Pretty sure Clutchfans treat Lin the same way they treat every 25 million dollar PG who isn't playing up to expectations.
I don't know why some Lin fans keep saying stuff like this. "How come Wade can have bad games?" or Ty Lawson, or DWill, or whoever it is that's currently underperforming. People say knee-jerk stuff about them too. Overrated, in decline, or something else. But they don't call them scrubs -- because they've proven over several seasons that they AREN'T SCRUBS! Look, I like Lin, and I don't think he's a scrub, but he has to prove himself as a consistent player over several seasons. LIKE EVERY OTHER PLAYER.
Lin will be accepted once he performs well consistently, I don't think it's anything personal and it's perfectly fine. I do think the criticism he gets is more over the top compared to the other players who has bad games. Just example is that no one criticized the other starters much for their terrible game against the Lakers, the only one who got criticized was Lin by some LOHs, who usually come out when Lin has a bad game and revived the "Joke" thread, which was no longer on the first page. Lin fans should ignore them because it's actually not the majority of all the fans here.
Maybe because Lin's an NBA player just like them. Not every player is going to have good games all the time, those are some examples. I think Lin has had more bad or average games, than he's had good games this year, but he has had some good games. Also though since he can't prove it over several seasons, since he's still young and just started his career he's proven in high school and in college that he can play. And that's where you can only draw on since he hasn't played several seasons.
It's great you're such a fan who believes in him. I also believe he's a good player, because of his court vision, hussle, unselfishness, BBIQ, defense and improved passing etc. However, he still has a lot of holes in his game. And not everyone believes like you and me and he hasn't shown all this yet this year on a consistent basis. So understand that and don't try to keep shoving your support of him to others because it will just come back and bite you when he has a bad game.
Thank you for the constructive criticism and I'll tone down my comments in the future. I just get annoyed because a players impact is not just about statistics. If that was so Stephan Marbury would be considered a great player. Go Rockets (ALL the Rockets) tonight!!!!!
That's always the case with starting PGs. All our PGs have been lightning rods for criticism in the past when they aren't playing well over a stretch of games.
Its people using the FRINGE to be symbolic and representative of THE WHOLE. Someone cites 3 examples from the crowd of people being "BIASED", and then they SENSATIONALIZE the damaging effect of that. Then use that as their OWN PLATFORM to the be one to "restore ORDER" for EVERYONE. And for them to be a "voice of reason". But thats just the internet these days. ( And the stupid thing is there can be middle-aged men who've been following the NBA for decades who recently join, and when they have a rooting interest in someone thats not deemed a "rightful" person to support, they get the negative "LOF" or "YOF" or "TOF" label attached on them ) Its people who wont put the pitchforks down accusing others of not taking the blinders off
This thread has been derailed... so on topic: Sampson as a coach has been pretty good. What should he be doing going forward? I think it will take more than Hack a shaq strategy to work. The next few games will truly be telling of his ability.
what? With the spurs being tested from not being on Miami game, Sampson had already lost the coaching battle. That, and having decades of experience together...having more talent. Rockets in for long night unless they party out of their minds.
I'm not sure about this guy, but he made decisions to use TD for Lin in three critical game situations, lost two to Blazers, won one against Lakers. Only limited games, but what we can tell is that he has no confidence in his starting PG down the stretch, that's more than evident during that overtime loss to the Blazers, when Lin played a very good game prior to be benched. NBA is a players league, I don't think it matters if Sampson or anyone else is coaching at this time, the team is just too young, still learn the system KM put together.
Seriously tired of hearing this garbage about his decision to play TD over Lin. Hate to tell you guys this but Lin can't shoot this year. TD can. Also TD can play good defense. I'm not saying Lin can't do these things, but it's not like the coach sat Kobe in order to play Luke Walton or something. It's just Lin. Sampson is so far proving he is head coach material IMO because he's shown the neccessary ability to adapt and grow in a short time period. Should he continue his growth this way I think he will solidify his chances at getting his own team.
So you don't think a coach's substitution pattern has any effect on how a player performs? Lin's strength was NEVER spot up shooter. When you're a young player in a precarious situation and the coach uses a sub pattern that says, "you're only valuable to us if you're making spot up shots", you don't think that has the potential to sabotage your young player's confidence? I don't think it takes a rocket scientist to see that D'Antoni consistently built up Lin's confidence and not punishing him for missed shots and occasionally getting burned on defense not only allowed Lin's game to flower but allowed the team to thrive. Shooting is a fine-grained motor control skills. Of all the aspects of basketball, it's the most susceptible to confidence issues. I mean, you can say all you want that a really good player would overcome that, but that's not really how it works in the real world. A good coach knows how to get the best out of his players. That sad, Lin should really just do whatever he wants. He should stop worrying about his shot so much and let it fly. He should stop worrying about Sampson and play his game. Houston has no one else. They can't get to the playoffs without Lin playing major minutes. Morey has already said he expects the Rockets to make the play-offs this year. You can tell from Morey's Quora post he understands Lin's value. He said Lin has the quickest acceleration they've ever measured. Morey knows his athleticism. Athleticism plus high bball IQ almost always leads to good things in the long run. The burden is on Sampson to maximize that potential. Lin's under contract. Kelvin's the one whose job is on the line. And, if Lin somehow shot himself out of a job here, which would almost be impossible, he'd just get traded somewhere else where maybe the situation would be more favorable. Lin should just man up and play and stop thinking so much. I expect it to happen actually. Although some people fantasize about trading Lin, that's not happening for at least two seasons. The Rockets will make the playoffs this year, meaning everything jelled or they won't, meaning there will be a new coach.
Why should the coach babysit Jeremy Lin? For the last 3-4 years, beginning from Aaron Brooks to Goran Dragic, the coaches NEVER babysat our PGs. Brooks was injured, and Lowry fought his way into the starting spot. When Brooks returned, he couldn't regain his starting spot because he couldn't outplay Lowry. Some people advocated "gifting" minutes to Brooks so he could "play out of his slump", just like what you are advocating for Lin right now, but that would be unfair for the rest of the players who are all fighting for minutes. When Lowry was injured, Dragic took advantage of it and also made an impressive "Linsanity" type run. When Lowry return, both of these guys fought for the starting spot. Chase Budinger is another example, he was a starter who eventually lost his minutes to Chandler Parsons because Parsons was simply better. I like Lin, but like every single Rocket in the past few years, he is going to have to fight to regain his minutes. That includes improving his weaknesses. This is the youngest team in the NBA, and young teams don't give guaranteed minutes to underperforming players if someone off the bench is doing better. Kyle Lowry couldn't hit a 3 pointer to save his life when he was coming off the bench, but he improved on his weakness and became an extremely reliable offensive player. Lin's jumpshot could not be any worse than Lowry when he was coming off the bench, so it's up to Lin to start working on them and making them.
Horrible coaching. Awful substitution. You don't take someone out because they are struggling with their jumpers.. that just makes them lose their confidence even more. Sampson does this and worst.. he should be rewarding players who gets their teammates involved and plays tough defense.
