I don't think Lin lacks hops or strength. He wouldn't be able to do a lot of things out there on the court if he didn't have hops or wasn't strong. I think in terms of the both of them compared I would say they are both probably about the same. Harden has more hops but Lin is quicker. Both are really strong, I don't understand this notion that Lin isn't strong LOL. The kid is 6 foot 3 inches 200lbs & is a lot more muscular than he was last year he definitely isn't weak. They both have pretty good body control as well & can finish through contact.
It's probably because Lin isn't really a physical player. On defense he gives the opponent plenty of space and on offense every time he gets fouled it looks like he got ran over by a truck. Compared to like Harden who runs over opponents at times and dunks over ppl.
Lin doesn't dunk over people you are absolutely right that is why I said Harden definitely beats him in the hops category. In one of Lin's previous games he beat Shawn Marion for a jump ball. So he may not have Harden's hops but he can definitely get up there. How is he not a physical player though? I guess it depends on how you define physicality. He defends bigger players really well, Kobe, Gallo, LBJ, Bosh. He blocks shots, fights for rebounds, boxes out very well (Patt could take some lessons), grabs charges. He is good at splitting the double teams & making awkward shots at the rim (body control). I really don't understand how you can say that he isn't a physical player. Any player that is able to get to the FT line a lot & absorbs contact classifies as a physical player wouldn't you say. If anything the biggest issue with him is that he is TOO physical that is why people worry that he will get injured. Just a thought.
When you watch them on the court,do you think lin is more athletic tha dragic? Look at dragic when he goes to the rim. He looks as if he can dunk it anytime. Harden is a good athlete to me when I just watch his explosion. He might have tested better than wade,but wade used to always look bigger than his size cause of his explosion. When people bring up patterson,its really just kind of funny to me. When was the last time he got a rebound and went straight back up and dunked the ball? I can't recall him ever doing that and that's a basic superman drill which kinda shows explosion.
Carl, I just cannot at you not adding any of the white players lmao I still think Harden is the most athletic and Terrence based on the little minutes I've seen him play.
Greg Smith is def athletic, but he really doesn't seem to have that elite vertical explosivness of someone like Blake Griffin that can jump out of the gym.
