ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Hornets 10/24/2012 (PRESEASON)

Something tells me Lin's first good game offensively will be the season opener in Detroit..........

 

I managed to catch the 3rd quarter which looked pretty damn good with nice interior defense, ball steals, KMart draining 3's like layups...it was going good until they got out of sync again - Lin has a ways to go before he can manage this team on offense.

He was giving effort at times, but it seems like he got lost on offense and tried to force things, like driving into the lane with no one to pass to and too many defenders in the way of a quality shot. He needs to learn a floater or to stop and pop from 8-10' when that happens. His decision making is deplorable at times, but I saw enough hustle on his part to know that he really wants to play well. It will come.

 

I watched it and if you want to throw out strange make believe then I can say Asik accounted for 20 baskets because he damn near assisted on 10 plays.

 

The point of the forcing IS CLEARLY intended! Jeez, I swear most of the haters can't see past their hate.
The game is in hand, so Lin is trying to get himself going to find his rhythm on offense again. That's what I'd tell him to do. This is preseason, this is the time to get your kinks out the way. This game was well in hand, so it would be the right time to try and shoot more or penetrate more. A couple of baskets here and there is really all you need to find your rhythm again.

 

i believe he will be paid the price of 25 million

 

Exactly! Couldn't agree with you more. I just want SOME confirmation that he is at least capable of bringing it when needed. I don't need to see 20/10 every night. How about just the hint of the possibility that he can freakin' score in the double digits? Not too much to ask right?

 

Response

Good observations.

 

Yeah, it's called hope.

 

I thought his weaknesses were 1. Left-hand dribbling and 2. Defense

 

Lin did play horrible tonight offensively. Perhaps he was just testing to see if his knees are ready to take full contact? I mean, he has a tear-drop/floater that he uses when he drives but the paint is clogged up, and I've yet to see him use it this pre-season.

I have faith in him and am not horribly worried, but I do admit his bad offensively game was puzzling. Someone said earlier that he/she had a theory. Care to share?

 

Hopefully Lin gets it going again during the regular season. His scoring and marketability could finally land us that young star we've been after for so many years.

Spoiler

just kidding

Spoiler

or am I?

 

Lin will follow up with a good game in Orlando. He usually does after a bad game. We shall see.

I really liked Livingston's game today. I'm all for backup PG ahead of TD, but then it was only one game. I hope he plays in the next game.

 

He was shooting over 58% and averaging 27 points during linsanity

 

Tere are lies and there are people who believe in lies

 

Yea. Driving into the paint when all three opposing bigs are standing in there seems to be a bad idea that he doesn't see. Thus 6 turnovers. We know he's capable of better so what the F? Sigh.

 

I was also thinking that instead of going on his Asia fan tour, he should have worked on his shooting... I know he supposedly did in random gyms in Asia, but c'mon man.

His shooting is absolutely putrid, not one game, but now 5 straight games. I swear to you, I have a better shot than JLin does right now. He's shooting with zero confidence, and you can tell the advance scouts are out, defenders are already backing off of him from outside, daring him to shoot. Even worse, he can't even finish around the basket now. I thought he was working on his shooting these past 7 days?? All he is doing is looking for KMart and deferring... and LITERALLY hiding at the top of the key or at the corner baseline.

If this is what his year is going to be, then perhaps he should just dedicate himself to being a pure PG, ala Rondo.

 

NBA2K13 must feel like idiots for putting in Brockman instead of Livingston right now.

 

Kmart is great when he's hot, but he still looks like a ball stopper. And he mismanages the clock. There have already been at least two occasions in the preseason in which he ran down the clock and passed the ball out at the last two seconds after he decided he doesn't have a shot himself, forcing a teammate to take a difficult contested 3. Kmart is stellar as a spot up shooter but if he's going to be handling the ball this much during the season, geez, I'd rather see Lin and Livingston in the backcourt than Lin and Kmart. Livingston tries to get the best shot possible, but Kmart seems to have little concept of that. I also wonder about this with regard to Delfino.

 

He's mad after a win (a back-to-back win) because people are still defending Lin. Dude can't wait till he fails.

 

Livingston was MVP of the game. His playmaking and defense stood out today. Took control of the offense and caused lots of TOs.

Jones and Asik controlled the board on both ends. Both were impressive.

Parson, Martin, Delfino all had good second half.

Lamb and White looked like two lost lambs, typical rookies deer in the headlights affect. They need to be aggressive off and on the ball. I rather see them create opportunities, and if they turn the ball over, be it!

Smith had a great first half but second half he was a liability defensively.

Lin had yet another terrible game offensively. I believe he ran into a mental wall today. He has to become a score-first PG. NOH defended against passes whenever Lin penetrated, caused him to turn the ball over. If he is not looking to score first, Lin is easily defendable and more bad games for him.