Coach Kevin McHale said he's entertained the idea of benching Lawson in an attempt to lift the Rockets out of their dismal 4-7 start to the season, ESPN.com's Calvin Watkins reports.

Coach Kevin McHale said he's entertained the idea of benching Lawson in an attempt to lift the Rockets out of their dismal 4-7 start to the season, ESPN.com's Calvin Watkins reports.

Analysis:

A number of players are underachieving for the Rockets in the early going, with Lawson being one of the chief offenders. He's seen his minutes count decline in each of the last five games for the Rockets, averaging a paltry 5.6 points (on 26.2 percent shooting), 5.2 assists, and 2.4 rebounds during that span. The absence of Patrick Beverley (ankle) has perhaps delayed any lineup changes, but Lawson could nonetheless hit the bench temporarily in favor of Jason Terry if for no other reason than to light a fire under Lawson.