@Drew in Abilene
undervaluing Lin? interesting concept. base on the fact that his play recently by even the most optimistic view has been mediocre, exactly what does he bring to the table? turnovers? indecision? poor passing? horrible shooting? Drew enlighten me, what is it that you think he can bring to the table that Canaan will not. is it proper to continue with things as they are even when it isn't working? I think all of us have seen enough of Lin to know what we are getting and what we are getting is unfulfilling so why not try something else? I honestly feel Canaan can't be any worse than Lin so what exactly is it that you believe we are losing by making a switch?
Posters in this thread have suggested benching Lin permanently, citing his lack of talent. I was in the midst of conversation about whether Lin's talent warranted the price-tag on his contract, and I felt that the conversation was worthwhile. But this current line of thinking, that Lin is undeserving of minutes and a bad player overall, doesn't make sense to me.
You asked me what Lin brings to the table. I believe he brings a more steady hand than a rookie. I believe he brings an attacking style of play that is very conducive to the success of the Rockets' second unit. When his shots aren't falling, he has the ability to drive to the rim and create shots for others or pick up fouls on the defenders. In my estimation, he's also a better defender than many give him credit for.
Canaan is an unknown quantity. He played well in college and has done a good job with the Vipers. Yet these successes do not mean that he's ready to start for a contender. He is inexperienced. He has not had time to adjust to playing defense against NBA-caliber point guards. He may one day be ready for a starting position, but from what I've seen, I don't think he's ready yet. Nor do I think he'll be ready this season, and probably not next. Again, these are my opinions, and I don't expect people to agree with me.
I guess my big push-back is that sports fans tend to overvalue the potential of the unknown player over the reality of the current player. I think that point is true, whether you think it's applicable in this situation or not. I think a reasonable evaluation of Lin would be that he has been one of the better back-up point guards in the NBA this season, though he's played below the level of most starters. That would put him at around the 30th-40th point guard in the league.
Several posters here are suggesting that Canaan would outperform Lin given those minutes. So be it. I have no more desire to argue that point, not because I think it Lin would underperform in comparison, but because Lin is so polarizing that I get the feeling the conversation would not be very productive. But to argue that Lin should be benched and not get any playing time at this point of the season, with Beverley injured and out for two weeks, is baffling to me. Starting a rookie point guard and leaving no alternative at the 1 is not my idea of a good solution.
I'll end with this: we see what we are looking for. For those who have decided that Lin is unworthy of playing time, it's easy to focus in on turnovers and missed shots. For those who believe he's a great player, it's easy to key in on his drives and the swishes. I think it's worthwhile to remember that we each tend to fall into our own confirmation biases. I think it's fair for me to note that I'm biased towards Lin doing well. But I think it's also fair to note that I'm not the only person posting with some bias.
: 
) Lin and Canaan may be battling to see who will be his backup
