Isiah on Harden and Lin: Could be the best backcourt in the NBA

If there's anyone to listen to on this topic it's definitely Isiah Thomas. Thanks for posting.

 

They're probably already the best starting backcourt in the NBA.

 

Lin can come off the bench and still gel with Harden because Harden plays big minutes.

Lin would play 10 mins without harden and 20 minutes with.

U could have him playing his natural drive and dish game with the second unit and his penetration would be better utilised.

 

Great video! Very good advice for Lin and Harden from Isiah Thomas!

 

I bet Lin+Parsons already got their "psst psst... psst psst" down months ago.

 

I didn't know Isiah has a media job now. He is really cool to listen to.

 

The Bad Boys Pistons were something else, though. I hated/respected them back in the days. Bill Laimbeer, Rick Mahorn, James Edwards (one of the most improbable and hardest to guard shots of all time, not quite the skyhook but..), Vinny the microwave, Zeeke, Dumars. Man... Praise from Isaiah is all good, irregardless of his recent debacles.

Having said that, I'm glad that they're even talking about our backcourt in that way, already. Lin's got some serious growing up to do and Harden really has to retrain his defensive habits, but when they do, look out!!

 

I really want believe that Lin and Harden could be the best starting back court, but come on, it's good old Zeke! The man has lost all credibility since the Knicks debacle:

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IT might have sucked as a GM but he is still a HOF player....

 

You mean, he sucked at talent evaluation, understanding how to fit different players and in general how a team is to be constructed properly? And somehow we should value his advice on how to develop our backcourt? In the long run, Lin and Harden will have to part ways, their playing styles are far too similar and they will end up cannibalizing each other's game and stunting growth.

 

Yeah I was surprised by how great he was in that cilp

 

Isn't that what they said about LeBron and Wade?

Of course the skill level is much higher but there's no reason they cant be utilised in that style?

 

Yes, but he still knows how to play the guard position

 

Not at all. Their strength do not overlap as much as Lin and Harden whose best abilities consist in both cases of PNR ball handling and paint penetration to drive and dish or to finish/draw contact.

 

I wonder how he would stack up Lin/Harden vs Francis/Marbury/Crawford?

Not that I disagree with IT, but he's the last guy I'd want judging NBA talent.

 

He is James Dolan's consultant.
If he believed Lin is a good PG, Dolan would keep him.

 

He's not a "james dolan" consultant. He's NBA's agent.

Besides it all makes sense, this would soften a future blow if Houston advances to the second round and for some reason, the curse of the first round takes out the Knicks, yet again. Now that would be ironic.

Placing Melo at 9th after Harden's 8th. Another one of these preventive measures. Nobody in the right mind would place Harden before Carmelo, lets face it. The timing is too perfect, considering we are just placing seeds for the playoffs.

 

james and wade had a ton of overlapping strengths in their first season together. james didn't work on his post game until after that year. when they got together the first year, they were both ball dominant players who scored extraordinarily well as p&r ball handlers. their most frequent plays between the two of them were the same, ISOs, p&r ball handlers, and transition.

lin and harden are young, talented men. there's no reason to believe they can't learn to play together and become the best backcourt active in the nba in a season or two. there's also no reason to believe that they must be separated.

 

I hadn't thought of Dumars in so long. He was good.