Instead of creating another thread and adding to the 30 Jeremy Lin Threads, I feel like posting the article here (the main thread) is a better idea. http://www.nba.com/rockets/news/stop-insanity Spoiler Stop The Insanity! Forget the puns, the only thing that matter is this: Jeremy Lin can play Jason Friedman Rockets.com HOUSTON - First things first: You’ll be seeing no puns here in this space. Not now, not ever. That’s a promise. Because the fact of the matter is that Jeremy Lin is much more than a ready-made moniker made for easy headlines. He’s not just some Disney movie come to life. And despite what you may have heard, he’s also far more than a mere marketing machine. Jeremy Lin is a basketball player. And he’s a damn good one at that. We’ll go into much greater detail during the days to follow, but here’s a primer for those who are dubious or only just now paying close attention to the numbers behind the phenomenon: Jeremy Lin was a very good pick-and-roll player and a spectacular performer out of the isolations last year. His Synergy stats in those categories: .797 points per possession when operating out of the pick-and roll, good enough to rank him in the 63rd percentile at his position, and a whopping 1.022 points per possession in iso situations, which put him in the NBA’s 95th percentile. Those numbers are downright elite. And just in case you’re wondering, the bread and butter of Rockets Head Coach Kevin McHale’s offense is the pick-and-roll. Jeremy Lin will have the ball in his hands a ton and he, like Kyle Lowry and Goran Dragic did before him, can be expected to thrive as the primary playmaker driving the team’s offense. Jeremy Lin is an excellent rebounder for his position. His 6.6 rebound rate put him 16th among all point guards last year and his 11.1 defensive rebound rate was good enough for 13th overall. Jeremy Lin gets to the free throw line in bunches. Lin averaged 5.2 free throw attempts per game last season, placing him 6th among all point guards in that category. And during his jaw-dropping January run, he bulled his way to the line more than seven times per game. Jeremy Lin has promise on the defensive end as well. Lin ranked in the 68th percentile at his position when defending the pick-and-roll ball handler, and though some of that is surely do to the presence of Defensive Player of the Year Tyson Chandler, Lin’s above average size (6-3, 200 pounds) and strength allow him the ability to fight and work his way through screens. And though steals are by no means a strong metric of defensive ability, it’s worth pointing out that Lin ranked in the league’s top-10 at the point guard position by averaging 1.57 thefts per game. Like all young players (Lin is just 23-years-old), the Harvard product has plenty of work to do to improve on the defensive side of the ball. But newsflash: the lightning quick point guards of this league give everyone fits. Lin’s smarts and work ethic, however, should help him steadily improve over time. About that work ethic: Jeremy Lin is a gym rat and you’ll find absolutely no one in the league who doubts his dedication to learning and mastering his craft. Lin will live in the Rockets’ practice court and weight room, and will devour as much film as the club’s staff can prepare for him. He’ll put in the time to ensure his shooting improves (and it already improved greatly from the year before) and turnovers decrease. And for those still clinging to the belief that Lin is some kind of flash in the pan, it’s certainly worth noting that the Rockets’ track record at identifying quality point guard prospects over the past five years has been first rate. From Aaron Brooks to Kyle Lowry to Goran Dragic, this regime has consistently pinpointed players who know how to play the position, regardless of whether or not the general public had already caught on when they were acquired. Jeremy Lin is not a finished product. And that, perhaps, is the most exciting aspect of all. The world watched as his storybook tale unfolded and it was undoubtedly amazing. But what if the best is yet to come? What if the Jeremy Lin saga is only just beginning? We’re all about to find out the answer. So forget about the puns. The only thing that truly matters: Jeremy Lin can play and help the Rockets win games. And there’s nothing insane about that.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Point guard Jeremy Lin arrives at Bush Intercontinental Airport to officially join the Houston Rockets.</p>— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkBermanFox26/status/225669333932716033" data-datetime="2012-07-18T19:12:16+00:00">July 18, 2012</a></blockquote> <script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Jeremy Lin after arriving in Houston Wednesday: "Very, very excited to be back and play for Coach McHale." <a href="http://t.co/yPYdqE5H" title="http://tinyurl.com/6ne2lvx">tinyurl.com/6ne2lvx</a></p>— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkBermanFox26/status/225672395942404096" data-datetime="2012-07-18T19:24:26+00:00">July 18, 2012</a></blockquote> <script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Jeremy Lin after arriving in Houston. "Houston has been a great organization to me. When I left earlier it wasn't on bad terms."</p>— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkBermanFox26/status/225672692190302208" data-datetime="2012-07-18T19:25:37+00:00">July 18, 2012</a></blockquote> <script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Jeremy Lin after arriving in Houston: "I'm definitely extremely excited to be back."</p>— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkBermanFox26/status/225673207238254592" data-datetime="2012-07-18T19:27:40+00:00">July 18, 2012</a></blockquote> <script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Actual cash payment is $15 million, but will only count as $8.3 million against the cap. So they're half right.
I love these spoof Twitter accounts. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Jeremy Lin, Rockets: two more things North Korea doesn't have. </p>— KimJongNumberUn (@KimJongNumberUn) <a href="https://twitter.com/KimJongNumberUn/status/225660030073061376" data-datetime="2012-07-18T18:35:18+00:00">July 18, 2012</a></blockquote> <script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
If you were to poll GM's and ask them what type of job Morey has done, just in the last YEAR - since Yao retired, you would not like the comments you'd hear. (if you're a Morey hater) So many wanted to tank last year. Charlotte "WON" the tanking contest. Even at the deadline, many fans wanted to "blow it up", like Portland did. Somewhat of a fire sale. "Perfect time to 'load up' - shortened season, DEEP, DEEP draft", etc. So, Morey and Les do the exact opposite and - again - JUST miss out on the playoffs, doing everything possible to WIN. Yet, Morey pulls nearly 20% of the first 18 players drafted, in what is supposedly (possibly) one of the deepest drafts ever - after JUST missing the playoffs. All within a couple of weeks, he's got the Rockets in the middle of the two most polarizing stories in the NBA. Lin and Howard. We're in a position that Charlotte or Portand would LOVE to be in right now. (this after being in what most GM's would call the WORST position to be in - best team not to make the playoffs - THREE YEARS STRAIGHT) Is he perfect? Of course not. But, to have the organization in the POSITION he does is extremely impressive. The striking out of getting a star player has been frustrating. And, yes, I realize it is "only the summer league". But, anyone who says that we're not in a good position RIGHT NOW is sadly mistaken. To be able to "rebuild" (not that we're anywhere near DONE or close to competing for a title) or put themselves where they are now, basically in ONE OR TWO offseasons, is pretty impressive.
Yeah, when someone compares Lin to MATT MALONEY or Courtney Fortson, their credibility as someone with ANY NBA knowledge is pretty much shot. Don't like the guy? Fine. Think he's overrated? Fine. Think it's a mistake by the organization? Fine. There are certain things that can be argued - but, when you use Matt Maloney and Courtney Fortson to make points, you simply don't know what you are either looking at or talking about. There is NOTHING remotely close in Maloney and Lin's games. Nothing.
Sure Lin has a lot of Asian fans, but to say only NY's Asian fans are upset, that's a huge generalization. Not true at all. Listen to the radio, go on RealGM, even go on his Facebook, plenty of non-Asians are upset that he's not anymore. If people didn't care or were upset, nobody would be talking about it. Think Landry Fields, no one is complaining that he too signed a huge contract. Even though Lin may be overpaid right now for his small sample size, the contract is not a cap killer or luxury tax bump like it was for the Knicks. It's only going to count $8 mill towards the cap, and the Rockets are currently under the cap. Rockets still have a lot of time to rebuild this team.
Anyone comparing Lin to Matt Maloney isn't trying to give real analysis; they're just trolling. Not worth paying any attention to.
I hope there's a video of the press conference tomorrow. [fanboymode] Better yet, give us the location of the conference so we can show up with our homemade signs! [/fanboymode]
Lin should just now focus on playing his game...and not on trying to live up to a contract...just keep the TO's down...and I think Lin will do fine...
Mark Berman works harder than all the other local sports tv guys put together. Catching the Linrrival.
Maybe its me buying into the Linsanity but I think Lin is all set to blow up again. Last year was just his rookie season, and while people point to his decline after Melo came back, I think that has more to do with his injury then anything else. He spent all summer getting better and working on his game, his coach talked about how Lin lived in the gym and worked on his ball handling skills to cut down on his TOs (his biggest weakness apart from D IMHO). Now he's going to us, and we happen to have a very good pg developmental program.
