Update: Rockets coach Kevin McHale did start Omer Asik in place of Portland native Terrence Jones in Game 3.
With his team facing a stunning 0-2 deficit, hissuperstar struggling mightily and his counterpart outcoaching him in virtually every aspect, Kevin McHale seems poised to make a change.
The Houston Rockets coach hinted Friday morning that he was planning on making a change to his starting lineup tonight, when the Rockets visit the Trail Blazersin Game 3 of their best-of-seven Western Conference playoff series.
Well have some change-ups, McHale told reporters at the teams morning shootaround at the Moda Center.
While McHale didnt offer specifics or even explicitly say he would make a change to his starting lineup it only makes sense that any tweaks would be aimed at slowing down power forward LaMarcus Aldridge, who has tormented the Rockets through two games.
Aldridge is averaging 44.5 points, 13.0 rebounds and 2.5 blocks, while shooting a blistering 59.3 percent from the field. His strong play has carried the Blazers to a commanding 2-0 lead as the series shifts to Portland. A logical move could be replacing Portland native Terrence Jones, who Aldridge has domianted, with towering center Omer Asik.
As the Houston Chronicles Jonathan Feigen notes, the Rockets started Asik in the frontcourt, along with All-Star center Dwight Howard, when the teams met in Portland during the regular season, and the Rockets defeated the Blazers 116-101.
You can make little tweaks, McHale said Friday. Were looking at doing a couple things differently, but we still have to be who we are.
It would not be the first time McHale has made a postseason adjustment to his starting lineup.
Last season, when the Rockets lost in six games to the Oklahoma City Thunder, McHale changed his lineup heading into Game 2, following a 120-91 blowout loss in Game 1. McHale opted to go with a small lineup then, replacing power forward Greg Smith with point guard Patrick Beverley.
Is McHale planning a similar change-of-pace against the red-hot Blazers in Game 3? Well find in a few hours tipoff is at 7:30.
--Joe Freeman
Source: http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/index.ssf/2014/04/are_houston_rockets_changing_starting_lineup_for_g.html
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