clearly you have something against Lin, so unless he starts averaging 20/10, nothing he can do right now is going to make you like Lin. Right now the team is gelling and after 8 games with a significant new piece in Harden. It's basically training camp 2.0 why don't you wait til maybe half the season or how about after the season to judge the guy?
Lin had an amazing game tonight. His shooting is still abysmal but he did everything else he could have possibly done right. That was insanity to take him out of the game.
<br> Overall his shooting is still terrible. That doesn't concern me atm though because shooting is a skill that can be remedied over time. His hustle/defense/play making has been real solid lately. I'll give him his dues. <br> Sampson is a moron though
His shooting will come I am not worried at all. There are a lot of players in the NBA struggling with there shot. Very few have Lin's versatility to just fill out a stat sheet. He is looking like Jason Kidd out there. He led the Rockets in blocks this game that is madness.
We have star player who is an offensive savant and a swiss army knife on defense and we're treating him like Kyle Korver.
Before I was on fence about Jeremy as a player. I knew it was one or both of two things that were responsible for his play this season. Passivity and Coaching. He appears to be different player this year looking quite tentative and afraid. I started to doubt him. After tonight, I realize that Jeremy is still the same exact player I came to love last season - the unselfish, astute PG, a consummate team player, with great court vision and the knack for making his teammates better. Sure he still missed his shots tonight - but his effort was there and most of them were good shots. As long as he took those shots, I felt confident that they were going to go in. And as I had hoped, he took the initiative to get the rebound and start the fast break leading to some beautiful no look passes. Not only did I love Jeremy's effort but the entire Rockets as well. They reminded me of the melo,amare less linsanity Knicks last year - with every one buying into the system and playing beautiful, free flowing basketball. IMO stats or not, Jeremy played his best game yet as a rocket. Then the OT came. I really thought Jeremy was going to make a big difference to cap his play with a win. But as you know, he never got the chance. He never got the chance to be a winner or a loser. But one good thing that came out of tonight is that I now know I don't need to doubt Jeremy anymore. LOH and LOF alike saw what Jeremy could do as the primary ball handler. He needs the ball to display his skills. And that depends on coaching. You cannot defend the position that TD is that much better than Jeremy to play the entire OT, not after the game he played tonight. I am unclear why Morey invested so much money, paying the poison pill to get a player that his coaching staff doesn't believe in. And I don't care if Morey doesn't believe in making big changes during the season. If Sampson/McHale is not going to use Lin the right way, either get rid of them of get rid of Lin. This mistake cannot happen again. Sampson not only undermined a great young player tonight, but he also demoralized the entire Rocket fan base.
I still keep holding onto hope that the coaching staff knows what it's doing and that Lin won't be relegated to spot-up shooter duties all season. However, that sliver of hope is dying game by game....
Jeremy is a good leader; the team is better when he's the floor general, missing shot or not. They're trying to make Harden the leader. Maybe he's just not. He should get the most shots, be the closer, max guy -- but he needs help. Let Jeremy help him.
Definitely. I was always hopeful on Lin considering his run, but he did great tonight. Showing flashes of a elite PG, everything is amazing except shooting. Shooting is one of the easiest part of fixing, but you can't learn court vision or basketball IQ or elite passing/playmaking.
his shot will come, hes playing very well in other areas and people are finally starting to realise he can defend, and do it quite well.
Whether or not Lin is being misplayed or being in a shooting slump doesn't matter whatsoever right now, what really matters is how the Rockets had two PGs better than him, that would have costed relatively the same, and let them both go. Dragic, Lowry both > Lin in their own styles. both of them are better offensively and defensively. it's ok Morey can make mistakes too. Harden and Asik are more important to the core than Lin, Lin is replaceable, it just sucks cause i'd rather the other Jeremy L that got traded right now.
wtf? how does Dragic/Lowry matter at all to this team at this point? this board's obsession with former players is getting a bit ridiculous
If we had kept Dragic and Lowry then we would not have Harden or Asik. You can't pick and choose like a video game. It was all part of a process. Anyway, time will tell who is better.
