Jeremy Lin Not A Lock As Houston Rockets Starting Point Guard, Says Kevin McHale

Jeremy Lin started in all 82 regular season games for the Houston Rockets in the 2012-13 NBA season, but the fan favorite point guard is not a guaranteed starter in the upcoming NBA season.

Lin, who signed a lucrative contract with the Rockets during the summer of 2012 after a remarkable run with the New York Knicks, is currently in a close fight with Patrick Beverley for the starting point guard spot.

Lin and Beverley each started in two of Houston's four preseason games and Rockets head coach Kevin McHale admitted that he has not yet made up his mind on who will start for them in the 2013-14 NBA season.

In an interview with the Houston Chronicle, McHale said that he has "two starting point guards" in Lin and Beverley, while also pointing out that, from his standpoint, there is no difference between starting and coming off the bench as long as the player will be given the minutes that he deserves.

"As a player, I always found it irrelevant. I came off the bench in a lot of games. What is the big difference in playing 27½ minutes off the bench and playing 26 minutes as a starter? I guess it is a big deal to some people," McHale said.

Lin echoed the statement of his coach, saying that having two alternating starting point guards with different strengths and playing styles will make them unpredictable, making it hard for opposing teams to scout the Rockets.

"We have different strengths," said Lin. "Beverley is such a good defender and shooter. I am better with the ball in my hands, attacking. I think that makes us tough to scout, and it gives us the opportunity to give a lot of different looks."

Lin averaged 13.4 points to go along with 6.1 assists and 3.0 rebounds during the 2012-13 regular season, but his production went down to 4.0 points and 2.0 assists in the playoffs, in part due to a chest injury he sustained early in the Rockets' first round loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Beverley had a bigger share of the point guard minutes in the playoffs and he made a lasting impression as he averaged 11.8 points and 5.5 rebounds in 33.3 minutes per game after averaging just 5.6 points and 2.7 rebounds in 17.4 minutes during the regular season.