Rockets' Jeremy Lin and James Harden vs. Knicks' Raymond Felton, Jason Kidd: Which Backcourt Is Better?

It's been roughly eight months since Jeremy Lin jumped ship to Houston from the limelight of New York, which helped set the stage for some rapid redevelopment in both basketball franchises.

The Rockets, coming off a third straight season without a playoff appearance, wiped the slate clean and outbid the Knicks for Lin's services, impressed by Lin's sensational run during the Linsanity period in New York that rejuvenated the Knicks' failing playoff dreams. And months later, they stunned the league when they acquired James Harden, the NBA Sixth Man of the Year last season with Oklahoma City, in a trade just before Opening Night.  

To counter Lin's absence and give star Carmelo Anthony the best chance to win now while he was still under guaranteed contract with Amar'e Stoudemire for two years, the Knicks went out and brought Raymond Felton back to New York merely a season after they traded him for Anthony to Denver. They also acquired veteran point guard Jason Kidd, who helped the Dallas Mavericks upset LeBron James and the Miami Heat to win the 2010-11 NBA title.

More than half a season later, both teams are in the thick of playoff races. The No.2 East-seeded, injury-prone Knicks (38-23) are actually fighting to stay on top of the Atlantic Division and perhaps vie for the Heat's No.1 spot in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. Meanwhile, the 34-30 Rockets, the No.7 seed in the West, aren't any threat to San Antonio's hold in the Southwest Division, but are steadily moving up in the playoff picture as they look to take the No.6 seed from the sliding Golden State Warriors.

But which team has the better backcourt?

The Old Hands Steady the Ship For New York

 Looking closer at the backcourts, Felton and Kidd, when healthy, had helped to balance the Knicks with steady ball movement that's gotten the Knicks players more involved on offense most of the time. Felton, in particular, has rebounded from a disappointing season in Portland with some of his best numbers since the first time he came to New York. Felton has averaged 14.7 points with 5.8 assists in 49 games this season, while Kidd has helped balance things out with 6.6 points and 3.5 assists. However, the numbers don't tell the whole story, as Kidd--regarded by many as a future Hall of Famer--has provided his crafty knowledge of the game, accumulated through a stellar 18-year career, on both ends of the floor for the Knicks, good for a timely steal on defense or a clutch shot in crunch time.

A veteran backcourt, they have overachieved their expectations and have helped to guide the Knicks into position to clinch their division for the first time since 1994.

Lin and Harden Kick Rockets into Overdrive

Meanwhile, Harden and Lin have helped transform Houston's offense into one of the NBA's fastest, highest scoring teams. Harden is playing basketball at an MVP-like level, ranked fifth in the NBA in scoring with 26.4 points per game and 5.8 assists. Lin, while not quite living up to the expectations he brought from New York, has steadily improved, averaging 12.8 points and leading the Rockets with 6.1 assists this season; as an added plus, Lin is ranked seventh in the league in steals with 1.81 swipes per game.

Lin has become more comfortable in his role after a roller-coaster statistical season as he has learned how to play off the ball more while creating shots for his teammates. Meanwhile, Harden has become one of the best shooting guards in the West not named Kobe Bryant as he has helped turn the young Rockets from lottery-bound losers into playoff dark horses. With their youth and athleticism, they pose a deceptive threat to any team that draws them in the first round of the playoffs, assuming they don't collapse down the stretch.

Weaknesses

As much as both backcourts have been instrumental, both have their flaws.

For the Knicks, Felton started out strong in his return to New York, where he seems to thrive, a rarity in an athlete. However, injuries to his hand have hampered his season, affecting his production noticeably after he missed a month of action when he injured his left pinkie against the Lakers on Christmas Day. Kidd, meanwhile, has been mired in a shooting slump as of late, which prompted Knicks coach Mike Woodson to take him out of the starting lineup recently.

Also, Kidd, at 38, is no spring chicken, having dealt with back issues this season that have kept him out of games. With the wear and tear of the regular season starting to show on them, both are going to need rest if the Knicks are to have any hope of making it deep into the playoffs this season.

Lin and Harden, meanwhile, have been keeping things rolling on offense for the Rockets, but on defense, it's been another story. Combined, the Rockets' backcourt has turned over the ball 421 times, more than any backcourt tandem in the league this season. Lin has turned over the ball 2.9 times per game and Harden 3.7 times, the second worst total in the NBA. And more often than not, those turnovers make the Rockets pay, Houston turning the ball over a league-worst 16.3 times per game. That gives their opponents second chances on offense that no doubt account for a good chunk of the 103.6 points Houston gives up each game, second-worst in the NBA.

At times during the season, Lin has been inconsistent on offense, as he has looked to defer on offense to Harden. Meanwhile, Harden has gone into shooting slumps at times during the season, and when that happens, the Rockets are usually in trouble, as he takes the lion's share of the shots. Harden has to develop a way to keep the offense going and be productive even on nights when he just doesn't have it; that skill will be critical in developing the Rockets into a perennial West contender.

How Will They Do in the Playoffs

Harden and Lin have the luxury of youth on their side. Having gone without major injuries this season, both have been there for most of the Rockets' games. However, of the two, only Harden has any credible playoff experience, having gone to the NBA Finals last season with OKC, where he averaged a productive 16.3 points and 3.4 assists over 20 postseason games, though he struggled in the Finals. They might be the fastest backcourt in the West, but the lack of experience will hurt them against playoff-tested teams like the Thunder or the Spurs.

As for the Knicks, Kidd has been there before and won it all with Dallas. Felton, however, has never made it past the first round of the playoffs with either Charlotte or Denver. They are hardened vets who are skilled enough to lead New York to higher ground in the playoffs but if injuries continue to hamper them, even Carmelo Anthony's talents won't be enough to save the Knicks' playoff dreams.

Overall

These are two different backcourts with two different styles that have helped mold the identities of their teams. Felton and Kidd have given New York poise and veteran leadership necessary to keep ahead of the younger Brooklyn Nets and vie with the big dogs of the Eastern Conference for supremacy. Harden and Lin have helped Houston become one of the fastest and most potent offenses in the game. While inexperience and barely a season playing together may cause some problems, they are  young and talented and can only get better with time.

For the long term future, the Rockets have the clear advantage with Harden and Lin, but for the short term of the playoffs, the Knicks look like they are in better hands with a pair of veterans in Kidd and Felton who know that this may be their best--and maybe last--chance to win the big one.