Historically, players that start off the season with shooting slumps like the one Lin was having tend to finish the season shooting much better. In fact, looking at 34 players that shot between 32.8% and 36.8% over their first 13 games of the season (Lin shot 34.8% over his first 13 games), on average increased their shooting percentage by around 6%. A few examples: in the 2007-08 season, Kirk Hinrich shot 34.7% over the first 13 games, but finished the season shooting 41.4%. In the 2009-10 season, Mike Conley started the season shooting 36.5% over the first 13 games and ended the season shooting 44.5%. Deron Williams just last season started 36.6% from the field, and ended the season shooting 40.7%. In the past 4 games, Lin increased his shooting percentage for the season from 33.3% to 39.2%. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if he finished the season even better than that.
Made a couple, missed a couple...... Most of his shot attempts were in the paint. The real Jeremy Lin does not attempt a lot of jumpers. For the first time this season, he scored one-on-one driving to the basket in the fourth quarter. This is the "Linsanity" part of his game.
That is your big concern - how the team's playmaker is shooting his jump shot? Shows a lack of basketball knowledge.
I don't think Lin's jumper will just come back overnight. But even with the misses he made, he is staying aggressive. Those drives to the basket in the 4th quarter was quintessential Linsanity plays. He also made a big three as well. I anticipate that the confidence he is gaining from making the shots in paints will ultimately translate to better shooting from outside. We are definitely beginning to see it.
Toney Douglas is below average backup guard. Ask the NYK fans who have seen him play for two seasons -- they will unanimously agree that he doesn't deserve 14 minutes a game. That TD still gets so much play is very strong evidence that Lin is still on a short leash. (That was about Lin eventually reaching Jason Kidd's levels of play.) What's obvious is that you either have not seen Lin's statistics this year, or you don't understand them. When you scale Lin's PTS, AST, and TOV numbers by usage rate, they almost perfectly match Kidd's second season.. I have been saying all season that Lin has the potential to be a second coming of Jason Kidd. I have also said that Lin may not reach such exalted levels this year.
I just dont get it, why cant lin attack the basket and have this mindset all the time. i said earlier in the game he attacked the basket and missed, but i loved it. Not because he missed it, but because the mindset. I will destroy you off the dribble and attack the basket mentality. Maybe from now on he will continue it. touch wood this is the lin we got. If he plays like this, who cares about Dragic or Lowry.
Not really though. If you can't shoot, D plays off of you and running the offense can become quite difficult.
People who want a 30 year old Jefferson, if Asik continues his offensive improvment at this rate,in 2 years he will be one of the best two way big men in the league. Honestly i wouldnt trade Asik unless i was getting Dwight Howard or a bosh in return. His upside is massive
Lin has probably not been totally healthy. Chances are, he is still not totally recovered from his knee surgery. Remember that Chris Paul needed a full year to recuperate from a similar operation. For sure. Lin's potential is far greater than both of them.
Whether he is below average for a backup or not is irrelevant. He is the 2nd best point we have on the roster and just because he isn't great doesn't mean Lin is gonna get 40 some minutes of burn a night. He has to rest and someone has to fill those minutes. Lebron is playing 37.3 minutes per game. His below average backup Mike Miller is playing 13.5 minutes per game. Is Lebron on a short leash?
Thanks for those numbers. It seems like Lin is actually getting more minutes per game than league average for his position. I thought it was the other way round.
This is ridiculous. Like him or not, TD is our backup PG and he needs to get PT to give Lin rest. It has **** all to do with putting "Lin on a short leash". And Sampson is playing it smart because he'll bring Toney in for stretches with Harden, so he's surely not relying on TD solely to run the plays. And while there is no denying TD is a below-avg PG, he does run some mean PnRs and can shoot. He has real value on the floor, though I wish he played with more control.
He does have that mindset. Those of us who followed him closely last year for the knicks know this is what he does best. For whatever reason, he wasn't doing that earlier this year (coaching?, confidence?, familiarity with offense?, coming off injury?), but you could tell he is beginning to more and more since the Knicks game. I know there will be doubters until he proves them otherwise, but his play tonight was the norm and not the exception.
Sampson had a longer leash on TD because let's face it, he played well. I thought he could've brought Lin earlier in the 4th, but I could see what Sampson was trying to do.
