Here is my take. Lin has two huge problems as a PG. #1: His handles are poor. He has WEAK upper body strength. #2: He is SLOW laterally. He is only fast running forwards. Other notes: He has a decent shot but his jump stop requires some time to get it off. As a result, he takes contested shots on open looks against good defenses. His poor handles make him slow off the bounce. He is quick in triple threat, but his shot is too slow for defenders to play up on him. Compare this with James Harden, whose shot is both lethal and quick, hence defenders can't sag. As a result, defenders are able to negate his greatest strength, his first step from triple threat position. Lin is at his best when he receives a pass and is able to catch the defense out of position. His quick first step allows him an automatic foray to the basket. However, his poor handles and his overall weak upper body strength (also poor explosion when his back is bad) make him an easy target for physical defenses to negate his drive. They also cut off his passing lanes as he looks for a bailout (the dreaded jump pass). Lin would benefit from being able to develop a hard pull up mid range shot when he gets going towards the basket. Right now his mid range game is slow and inaccurate. He has no floater to speak of, and hence defending him is simple. Disturb his slow shooting motion, or cut off the basket and cut off his passing lanes when he drives. Adding a quick pull-up or a floater would open up his game. He needs to stop doing his pivot fade-away as well, as defenses have seen it too often and it is too slow for the NBA. Lin worked hard to improve his shot this past summer, and I have no doubt that he could improve his handles this next summer if works hard at it. Although I can't be certain about his future with the Rockets, for his own sake, his best scenario would be to come back with a few of these five things improved: #1 A Tighter Handle (Ability to dribble harder and lower) #2 A Stronger Upper Body (Better Ability to take contact and arm swipes) #3 Improved Lateral quickness (better defense) #4 A Quick Mid-range Option (Necessity for every PG) #5 A Quick Shot from the Triple Threat (Keep Defenders Honest)
You would think, until Harden gets shut out by Lebron, P. George, and co., and we're left with the likes of Casspi, Parsons, and Bev standing around waiting for shots that never materialize. You never want to have one dimensional players on your team if possible. Beverley has been on a roll shooting from deep, but hes one cold streak away from being a total offensive liability. Say what you will about Lin, but he puts constant pressure on the defense when he's aggressive.
He is a carbon copy of Alston except not the passer or ball handler. I want a starting PG. Sick of seeing Lin **** the bed.
Much better to you is .35 -.34 = .01? That is a "much better 3 ball" shooter? That includes Lin's major shooting slump recently. Lin is a better and more efficient scorer. Everyone knows that. Bev ain't getting major minutes for his offensive production.
I like your analysis and it is on point. One thing I really envy about guys like Paul, Nash, and the great floor generals is their ability to maneuver in the paint and keep their dribble alive. It's not about just beating their guy with a first step, but maintaining that advantage in the paint when they get surrounded. Lin has an explosive first step, and is kind of like Parker when he first started out. Parker was great at getting to the rim, but his size and inexperience made it incredibly easy to double and force him into bad decisions once he got into the paint. He was able to overcome that by developing (and being allowed to develope) a mid ranged floater/jumper along with significantly better handles. Lin is not some finished product like many think on this board. He is being asked to play a role that he has never played for the first time in his career. He will need more than one year to adapt to that role. I don't expect him to be the next Jason Kidd, but Lin has the athletic ability and the work ethic to become the PG on a championship squad. Will the Rockets have the patience for him to develop? That is questionable.
Bev starts for 3 reasons 1. Way better corner 3 guy than lin 2. Does turn the ball over 3. Stays out of hardens way on offense
I know you hate Lin, but at least make reasonable arguments. Lin is nothing like Alston. Not in the way he plays, not in his implicit or explicit effectiveness...
4. Bev on the bench would mean literally no playmaking on the second unit. Not as big of a deal since you can always stagger the starters with the backups, but its a thought.
Obviously you're black and don't like asians trolololol. By the way without Lin we would've been blown out anyways. He also got fouled on the last play (ie no chance for calling timeout). Watch the replay.
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times... it was Jeremy Lin playing like a hero and goat. He looked like he could care less about being there, he looked like nothing could stop him from winning the game for us, but only a joke could be both. And he was both tonight. Seriously, he started poorly. Very. Then all of a sudden his shot fell and he started trying again and looked really solid. And then things fell flat once again. He needs to bring some fire to every play. That's how you make it in the NBA. Talent: Obviously there. Will to win: sometimes. Inconsistency: Obviously there. All out Effort: Missing. Who is this guy? Give us your best or give another squad a shot. Play hard. Not well, just hard. Bad games happen, effort is within your control. (Yes, I know the whole team looked the same tonight(paging Parsons), but winners don't blame the rest of the team. They lead by example.)
lol nice...i was at the game tonight, i wouldn't be too pissed, the refs barely called ANYTHING for houston...team defence was porous as usual, derozan went bananas...thought harden shoulda taken more shots at the end oh and kevin mchale looks enormous in person with his shoulder pad style suits
I agree on the first point that he really needs to hone in on his handles a bit more. His defense has improved from what it was 2 years ago, but because of his size as a PG, his always going to have trouble keeping up with smaller PG's. Everything else you can say that about 95% of the PG in the league. I really do think Lin he can be a good high scoring/high assist PG on a system which runs there offense through him. On the positive note for him being in the Rockets in a role he is in with the Rockets, he can iron out his weak spots, such as his spot up shooting, off the ball movement and his defense just to name a few. I have seen an improvement.
Pretty spot on from both of you. I don't understand why so many on CF fail to understand this. He is being asked to work on other areas of his game rather than his strengths. All you'll end up with is an average jack of all trades rather than an exceptional PG who does a few things well. Talk about poorly mishandling an asset.
We tried to trade him, but apparently we found no takers. Without knowing what Morey was looking for however, there is no telling Lin's value to other teams, though I hazard to guess it borderlines on the worth of pyrite.
