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[Culture Map] Jeremy Lin unchained: NBA discrimination could finally end with recent run

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by J-Wolf, Apr 11, 2013.

  1. J-Wolf

    J-Wolf Member

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    http://houston.culturemap.com/news/...n-could-end-with-houston-rockets-playoff-run/

    Jeremy Lin unchained: NBA discrimination could finally end with recent run

    By Chris Baldwin
    04.10.13 | 02:39 pm


    It started with James Harden sidelined, Chris Paul in town and Kevin McHale holding few other options. The Houston Rockets coach almost had to play Jeremy Lin heavy minutes. Lin — long discounted and downgraded — finally would be treated like a regular NBA starting point guard in Houston.

    Just like how Mike D'Antoni treated Lin for the few magical weeks that changed the underdog's life last winter.

    To his credit, McHale hasn't stopped since either. He's given Lin at least 29 minutes of playing time in six straight games. His reward? The Rockets have cruised into the playoffs for the first time in four years, going 5-1 over that stretch to lock the Los Angeles Lakers and the Utah Jazz into their own two team death match.


    Lin's averaged 17.8 points and 7.6 assists over this playoff clinch stretch, numbers he probably could have averaged for the season if he was guaranteed the type of playing time Harden and Chandler Parsons are. Those are awfully close to the type of numbers that elite point guards put up, of course.

    More than the stats, it's the Lin moments that have steadied the Rockets playoff ship, even as Harden and Parsons have gone in and out of the lineup with injuries, though. It's the cold-blooded, shot-clock-expiring 3-pointer he buried with two minutes left in Sacramento. It's the dead-on shooting in that road rout of Portland. It's the fearless drive to the rim off a scramble, the foul drawn and the two game-tying free throws against Phoenix Tuesday night.

    The Rockets never get the chance to clinch on the brilliant Harden's "game-winning missed shot" — as CSN's postgame voices memorably kept referring to the freakish Jermaine O'Neal goaltending call — without Lin putting his head down and driving the possession before. No one called that moment for Lin. He made it himself.


    Lin's NBA Reality

    It turns out Jeremy Lin is still pretty clutch — even far removed from Linsanity. Maybe McHale's realized this. Maybe he's over his phase of leaning on the limited, but suddenly much celebrated Patrick Beverley over Lin late in the fourth quarter.

    Six games is too small of a sample size to say for sure — especially with heavy minutes man Parsons having missed four of those games. But it's an encouraging sign as the playoffs approach. Harden is the superstar who changed everything for the Rockets this season, but they have no chance of putting any kind of first round scare into Oklahoma City, San Antonio or Denver without Lin playing a major role.

    In a week in which the 60 Minutes profile that detailed the discrimination Lin felt in the college recruiting process came out, the NBA discrimination he's faced could finally be on its way to ending. And make no mistake, the tired belief that Lin really couldn't be as good as he played in New York has always come back to stereotypes about Asians and basketball.

    David Stern allowed for that possibility on Lin's draft night. But it didn't stop there. People who harp about Lin's turnovers — while failing to recognize plays like that alley-oop in traffic to Greg Smith Wednesday night — don't tend to make the same criticisms about other point guards.

    Someone might want to check out how the turnover numbers of the still-Houston-media-hyped, vastly-overrated point guard of a 23-55 Phoenix Suns team compare to Lin's. If you think the Rockets would be better off with Goran Dragic rather than Jeremy Lin in the long run, you're about as big a basketball deep thinker as Dick Vitale.

    Lin's now shown what he can do when not chained to the bench for long stretches of the fourth quarter. Rockets general manager Daryl Morey still rightly lusts after a second superstar, but that quest will play out in the offseason. For these playoffs, there is no doubt that Lin needs to be the secondary focus.

    The Rockets need both Harden and Lin attacking the rim to have a puncher's chance. They need them both moving the basketball, making sure guys like Parsons and Smith get open shots.

    It started with that win over the Clippers sans Harden, with McHale marveling at how well the ball moved. It carried over into this playoff clinch run. Now the Rockets coach has to make sure he doesn't end it — and his team's season — prematurely.
     
    2 people like this.
  2. Haymitch

    Haymitch Custom Title
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    Woohoo another Culture Map article about Jeremy Lin and the make-believe dislike McHale has for him!
     
  3. smr6

    smr6 Member

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    I was starting to worry. There hadn't been a new article about Jeremy Lin since yesterday.
     
  4. REEKO_HTOWN

    REEKO_HTOWN I'm Rich Biiiiaaatch!

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    Lin is the Black Jackie Robinson.
     
  5. wincan459

    wincan459 Member

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    You are not a 2012er so you won't get name calling on this one.
     
  6. wincan459

    wincan459 Member

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    Relax, there will always be an article about Lin any time you need one.;)
     
  7. lookabove

    lookabove Contributing Member

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    Dude, you're showing signs of Jeremy Lin addition.

    Effects Associated with Chronic Use
    Tolerance (needing more of the Jeremy Lin to get the same effect)
    Jeremy Lin craving
    Temporary weight loss
    Withdrawal symptoms including depression and anhedonia
    "Jeremy Lin Lip" where lips can get big and fat.
    Jeremy Lin-related psychosis (may last for months or years after Jeremy Lin use is discontinued)
     
  8. smr6

    smr6 Member

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    Is the first step admitting I have a problem?
     
  9. wincan459

    wincan459 Member

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    It's not make believe. I am not sure the word dislike is true but McHale doesn't trust Lin, at least till recent.
     
  10. Clutch

    Clutch Administrator
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    I later found more from Chris Baldwin of CultureMap:

    http://houston.culturemap.com/news/...za-boy-watts-over-nick-fairley-houston-lover/

     
    2 people like this.
  11. smr6

    smr6 Member

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  12. lookabove

    lookabove Contributing Member

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    If don't think so, your in denial. Please look for help, consult your physician.

    #BeWell
     
  13. Sweet Lou 4 2

    Sweet Lou 4 2 Contributing Member
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    Wait. Lin is black?

    And what the heck was Robinson then?
     
  14. smr6

    smr6 Member

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    #linxietytroopers
     
  15. Rokman

    Rokman Member

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    Journalists are the dumbest and most unoriginal people on the face of the earth yet they parade around as though the opposite were true. When your big accomplishment in life is making up stories that get published as pseudo-fact and is based largely on taking a controversial angle to any and all situations, you are nothing more than a cancer to society. Now that that is off my chest, who here on clutchfans thinks that any coach in the league wouldn't have played Yao Ming for 48 minutes a game and 82 games a year if the guy could hold up?? This race baiting B.S. is so played that you ought to get fired for even presenting it to your boss. I want to go just 1 damn day without hearing something from the media about racism! If anything, they are creating issues amongst people that don't even freaking exist. To hell with all of them!
     
    1 person likes this.
  16. TheJet

    TheJet Member

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    It's hard to see potential with your head up your keester.
     
  17. megastahr

    megastahr Contributing Member

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  18. CCM721

    CCM721 Member

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  19. Sesshoumara

    Sesshoumara Member

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    What happened to bolding something to make fun of in the article that's referred to in the title of this thread like last time? Instead of going through other articles by the same author to prove whatever point you are trying to make, how about focusing on the points made in the original article?

    I agree with most of the points made in the article, except for maybe the discrimination angle. The reduced minutes and 4th quarter benchings earlier in the season may be due to other reasons unknown to us. But looking at the recent games, JLin should play starter minutes and has shown in a few situations that he could be clutch in the 4th quarter. The Rockets should count on him to play a key role along with the rest of the starters to help the team in the playoffs.
     
  20. wfeebs

    wfeebs Member

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    Well thanks to Clutch's glorious post, I think we can agree Culturemap is worthless haha it cam go away along with anybody who defends this article.

    We can accomplish incredible things this year and the GARM is still getting flooded with nonsense coach/player fake drama. Smh
     

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