As for the topic, I would like to see what Lin can do with Harden and Howard first before relegating him to the 6th man role, but I would love to see him as a 6th man running the point for the Rockets so that the team always has a player capable of controlling the offense throughout the entire game.
The only people who think Lin can't defend are the ones who quote the opposing PG numbers for cherry-picked games as proof. Everyone else realizes that defense is a team game and isn't a series of five guys playing one-on-one basketball.
I respect what you're saying. But, I disagree. In point of fact, Lin is just beginning his career in the NBA, and with the Rockets, in the second half of the season, he shot over 38% from 3. Maybe he just got hot for the second half of the season, but I have hopes that he can average above 37% from 3 this coming year and also believe he'll continue to get better on that end. This will help us tremendously. And his strengths on offense, as evidenced by last year, was more than just getting to the rim (nothing to scoff at btw), but also in leading the break, in orchestrating a fast, up-tempo offense, and putting up numbers if need be. IF he can truly show himself to be a 37% shooter from 3 this year, still attack the rim and dish to Dwight, and lead an up-tempo offense as he's been doing, he will be a remarkable young pg at 24,25. In terms of defense, he's at least above average in my humble opinion. Defense may be more subjective and hard to judge, but what stats we do have, confirms this. What I see is a quick player with great hands (hand positioning and hand speed), great instincts (anticipating without gambling), with a knack for taking charges, deflecting balls, and getting steals. I also saw several games in which Lin was burned, but this imo is par for the course. Everyone gets burned by the quick ones. Even Lin routinely toasts opposing teams guards. And for clarification, Lin played extremely well after Melo came back and most people who've seen the games, liked Lin's game after Lin came back than before. After all, with Melo, they went 7-1 till his injury and blew out the opposing teams by at least 20 and all starters sat in the fourth (thereby the lowered stats). Anyone who saw the games will confirm this. All those who say Lin played poorly after Melo came back didn't see the games. I promise you. Lin's defense has been his calling card since college, GSW, and summer league games. Only when the haters came out in masse, did the notion of Lin being a bad defender come about. Then, every time someone blew past Lin or scored a bunch, even though that is what these elite players do, Lin got lambasted. When Lin shut people down, they don't even recognize it. It's so frustrating. Anyways, if Lin is a negative to the team, then you'll not hear a peep from me about starting him or even keeping him. It's just when I feel the hate is unjustified or overblown with a bit of spite tossed in, I get upset as I SHOULD as a fan of basketball, a fan of Lin, and a fan of the Rockets.
LOHs are so funny. I'm not a Lin only fan and calling him for bad defense is really stupid. As far as I can tell, besides from Asik, he was the only one really trying to play any kind of defense. Yes, he does leave his man open but do you realize how many games Houston win by blowouts because of this? Look at the 50 points blowout Jazz game. This game was the affect of Lin's defense. Nobody give him credit for it. As far as I can tell, if Lin plays PG and not SG. His best years is yet to come. He is way better than Tony Parker in his early days.
I think he can do better as a 6th man but that means we won't see the pre game ritual of Lin, Harden and Parsons anymore. I kinda like that lol
Harden played 40+ minutes almost every game last season, so if Lin is the 6th man, when is he going to get his chance to play as the ball handling PG? Also, not sure if all you said about Lin vs Beverley is true.
Playing with a ball dominant star SG, Lin received a lot more open looks. His inability to consistently knock down those shots is his biggest hurdle. Lin has always been a 33% 3 point shooter, might have a few good or bad months, but at the end the averages don't lie. Making almost half of his made shots at the rim is the reason that the casual fan believes he is a good shooter, gotta look at those stats showing his percentages farther from the basket. As far as a starting caliber guard, I just don't see him taking this team to where they want to go. He could possible carve out an important role coming off the bench.
Totally waste of time on this tropic. We don't know how they improve and the new chemistry with Howard.
Is it necessary to be divisive and claim all fans of Jeremy Lin are r****ded? Lets move on past name calling Chenjy9.
Exactly, why some people don't even want to see how Howard will work out with Harden, Chandler and Lin.
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dwight is going to bring lin back to that linsanity mentality. (the key word is mentality, not saying he is going to get the same numbers.) and why? because dwight can catch the damn ball. its an "easy button" for lin to dump it inside and dwight can actually catch the ball and dunk it, or finish above the rim. this in turn frees up his own game. if lin stays and gets to play with dwight, and still is marginal, then and only then can we say he peaked or plateaued. the flipside however is that dwight can be his tyson chandler and harden/parsons can be his fields/novak. lin will finally be in a linsanity-like situation and if he is ever to be linsanity again it would be with this talented line up.
I don't see why they would let Lin control the ball and put Harden in the Landry Fields role, or Dwight Howard into Tyson Chandler role. For one Harden/Howard won't take well being put into smaller roles, especially for a player of Lin's caliber. Second, that's a terrible way to manage your talent considering how talented a scorer Harden is when he has the ball in his hand.
Okay those points are reasonable. I agree shooting long range is his biggest liability and he may not be a championship caliber point guard right now. But he had been improving and vastly working on his outside shooting this off-season so we'll see how he does next year but I am hopeful. But im just saying he is a starting caliber point guard in the NBA in general But honestly, I can still see us being contenders even if Lin isn't championship caliber point guard. After all, he is a secondary, role player to Harden and Howard. I mean look at the Miami Heat they won two rings with Mario Chalmers
I think Harden and Lin just need time to make their games can coexist. There were times last season where they both went off and they looked pretty much unstoppable together and if Harden is the only facilitator his game will suffer from fatigue in the later months and the playoffs. Give Harden the ball when he needs it but let him focus on scoring and defense. I say give them the offseason to practice and gel as a backcourt first.
