ClutchFans Game Thread: Hornets @ Rockets 11/14/2012

Memphis just beat OKC by 10 points today. All of the losses Rox have so far are close ones and mostly against good to great teams.

 

now we're counting preseason games?!?! after the near triple double in detroit, people around here were calling it one of the top back courts in the NBA. Amare wasn't even around during Linsanity.

He'll end the season averaging 15 points 6+ assists a game, book it.

 

I think it's tough for any young player to come back from an injury, especially one to the knees.

It's not so much a physical matter as a mental one.

 

Jeremy Lin sucked in preseason before Harden was here

 

I think Lin's explosiveness is not back yet cause of the knee injury. A lot of it is also mental too. He's not strong going to the basket probably cause hes scared hes gonna blow his knee. He did see first hand Baron David and Shumpert blowing their knees out in one playoff series. At least he is not a liability on the floor because of his defense. It is really frustrating that none of the bigs know how to set screens. Watching Rox this year really makes me appreciate Tyson Chandler. That guy was a beast at screening.

 

Does not have much to do with HArden.

Even with out James on the floor Lin was given the same offense.

I DO NOT like how they are using him. I think the first two games showed how dynamic the back court can be when they are both pretty much playing PG. I think that was almost a bit innovative, like they were taking turns and it was tons of fun to watch.

I am shocked that after watching tape the coaches...going into the 3rd game, suddenly decided to just go away from that.

I am hoping that the staff will realize that they are kind of limiting Lin. Maybe they are just so excited about getting Harden and are focused on having the offense run mostly through him or something.

It is a bit odd to see that even without Harden on the floor they do not give Lin screens.

 

As long as Lin keeps up his D (which is stellar) and focuses on improving his O, then I wouldn't doubt his ability to get to solid, all-around performance. He showed a lot of promise towards the end of the preseason but his role has completely changed with Harden here. Which is fine because if the Rockets want to win they are going to have to defer to the $80 million man who is locked in for 6 years.

I'm a huge fan of Lin's but the reality is he has to take a backseat and it's painful to watch him get lost without any reliable screens run for him so he can attack the basket properly. But hey, they'll figure it out. It's a long season ahead and the coaches will help him find his way. He definitely needs to work on his confidence though before the doubt sinks in too much.

 

I think since those players are almost same age group as LIn, it is the instinctive nature of young people.. You gotta earn respect by getting your shots in.... Linsanity was a world away...

 

Honestly, I'm not worried about his defense regressing. The improvements in his defense are mind boggling compared to last year. His ability to stay with his man, alter shots, and make correct rotations aren't things that are going to go away any time soon. He's just making very intelligent defensive decisions.

Given his improvements in defense, I really don't think his knee is an issue in any significant way.

As for his offense, I'm really not worried about it in the least. Players go through shooting slumps. It's better that they happen earlier in the season than later.

It wouldn't surprise me if he's still trying to find his body's balance. He did lose 10 pounds, he's altered the musculature around his knee post-rehab, and let's not forget that when you play hard defense it expends alot of energy, thus making it harder to make jump shots (jump shots start in the legs). There's no shortage of "scorers" that have used their "shooting game" as an excuse for NOT playing defense.

Fortunately, his core form is fine. This is apparent in his very high FT% this year. I expect as he adjusts to the changes to his body and learns to manage his energy exertion that he'll find his shooting touch again.

Good shooters find their shot again barring surgery to their shoulders, arms or wrists.

 

Lin would get a pick from Chandler or Amare on almost every play. Here, probably 1 or 2 and he has to ask for it. That patterson refusing to screen is still a big mystery to me. Even with harden, he's not getting good screens at all and not nearly enough. These 2 are dominant pick and rollers the rockets does not have a good enough roller who can finish.

 

i mean how is he going to improve this when he seems to be so afraid to do anything on the offensive end. he needs to shoot himself out of this!

 

Nice to get a W no matter what. The Hornets got hot in the end hitting all those 3's. Being at .500 is what the team should be at because I believe a good winning streak should eventually come.

 

Smith is a good roller who can finish. Much better than PPatt at setting screens/picks too. But a bit of a defensive liability in comparison to Ppatt.

 

Morris has as many BS as Davis

 

i think you are most level headed poster here so let me ask u, how is lin supposed to get out of this slump without shooting himself out of it? i feel like he is just so afraid to make mistakes that he is passing up good shots.

 

Did Patterson refuse to screen him in this game as well?

 

Linsanity at his ceiling played at 200-210. He needs to get that 10 lbs back.

 

NBA is a score-worshiping league. If you can't score, no matter how solid or excellent you are in other areas of the game, you are a bum. If you can score, even if you scored out of volume shooting, you are the Saint. That's why Carmelo gets paid maximum although his score mainly comes from shooting tons of times and he does not play/help defense or hustle or facilitate much to the game.

Lin has to realize that and quit being only the facilitator and look for his own scores. Otherwise, coaches and fans will abandon him soon. NBA is a cold-blooded league, wake up, nice boy.

 

Good post Torocan.. I hate quoting long posts but, just cannot resist this one...