Rockets will reportedly start Patrick Beverley over Jeremy Lin

Oct 16, 2013; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets point guard Patrick Beverley (2) dribbles against the Orlando Magic during the second half at Toyota Center. The Rockets won 108-104. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Campbell-USA TODAY Sports /

There was a bit of a “bomb” dropped concerning the new-look Houston Rockets on Tuesday, and it came from a very unlikely source.

Chandler Parsons confirmed the starting 5 will be same as what they ended preseason with. PBev, JH, CP, DH, Omer. #Rockets
— Adam Wexler (@AdamJWexler) October 29, 2013

According to Adam Wexler of CSN Houston, Rockets swingman Chandler Parsons is openly admitting that the Rockets will deploy Patrick Beverley as their starting point guard to begin the season. On one hand, this isn’t terribly surprising, as Beverley was prominently seen with the starters in the preseason and there have been rumors of this for weeks, but it is still a large investment in an undrafted player over one that is being paid handsomely in Jeremy Lin.

Last season, Beverley did post a marginally higher PER (15.4) than that of Lin (14.9), but the bigger difference between the two players comes at the defensive end. Beverley has the capability of being a disruptive force (in a positive way) on that end, making him a better fit with the defensively-challenged James Harden than Lin would be. It should also be noted that simply starting Beverley (who was previously best known for “injuring” Russell Westbrook last season) doesn’t necessarily indicate a more prominent role in terms of minutes, and it could be a lineup deployment ploy.

Either way, the Houston Rockets will open with an unexpected player next to James Harden in the backcourt on Wednesday.

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