Somewhat confused about starting lineup decisions?

[OmegaAtrocity]

Lin-Kemba is a 2 PG lineup, whichever one you want to arbitrarily call the 1 and 2 is irrelevant. The 2 PG lineup isn't great in the NBA, it only works in stretches. Lin is going to be the backup PG/6th man and he really should be. It's his best fit on this team by a pretty good margin.

[thisissami]

@OmegaAtrocity

I disagree with this. I think a 2 PG lineup is one of the best things possible in the NBA, with a huge caveat: both the PGs have to always be looking for teammates and really have a team-first attitude. If one of the PGs likes to dribble and ISO a whole bunch, then it won't work at all, and you're better of staggering them.

[bws94]

Kemba starting PG. Lin - Combo guard off the bench. Lin-Kemba size isn't great against some size as well as Lin-Kemba chemistry isn't still there. Kemba-Batum adds size, Batum facilitates, Kemba scores and does some creating. Lin-Batum, Batum scores some more with some facilitating, Lin penetrates and creates with some scoring. Both combos work.

Starting lineup will be different from closing. Kemba, Batum, PJ, Marvin, Cody
Closing: Kemba, Batum, Lin, Marvin, Cody or Frank

This is in consideration of the MKG injury.

[Guitardude]

The team is what, 7-3 or 7-4 when Lin starts, as opposed to not so well, when Lin comes off the bench. Lin also posts much better numbers as a starter. The MKG injury was terrible, but Cliff should use this opportunity to change things up after the ASB and see how Lin does as a starter the rest of the way.

[TinmanZBoy]

the only team who has had success (relatively) by starting two small PGs was the 13-14's Suns... that's because Eric Bledsoe is a genetic freak, a 6'1" guard who has a huge wing span and can guard most 1 and 2's in the league... no other team can get away defensively by starting two small PGs... it is not viable long term

[euphorbus]

Some of the more common five-man lineups with Lin-Walker-Batum:

Batum,Nicolas - Kaminsky,Frank - Lin,Jeremy - Walker,Kemba - Williams,Marvin 4 games +2

Batum,Nicolas - Jefferson,Al - Lin,Jeremy - Walker,Kemba - Williams,Marvin 8 games +2

Batum,Nicolas - Kaminsky,Frank - Lin,Jeremy - Walker,Kemba - Zeller,Cody 14 games +1.7

Batum,Nicolas - Hawes,Spencer - Lin,Jeremy - Walker,Kemba - Williams,Marvin 12 games +.6

Batum,Nicolas - Lin,Jeremy - Walker,Kemba - Williams,Marvin - Zeller,Cody 21 games +.2

Batum,Nicolas - Jefferson,Al - Kaminsky,Frank - Lin,Jeremy - Walker,Kemba 4 games -1.3

As you can see, nearly all of them were at least moderately successful.

http://stats.nba.com/league/lineups/#!/?Season=2015-16&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&TeamID=1610612766&sort=GP&dir=1

[TinmanZBoy]

Some of the more common five-man lineups with Lin-Walker-Batum:

Batum,Nicolas - Kaminsky,Frank - Lin,Jeremy - Walker,Kemba - Williams,Marvin 4 games +2

Batum,Nicolas - Jefferson,Al - Lin,Jeremy - Walker,Kemba - Williams,Marvin 8 games +2

Batum,Nicolas - Kaminsky,Frank - Lin,Jeremy - Walker,Kemba - Zeller,Cody 14 games +1.7

Batum,Nicolas - Hawes,Spencer - Lin,Jeremy - Walker,Kemba - Williams,Marvin 12 games +.6

Batum,Nicolas - Lin,Jeremy - Walker,Kemba - Williams,Marvin - Zeller,Cody 21 games +.2

Batum,Nicolas - Jefferson,Al - Kaminsky,Frank - Lin,Jeremy - Walker,Kemba 4 games -1.3

As you can see, nearly all of them were at least moderately successful.

http://stats.nba.com/league/lineups/#!/?Season=2015-16&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&TeamID=1610612766&sort=GP&dir=1

the only starting lineup featuring Lin/Walker is

Walker/Lin/Hairston/Williams/Zeller has a woeful net rating -21.4, more telling is the defensive rating 122

[gafun]

Not sure why Lin and PJ do not fit well in the same lineups. If we go back to early season lineups with everyone is healthy (except MKG which is too bad), and keep BF1 intact, we should do better than early season and still make the playoffs and even to top 4,5 seed. Kemba,Cody,Marvin, Battum have played better than early season so the starters could keep up or beat the opponent starters. Frank, Hawes and Lin improved a lot after getting a lot of playtime. Lamb is getting back to his best status. AL could replace Cody since he fits more to Kemba's style. With Cody back to reinforce BF1, we have have much improved and strong 2 units to compete , plus our third string players are ready to fill in to BF1 just in case. Give 1st unit 28 minutes, 2nd units 20 mins and adjust the units' time , one or two players' time or role depends on the specific situations.

[bws94]

gafun, would you break up Cody and Batum? They have the best 2-man chemistry on the team. I wouldn't break them up if I were Cliff. Big Al on the 2nd team would clog everything up too. I'm not sure what to do with Big Al when he comes back.

[gafun]

gafun, would you break up Cody and Batum? They have the best 2-man chemistry on the team. I wouldn't break them up if I were Cliff. Big Al on the 2nd team would clog everything up too. I'm not sure what to do with Big Al when he comes back.

AL and Kemba fit well together. Kemba is pg, it makes more sense to have first unit to play around them. One post scorer and two great outside shooters and with PJ to help defense. It could work.

[HornetJail]

gafun, would you break up Cody and Batum? They have the best 2-man chemistry on the team. I wouldn't break them up if I were Cliff. Big Al on the 2nd team would clog everything up too. I'm not sure what to do with Big Al when he comes back.

AL and Kemba fit well together. Kemba is pg, it makes more sense to have first unit to play around them. One post scorer and two great outside shooter and with PJ to help defense. It could work.

I think we have 2 seasons of proof saying that Al and Kemba really haven't worked out together. On paper it looked great in 2013, but Al has crowded the paint too much, and Kemba is still at peak form when he can get into the paint at will, which simply doesn't happen when Al is attracting double-teams in the paint. Al would be great for our second unit, where we have Frank, Lamb, and plenty of other shooters who give him the space to operate. I like the 1 in, 4 out unit around Al with our second unit. Lin needs to shoot better from deep to make it work to perfection though.

[spaceballer]

gafun, would you break up Cody and Batum? They have the best 2-man chemistry on the team. I wouldn't break them up if I were Cliff. Big Al on the 2nd team would clog everything up too. I'm not sure what to do with Big Al when he comes back.

AL and Kemba fit well together. Kemba is pg, it makes more sense to have first unit to play around them. One post scorer and two great outside shooter and with PJ to help defense. It could work.

I think we have 2 seasons of proof saying that Al and Kemba really haven't worked out together. On paper it looked great in 2013, but Al has crowded the paint too much, and Kemba is still at peak form when he can get into the paint at will, which simply doesn't happen when Al is attracting double-teams in the paint. Al would be great for our second unit, where we have Frank, Lamb, and plenty of other shooters who give him the space to operate. I like the 1 in, 4 out unit around Al with our second unit. Lin needs to shoot better from deep to make it work to perfection though.

The problem is that Lin, like Kemba, is also best when he's able to penetrate into the paint. So the same problem with Al clogging the paint occurs.

If anything, it's better to stick Al with Kemba in the first unit, since Kemba (so far this season) is a better 3pt shooter than Lin, so Kemba can play Alfense better. And Lin and the 2nd unit like to push the pace more than the 1st unit. Which means Al would be even more detrimental to the 2nd unit by slowing down the pace.

[gafun]

gafun, would you break up Cody and Batum? They have the best 2-man chemistry on the team. I wouldn't break them up if I were Cliff. Big Al on the 2nd team would clog everything up too. I'm not sure what to do with Big Al when he comes back.

AL and Kemba fit well together. Kemba is pg, it makes more sense to have first unit to play around them. One post scorer and two great outside shooter and with PJ to help defense. It could work.

I think we have 2 seasons of proof saying that Al and Kemba really haven't worked out together. On paper it looked great in 2013, but Al has crowded the paint too much, and Kemba is still at peak form when he can get into the paint at will, which simply doesn't happen when Al is attracting double-teams in the paint. Al would be great for our second unit, where we have Frank, Lamb, and plenty of other shooters who give him the space to operate. I like the 1 in, 4 out unit around Al with our second unit. Lin needs to shoot better from deep to make it work to perfection though.

What different from previous seasons is that now we have two 3p shooters Batum and Marvin as starters. So it is less likely AL would got doubled. Kemba has three good options for scoring 1. Attack the rim, 2. Pass to AL for low post or 6-10 foot jump shoots 3. Pass to Batum and Marvin for long range shots. Batum can play some pg too and create scoring chances for others. PJ might have some 3ps too.

[bws94]

gafun, would you break up Cody and Batum? They have the best 2-man chemistry on the team. I wouldn't break them up if I were Cliff. Big Al on the 2nd team would clog everything up too. I'm not sure what to do with Big Al when he comes back.

AL and Kemba fit well together. Kemba is pg, it makes more sense to have first unit to play around them. One post scorer and two great outside shooter and with PJ to help defense. It could work.

I think we have 2 seasons of proof saying that Al and Kemba really haven't worked out together. On paper it looked great in 2013, but Al has crowded the paint too much, and Kemba is still at peak form when he can get into the paint at will, which simply doesn't happen when Al is attracting double-teams in the paint. Al would be great for our second unit, where we have Frank, Lamb, and plenty of other shooters who give him the space to operate. I like the 1 in, 4 out unit around Al with our second unit. Lin needs to shoot better from deep to make it work to perfection though.

Well there, that new avatar is hilarious.

Anyway, Lin is also a penetrator. That's his game for both his shots and facilitation. His shot is off and on. A lot of off this season. Al is a big-time clogger upper of the ball-moving second unit too. I don't know where he fits. And, as I said before, Cody-Batum connection is for real for the starters.

Maybe Al can help to draw out rim blockers but he still does his best work deep in the post. Maybe Al splits time in both units and Cody as well. Maybe that's the solution Cliff will have to come up with. Cody can still work with Batum in the second unit while Lin works with the other guys and both Lin and Batum find guys. It's just they have their favorite targets. Lin's might be Psycho T who doesn't play that much, and Troy. And with the starters, Kemba also likes Cody, and likes Marv. And Nic.