[ESPN] Hollinger: Evaluating the James Harden Deal

I still think Lin should get the ball more simply because he draws the defense in and can always kick out to Harden who has a more respectable shot but can easily slice the defense once they bite on his pump fakes.

 

You definitely have an agenda, an ignorant and prejuduced one.

Check out Lin's numbers this year. Compare them to jason Kidd's second year. If you scale the per-36-minute PTS, AST, and TOV numbers by usage rate, you will see they are almost identical. Yes, even the turnovers. In spite of his early season slump, Lin has been matching Kidd point for point and assist for assist. The potential is staring us in the face, that Lin could well be Jason Kidd redux.

I despise the LOHs who proclaim their opinions and prejudices as indisputable fact, when reality contradicts them totally.

 

Don't worry about Jeremy Lin and Harden coexist together. What if In about 3 years Lin contract is over and James Dolan want Lin back with the Knicks reunion.

 

I agree that the coaches need to work to stagger Lin and Hardin. I see no reason outside of foul trouble for there not to be one of them on the court at all times.

I think shooting is something that can be improved especially since that is his only big area that needs work. Lin is already a good play maker and rebounder. He could work on dribbling to his left a bit more and improve his on ball defense, but really think that those are not nearly as big a deal as him learning to hit three consistently.

If defenders had to run out at him, he is a pump fake away from creating a 5 on 4 (with two of those defenders still trying to recover from the Harden PnR) with a PG that can pass and shoot with the ball. It is a big if that Lin can become deadly from 3 point range, but that is the one skill that can be worked on.

 

Well, they didn't acquire Lin to play with Harden so change will happen one way or the other.

 

It's too early to judge whether spot-up shooting will ever become a strength for Lin. Kyle Lowry was not a strong shooter for several years into his career. Chandler Parsons was a inconsistent shooter both from the field and even from the FT line during both his 4 years in Florida and his first NBA season (no better shooting college 3s than Lin was during their respective college careers).

In fact, shooting is one thing that guys often do improve on with work.

 

Dolan would have to eat humble pie, and I doubt that would happen. He's a rich kid with a correspondingly inflated ego; I just can't picture him being humble.

 

Right. Our team can perform better if both Harden and Lin have a chance to run p&r. Neither of them should run p&r all the time, so the problem still remains: when Harden runs p&r, Lin has to be able to knock down open shots consistently. I do believe Lin can become a better spot up shooter. We just need to be patient.

 

I'll never understand the Lin hate.

He just out played Felton and Kyle. He's young with room to improve but he shows signs of improving every day.

He also brings positive attention to the team from around the globe that makes houston a more attractive destination for other players.

Let the kids continue to grow and play.

Playoffs here we come.

 

I'm buying a ticket for the Give Lin a Year train. This conversation will never come up again if he begins shooting at his 2011-2012 percentages or even close.

 

He's proven to be a good offensive player. Not surprising that people are interested in him as our offense outside of Harden has been terrible up until the past few games. On the other hand, I'm not eager to see a Brooks/Harden backcourt defensively; Lowry would (obviously) be a better fit.

What happened to him again?

 

Westbrook cant even count to five w/o using his fingers much less pass or run the pg position.

 

LOL. Nice. Sounds like Fox news.

 

Brooks is a scrub.
:grin:

 

Even if you're a LOH, as a Rockets fan you should be rooting for him to succeed within the team concept so that he boosts his trade value and gets us something good. Spiting the team just to hate him is irrational. It's not like he's a douche, diva, or thug. Some people are acting as if he's Scottie Pippen or Vspan. C'mon now.

 

Good read, thanks.

I am interested in staggering Lin and Harden as well, but at this point it's just not doable with TD being a more poor 3pt shooter than Lin. With that said, good players improve, and Lin's shots will start to fall. Let's give it a season, people!

 

There was a game earlier in the season where they did try to stagger Lin and Harden. I got the feeling that the point of this was not to give them time alone but to cut Toney Douglas out of the rotation. TD got no minutes that game. To my eye Lin & Harden did worse by themselves, but production seemed more even over the game.

They tried it just for that one game and I'm not sure why they immediately abandoned it. I think Lin was still shooting poorly, so maybe it didn't make that much difference if TD was in the game or not.

 

STEPHEN A SMITH, is that'choo?

[ chortle ]

 

Screw Brooks, I want Jimmer.


Jimmer and James would DESTROY the NBA.


Patrick Patterson can go back to the Kings to nurse Demarcus Cousins.

 

I think the Harden combo guard and Lin combo guard combination is good. Stagger the minutes with Douglas can be quite effective.