[ClutchFans] Rockets to begin season with Beverley, Asik as starters; Jeremy Lin off bench

Hmm... I see... If it's a positive article about Lin, it's call trolling for LOF.

 

This only proves you are obsessed with him.

 

Stop using +/- for statistical proof to back up your arguments for anything less than a season length. It's meaningless.

 

Do you also think Phi Slamma just posts youtube videos to troll LOFs for dat youtube cash? Maybe they both like that Jeremy is the ultimate underdog, genuinely believe in his abilities and want to see him succeed?

 

we'll face memphis again this coming monday. will be interesting to see if the twin towers lineup with asik is brought back for some stretches in this game, considering how well it worked in preseason. i would also expect beverley to get the bulk of the minutes again after he destroyed conley the last time

 

I see what Lin did there last night. If he plays horribly on the bench, he'll get his starting minutes back.

Lin: I am a better fit on the bench? You better learn today.

 

Not you. Larv was basically calling him a liar. Thought it was uncalled for.

 

Like many LOFs who post here, Chris Baldwin doesn't write a thing about the Rockets unless it (1) presents Jeremy as flawless hero and (2) trashes McHale and virtually every other player on the roster.

There is a stark difference between that ^^^ and being a journalist who writes positive pieces about Lin because you believe in his ability. A large sector of LOFs get off on praising Jeremy while dumping on the rest of the team and the coaching staff, and Chris Baldwin appeals wildly to that crowd.

 

Does it mean anything if Jeremy was wearing a black practice jersey, that the starters typically wear, in his latest press video?

 

Is there any evidence that he is trolling for Lin fans, rather than just writing about something he feels strongly about? It is a hard thing to prove.

If you say that he is trolling for Lin fans because all the articles he writes all positive for Lin, then you're basically then you're affirming the original posters assertion that you think positive articles about Lin = trolling for Lin fans.

 

I agree with TheBigFive. Since you had no reservations taking shots at the author, please show us why he's just a big troll. I know nothing about the author, but just like I don't take Wilbon seriously because he's a shill for D Rose, I won't comment anymore about this journalist if all he is doing is pandering to the LOFs.

 

Whether Chris Baldwin is trying to stir things up for readership or not, he does bring up a lot of good points. When Lin's career is over with in the NBA, I'm sure we all can read about it and hear it from him first hand. If you truly want to win games, don't you want your 2nd scorer coming in the game to be in the game? The law of stats should dictate that his shooting will go up....see Mavericks' game...they shot like crap in the first half but came back in the 2nd.

 

Interestingly I saw a tweet that said of the 3 games in which Bev played more minutes than Lin we lost all 3. Makes me think that the defense issue isn't that big of a thing.

 

Like all other CFers, you have your bias, and obviously you are irritated by Lin fans, but how else do I interepret your statement when you said the author of a positive article is trolling for LOF. Please enlighten me with with "those in the know" so I can judge for myself. Otherwise, don't be annoy with my opinion when I question your bias.

 

I think what Clutch is saying is that Chris Baldwin is attempting to build his readership fan base by writing a disproportionate number of articles about Lin.

Without knowing the man, it's hard to say how much he believes or disbelieves what he is writing. It's quite conceivable that he feels strongly about what he's writing. And if you're cynical then it's conceivable that he's taking a viewpoint that he doesn't completely believe.

It's no different than having a Conservative or Liberal commentator having a lot of stories with a particular political viewpoint. They're appealing to their fan base with stories of interest to them, and yet may still be writing with personal integrity, or may be writing them just to get eyeballs.

Either way, the actual bias of the writer isn't relevant. All writers are inherently biased because human beings are inherently biased.

Those who view Lin with low expectations can raise legitimate concerns as much as those who view Lin with high expectations.

When viewing Lin it very much is a glass half empty vs glass half full situation.

Last year some CF fans viewed Lin's mediocre jump shooting as a sign that he was a poor player, and that his jump shooting would limit his upside. Others viewed it as an area that he would improve and eventually make him a very good player when combined with his existing skill set once it was addressed.

Who was correct? In hindsight it was those who believed Lin would improve his jump shot. However, at the point of debate NEITHER side was correct, nor was there statistical reason to believe that one side would absolutely be correct over the other.

There are NBA players that never improved their 3 point shooting, mid range shot, FT shooting, off hand, defense, (insert skill set here) over their careers. However, there are also players that DID improve those skills over their careers.

Lin's skeptics slotted Lin in the "unlikely to improve" category. Lin's supporter slotted him into "he's going to improve" category".

Personally I believed that Lin would improve and will continue to improve for 4 simple reasons.

1) Lin is self-aware. He never shies away from admitting his weaknesses and believing they should be fixed. Some players believe they should only work on their strengths, or that they have few weaknesses at all.

2) Lin has a near legendary work ethic beyond most NBA players. Coaches at every level have said this. He is at the gym before most of his peers, and long after most his peers go home. He spends the entire off season working on his game and improving on his conditioning, and does so with zeal.

3) Most of the complaints about Lin were related to skills, not inherent physical gifts. Shooting is a skill, not a gift. Nobody is born with a 3 point shot or the ability to use their left or right hand. Defensive fundamentals are taught, not in-born traits. Learning the risk/reward balance of when to drive vs pass, or when to "keep one's dribble" vs jump and pass vs stop and pass is a judgement skill acquired through training, study and experience.

4) Lin is still very young, both chronologically and in terms of NBA minutes. He is still very much in the "reps" and experience phase of his NBA development.

That doesn't mean that it was certain that my judgement of Lin would be correct when I said last year during his worst performances that I thought it was temporary and Lin would improve his shot, defense and left hand. It could easily have gone the other way had my analysis of Lin the human being been incorrect.

And had it gone the other way, the Lin skeptics would have been crowing about their being correct (and rightly so).

However, it doesn't change the fact that we should all recognize that those critical of Lin, just as those who believe in Lin's ability and potential can BOTH have valid points.

Put aside the authorship of articles and posts, and instead look towards the content.

Does the person raise valid points?
Is there quantitative data to support their assumptions?
Is their line of reasoning logical?
Are they considering data or lines of logical reasoning that we have missed?
Are they NOT considering data or lines of logical reasoning that SHOULD have been considered?

Then use your own minds to find something resembling the truth. And if you're wrong or right, have some grace about it since nobody bats .1000...

 

I'll keep posting this until you get the message:

This guy specializes in generating clicks on whatever topic. He has no bball background. Is his job bball? No. It's getting clicks.

 

go read Dwight's latest speech, word by word.

 

He is also a defender of Case Keenum and supported coach Gary Kubiak's decision to make Keenum as the starting quarterback. Judging from Keenum's performance, Keenum deserves to be the starting quarterback.