Hey I would love for Lin to blossom into an all-star point guard. Nothing better then to be wrong about underestimating the talent of a player on the team I root for. But the fact is, no one knows with 100% accuracy - no one is 100% right because in sports, there are so many factors that can change the outcome. All I can tell you is from what I can see (and you have every right to disagree) - Lin is never going to be an all-star. Not many players are. Lin working so hard is very admirable - it's a great story. That hard work has paid off. It has given him the chance to even survive in the NBA. The fact that he gets as much PT as he does is incredible. Not because he is Asian or whatever, but because he really didn't seem like an NBA player. Lin earned his spot through hard work. That said, I'd be shocked if it becomes an all-star anytime soon. Happily shocked, but shocked none-the-less.
I don't get why you would be. This team has players that are breaking/matching records in the NBA all over the place. That's no easy tasks. When a player break/match records it usually mean sans injuries, the player have a pretty high potential to being 1 of the greats in the business. How many players in the league can actually break records year after year? That's why I knew Harden was going to be an all-star to superstar all the way back in OKC cause he was breaking/matching records with his efficiency. Followed him all the way to the Rockets. Just as how I can see Parsons potential to become at least all-star with his record breaking 3s in the future if he is healthy. Just as how I can see Lin's potential with his record breaking/matching starts, 3s, and trip-doub, can become at least an all-star one day.
That's because quite a number on Clutchfans wrote Lin off a long time ago because he did'nt pass their eye test as a good PG, more than likely because of his race, though they'd never have the balls to admit it publicly, and instead choose to attack his fans instead. Lin has been improving steadily despite being played out of position and demoted to the bench and is still posting solid figures. He has set records like best figures for any NBA player in his first 8 starts as well as his recent under 30 min triple double, achievements even some superstar players cannot boast about in a whole career, yet many on here so eagerly want to pigeon-hole him as a mediocre PG and role player at best. He's never going to be a Kobe or Le Bron but people should at least give him his due, especially if they are supposed to be real Rockets fans, and at least admit the guy can ball and is capable of doing really good things, above what a mediocre player can achieve, when given the opportunity to play his own game. Sadly, the haters will jump all over him if he doesn't reproduce Linsanity every game.
This is very unfair. I had no opinion of Lin the first time he was let go because I didn't see enough of his game. He was just another bench player that didn't make it. During Linsanity I was intrigued so I started paying attention. It was an amazing run of a few weeks but it didn't make me think Jeremy was going to be the next MJ, Magic, etc. even though the media was comparing him to them simply because of the record setting run. See where I'm going here? The media is really what gave this traction. If you put up splash graphics of a kid making his first 8 starts and putting up better numbers than all these hall of famers what do you think the reaction will be? Especially in a market like NY. Yep. Hype. How many times have we seen an athlete get on a hot streak and immediately media outlets are comparing their achievements to the greats of the sport? It happens all over the place. Didn't Steve Slaton have one of the best rookie RB seasons in recent years? Hype. Now I'm not calling Lin a flash in the pan. I don't think he's just hype. Far from it. But if "quite a number" of fans here on CF don't agree with the Lin fans it doesn't make them racist. As a basketball player Lin clearly has some strong skills. They were showcased during Linsanity. However I don't think it's the "haters" you speak of that expect Lin to perform to that level. Quite the opposite. All of my Rocket fan friends don't "hate" Lin. They think he's a decent player (especially good as of late). They don't expect Linsanity. I also see him treated fairly on this board as well. Maybe you should consider the source of what you view as "hating" before labeling "quite a number" of the forum.
This is so far off base. This is the problem with LOF's. Us REAL rockets fans want whatever is best for the TEAM. We want Lin to succeed as much as possible, because it will be best for the TEAM. However, if we still succeed without him playing a huge contribution, then us REAL fans will not be upset because Lin "didn't get his". We do praise him when he plays well, and we don't give excuses when he doesn't (aside from injuries). LOF's are the people that use excuses (Mchale hates him, he plays out of position, he's just a spot up shooter blah blah blah), but guess what, if that's what is best for the team, then us REAL rockets fans don't really care what Lin's stats are. We don't need him to be Linsansity, we just need him to be one of many positive contributors on this team, which he is doing. So stop putting him above the damn team.
I think its more the haters go after Lin for not living up to his contract... which to them was given because of Linsanity... expecting him to put up numbers that he is being paid for.... when they fully know or should know Lin is not playing to his strengths... now if the haters or Rox posters dont want LOFs up in arms... just say LIN sucks as a SG... he is average as a SG he is mediocre as a SG and you will probably get less LOF replies most LOFs are fine with watching Lin defer and playing off the ball, but they wont put up with the hate... when they know most NBA players faced with the same situation... would be faking injuries or asking for a trade... Imagine a team with 3 players asking for a trade in the same season... in the end it all plays to the narrative underdog story that Lin was looked over... yada yada yada... because when I read other team fan forums and their is talk about Lin... you get the few that think he is garbage... but most think Lin is being used wrong in Houston
the reality to most LOFs... his wasnt really part of this team... his was signed as a expiring contract to them what confirming it Rox fans should have been up in arms about how Lin has been used... Lin to the bench thats fine... but he should have been playing with the bench and allowed to do his thing... but from the bench he still playing like a SG now you have players like Asik and Dmo who want to be traded or in Lins case knows he is going to be traded... I would argue... if Lin was allowed to do his thing from the bench.... the bench would be stronger...and the starters would be more fresher dosent help that most Lin fans many from NY will probably come away from this experience once Lin is traded or his contract expires, be thinking Lin went to Texas in the South and got put back into his place...
It doesn't really matter if he is traded. Lin will not be on the team after his contract expires. Rockets do not see Lin as part of their future and I doubt Lin will want to sign with the rockets again. This bbs will go back to argue over something else after that.
Sure dude, Lin didn't pass the eye test because of his RACE. Yet Yi Jianlian passed the eye test and was drafted very high because everyone clearly knows he's 75% black. Do you ever think that maybe people that finish 4 years of College at schools not known for their basketball aren't really on people's radar? That they're dismissed and that this dismissal may possible be an ERROR, but has NOTHING TO DO WITH RACE? Kind of like Ben Wallace or Brad Miller??? Do you believe that people who dislike Jeremy Lin for stupid reasons has to do with his race? What if I dislike Jeremy Lin for NO REASON AT ALL. Does that even necessarily have anything to do with race? Whereas if I dislike Kyrie Irving for NO REASON AT ALL, is it a completely different situation? Do you really believe that Jeremy Lin several years ago was as good as he is now?
Lin isn't likely to become an all star on this team for several reasons: 1) As long as Harden is on the team, no PG is likely to be the primary ball handler. It's a big reason why trading for Rondo isn't a great fit. 2) There are a ton of all star caliber PG's in the west. He has to beat out Parker, Paul, Lillard, Westbrook and Curry which are virtual locks. In reality he will be hard pressed to put up the stats that will take him over Conley, Lawson, Thomas or Dragic just because he won't be handling the ball as much as those guys. It doesn't mean he couldn't play at an all star level though. Much like Manu Ginobili, who only made 2 all star games despite having many years where he performed at an all star level and wasn't selected. We already have seen flashes of this, but it's silly to say that his great games are proof that he is a future all star and his bad games are some one else's fault as some LOF some times do. Likewise he doesn't "suck" if he has a few bad games. I think Lin has done a good job over all this year. I would trade him if I thought we could get someone better, but I'm not looking to get rid of him just for the sake of getting him off the team as some fans seem to want. I don't think his "stock" is going to dramatically shift this year barring a serious injury. GM's aren't likely to trade more for him just because of a good stretch of games, or lower his value significantly if he has a few bad ones.
People in this forum got to stop bashing Lin for every single mistake he made and support him as a rockets player if he's not getting traded. Most mistakes he made basically happens to made by any other players. Support Lin as a rockets player. He's a hard working dude that keeps improving. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/6bo68PBNio0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
it really dosent matter... its what the casual Bball fan thinks...and the narrative that led up to Linsanity... Jeremy Lin should have got scholarships should have been drafted etc etc etc my argument has always been... most NBA starters can put up 25 to 30 points a night just depends on how many shots they need to take to get there... what feeds into it is it seems long time Rocket fans have already put him where he should be... I would argue... until you allow Lin to dominate the ball tailor an offence around him you will never know how good/bad he will be... most LOFs get it though even though Lin was told the Rox fit his PnR game... Howard and Harden came along and are the stars on the Team... I just dont get the hate or higher expectations when Lin has basically deferred at expense of his game... and is still putting up decent numbers....
Maybe I should have stressed the "a number on Clutchfans" bit which means I'm not saying everybody on Clutchfans is like this. There are very balanced members who are even-handed on most issues. However, it's undeniable there are elements on CF that take glee in mocking Lin through his fans, and justify disliking Lin because of the behavior of some Lin fans, some of whom aren't even Lin fans, but pretend to be to wind up the rest of the board. As a Lin fan, I've never made excuses for Lin, when he's bad he can be very bad and it's fair to criticise him then. Also, I've never attacked anybody else on the Rockets organisation just because I'm a Lin fan and because of following Lin I got to know Rockets players like Bev and TJones, who I rate as players. I just wished certain immature members on CF got over their own personal prejudices and appreciated good basketball play, whether it's from Lin or his team mates.
yes, it DOES matter when someone says it was a RACE problem. That's completely different from saying it was an EYE TEST problem. If it were truly a RACE problem, then players like Yi Jianlian would NOT BE DRAFTED. Does that not make sense to people who claim race problems?
Please don't try to trivialize the issue. One is a 6'3" Guard and the other a 7 foot Forward, so not even comparable. I'm not calling people racist, which is too much of a blanket negative term. However, since Lin's emergence as an NBA player, I believe there are many who haven't gotten over their own preconceived views of how a Asian basketball player should be, who is not a physical freak, like Yao, or of mixed heritage. I hope Lin has paved the way for more Asian-Americans to take up basketball as a career.
