half a season ago - i see no reason to use that against the man considering our record since Presti went and got him a Real Center.

Our Bench is one of the leagues best, its one of our strengths, why change that up, by inserting one of them into the starting lineup when we already have 2 potent scorers and a fastly evolving 4? Our first 5 is better most, our bench is better than most - you talk about balance - there it is, both unit are ery strong and together its hard to beat us- why would we tip the scales either way when its working ?

I also think Harden will eventually start, but he is already playing starters minutes i dont see the big deal.

[BIG EDDIE]

As I see it, James Harden will start next season.
Not only because he is better overall player than Thabo.
Not only because we need his offense in our starting 5.
But maybe most importantly, because he has reached the level of a semi-star, where after being the 3rd pick in the draft, he played 2 seasons at the bench, has improved his game and NOW he earned the starting spot. Simple as that. If he doesn't get it, he will leave the team. Thats how I see it.

[vegajf51]

As I see it, James Harden will start next season.
Not only because he is better overall player than Thabo.
Not only because we need his offense in our starting 5.
But maybe most importantly, because he has reached the level of a semi-star, where after being the 3rd pick in the draft, he played 2 seasons at the bench, has improved his game and NOW he earned the starting spot. Simple as that. If he doesn't get it, he will leave the team. Thats how I see it.

Ya but if harden comes off the bench all next season I can see him winning 6th man of the year.


Sent from my iPhone 4 using Tapatalk

[slick_watts]

I agree that it is good and fair to criticize the coach. However, I think some people are taking it too far and suggesting that he is a bad coach. That simply pisses me off, because i think he does a very good job and I have never seen a group of players evolve so fast in my many years of watching hoop. ANd that evolution started immediately after PJ was fired and Brooks was given the HC job.

I'd say he's average to below average among his peers, overall. He does have many good qualities, but his lack of experience + other things that have been mentioned drop him down a bit.

The Jeff Green Debarcle was half a season ago - i see no reason to use that against the man considering our record since Presti went and got him a Real Center.

That is part of a developing pattern with Scott Brooks, it's relevant when discussing his coaching tenure.

Our Bench is one of the leagues best, its one of our strengths, why change that up, by inserting one of them into the starting lineup when we already have 2 potent scorers and a fastly evolving 4? Our first 5 is better most, our bench is better than most - you talk about balance - there it is, both unit are ery strong and together its hard to beat us- why would we tip the scales either way when its working ?

Balance = floor balance. Spacing. The starting unit scores less than 100 points per 100 possessions. That's Milwaukee Bucks levels of offensive futility. In the playoffs, the starters barely have a positive differential. They're better than the previous starting lineup, no doubt, but the lack of floor balance stifles our two best players and makes their jobs very difficult. The first play of the last game is a perfect example. Russell Westbrook hits Thabo wide open for the corner three and he misses it. That's the most efficient shot in the NBA, and Thabo makes it less than 30% of the time. You need a player in the game that can make that shot and provide correct spacing, or scoring in the half court is difficult. I think starting out this way is bad for the team and really treads a fine line.

When we have two players on the bench that can provide the floor spacing the starting unit is starving for, I'm not sure what you can say that mitigates the criticism for Brooks - just like when we had players on the bench that could defend and rebound the ball when Jeff Green and Nenad Krstic were starting. Brooks does a lot of things right, but this is one thing he's struggled with.

[dopeismarcus]

Start Harden. Have Cook come off the bench behind him. Sit Sefolosha next to Ivey and Aldrich.

[MBash721]

having Harden start and Cook come off the bench would not maximize Cook's shooting ability

think about Cook's strength... it's hitting 3 pointers... if he played with Durant/Westbrook, teams would focus on them so much and collapse on them when they drive that Cook is left open to hit 3's

if you play Westbrook/Durant/Harden together as starters, there is no one on the 2nd unit who demands attention that would allow Cook's man to leave him on the perimeter

remember, Cook cant really create his own shot... he's much better spotted up than off the dribble

if you want to maximize Cook's 3 point shooting, play him as much as possible with 2 of Durant/Westbrook/Harden, because they can get him open shots

hypothetically next season, if you dont wasnt Sefolosha to play big minutes and want to split the 2 guard between Cook and Harden, the best thing to do would basically do the same thing they do now, except replace Cook with Sefolosha... Start Cook and give him 15-20 minutes a game... but give Harden the majority of the minutes.... but Cook needs playmakers around him because otherwise his defenders wont ever have to help and leave him open

[bbms]

Harden would be really tough to implement to the starting five right now, but not Cook. Cook would spread ad shoot.

Harden played well the last three games with Westbrook, indeed, but his playmaking is a need at 2nd unit right now imo.

Our team is good because we have two All-NBA players, a very very very good bench, a very very very good defensive presence inside and we could be better if our team had a game plan.

[BIG EDDIE]

I agree, I could totally see us improving with Cook in the starting five.
I would rather bring then in Thabo as a sort of back-up to Durant and have him as an injury back-up.
Nothing against Thabo, he is a great defensive player, but we would need at least 3 strong offensive players in our starting five to start a game off effective.
BTW, it would make such a difference if Thabo could actually hit the open 3.
Just like Bruce Bowen, he could make a career with defense and shooting threes, but he CANT shoot them...or better said HIT them. Team leave him wide open and laugh at him when he gets the ball and doesnt know what to do with it. Even Westbrook can shoot them better and he is terribly terrible as well.

[HeartSouloma]

You see what Lionel Hollins did was a smart move starting OJ. I wish Scoot Brooks got the basketball knowledge to change up the line up. He never did change up the line up not even once seen the Denver game. I'm really disappointed in Scott.....

[sonictecture]

I can imagine Brooks at least contemplating the idea, but there is risk in making changes at this point. Cook can be very streaky and if he's not hitting his shot, he's likely to keep shooting, which could be that many fewer shots for Durant.

Brooks deserves credit for bringing Cook into the rotation during the season as a 8 1/2 or 9th man to spread the floor, in a low risk high reward capacity in limited minutes. I think you stick with Cook in this role.

In this case, I think you stick with what got you to this point. Stick with the routine, keep the young players comfortable and loose, home court should be the advantage in this game.

If the game was in Memphis, I would advocate for starting Harden. In a one game do or die you rely on your best players.