Lin without a ball dominant teammate

well it obviously wasn't an english class

 

fixed

 

you don't invest time and energy in creating and fine-tuning this "synergy" if you don't plan to keep the guy beyond this year.

i truly believe that one of the reasons why lin hasn't played a bigger role on this team is because it's probably been decided that he wouldn't be here beyond 2015, the latest. he'll either get traded or not re-signed, in order to use the cap space to go after another star. the rockets know that they're not a contender THIS year, and that 2015 or more realistically, 2016 is the year, and they're putting all their eggs into that basket and investing the current season with an eye towards that goal. if lin becomes too integral of a member in the starting unit, what do you do when you need to trade him (along with asik) for that third star, or if he decides to leave in 2015 and you need the cap space?

this team is built around howard, parsons, and harden. these guys will be around come 2016 title year. lin will most likely not. and it's not like you're losing much with bev in the starting lineup anyway.

this is a big reason he's coming off the bench; he can help the team in the short term, and he won't hurt the team in the long run.

 

Linsanity blew up like he was the next Michael Jordan. The media expansion created pressures and external forces/factors that theoretically shouldn't exist. He's a smart, humble dude who never thought he'd have people from countries that he'd (previously) never been to projecting their values, expectations, et. al on him in the matter of weeks. Thats a lot on his shoulders to bare.

When he was fighting for a roster spot, sleeping on couches, and finally getting some good minutes, he tore it up. When his fandom came into the picture, it probably made him ask questions about his own place in the league, the world, and etc. He was thinking more. He was solidly 'there'. He did the whole talkshow circuit for something he was doing his whole life. The league caught on, coaches caught on, and he had forced to justify his sudden fame. Something he mostly likely wasn't sure if liked it, hated, it, or even wanted it in the first place.

People thrust into stardom and privilege, with people interjecting themselves into their personal spheres without having certain internal and external justifications tend to have serious problems somewhere down the line. His life was turned around very quickly, but he's handled it very well for being thrust into a situation like that.

Give the dude a break and let him be him. If he learns to completely block out the outside world, i.e people he'll never meet creating a website dedicated to him, he just might re-create Linsanity 2.0.

He's a victim of human imperfection that is blown up a million fold because they latched onto him and he had to metaphorically feed them, despite having his own limitations. In other words, he wants to conform and do his due dilligence before receiving your admiration and praise. If he still breaks out without the global eye on him, he can play relaxed because the justification has been met He shrinks because he doesn't want to disappoint you, man. The root lies within Lin and the aggregate Lin fanbase, not with McHale. And to be clear I did say root because he has been mis-managed at times.

 

I would chose Harden over Lin a thousand times over.

Let's trade Lin to a crap team and see if he can lead team out of hell like Harden did for us.

Harden>>>>>Lin

 

Harden needs a true back up in order to able to sit more. He's the only two guard on the team.

You don't sacrifice your star SG minutes for a player like Lin. You do if you wish to maximize Lins' opportunities, but other than that, there's no logic to it. Jeremy's a backup PG like Brooks is. Both aren't consistent enough, and both aren't worth wasting precious time on.

This team is what it is. It'll take a season or two to bring in the right players that will help maximize our star players' abilities. Right now, the poison pill contracts are biting us in the ass. Once Lin's contract is up and he's gone (won't even be looked at as far as resigning), then we can better allocate the money to take advantage of signing better suited players with more substance.

Lin's future after his contract is not with the Rox. To us, he'll be worth pennies as to where a bad team will somewhat overpay him. Not as bad as we did, but, it'll be a bad basketball signing nonetheless. Will be all about that Asian market.

 

So basically this detailed statistical analysis shows us that when line is given free range to shoot, we're a lottery team. When he defers to harden, we're on pace for a top 4 finish.

Thanks. Interesting.

 

Oh wow, it seems like you know alot about Lin, his life, and how he functions psychologically. I've only seen him play as a basketball player, so apologies that right now I cannot add any comments beyond the realm of basketball.

I thought his rise in NY was quite amazing, although I do think it had a double edged sword effect on him. The word Linsanity is at times used as a perjorative, so I try to avoid using the word as much as I can. In addition, I think his game has moved beyond that period, and thus I don't look for "Linsanity 2.0". I think he can be a more well rounded player, and I see that ability in him. In addition, I think he's handled his sudden fame, criticisms, and path in the NBA quite well.

I'm not quite sure what you're getting at when you refer to the root and where it lies. I do think the game is a two way street between coaching and players. Coaches affect players and players affect coaches. It is a symbiotic relationship.

 

What the statistical analysis seems to show is that Lin's talents are being underutilized -- that given more time with the ball, Lin has pretty consistently been able to put up some pretty good numbers.

I don't think anyone is suggesting that this means the team would be better off with Lin than Harden. Or even that it makes sense to keep Lin on the team long term.

Just, while Lin is a on the team, would it be good to explore ways of using him to relieve some of the pressure off of Harden ? Especially when Harden has been playing injured and shooting sub par (for Harden), as he has recently.

 

Fixed: "Or even that it makes sense to keep Lin on the team long term just because of these numbers."

 

I think that's because of the gameplan that the coaches set up that makes Lin look passive, that would explain his inconsistencies and Jekyll & Hyde moments.

Everybody needs to have the ball to be effective, but point guards are usually required to help set up the offense so they should control the ball most of the time, under McHale's system however he is not asked to do that.

Lin is the only guy I see looking more banged up than anybody else on the team.

 

Lin is very capable and adaptable. Rockets is lucky to have him. At the moment the Rockets' only problem with Lin is his price tag relative to the role he is assigned with.

It's never Lin's fault when he is paid to be an executive but being used as a janitor to mop up all over the place. Lin could have easily turned into another Asik and the Rockets would be in chaos.

 

The numbers are clear.

 

The thing is that Lin has played like this with Harden and Howard on the floor. They have played their best stretches of BB this year with the combination of Howard, Harden, and Lin.

I understand you view point and it might be valid, but I think the Rockets would be better of by figuring out how to have Lin start, and allow him to play aggressive with Howard and Harden in the game. I think the coaches really aren't doing their job by not doing this. I really like Beverley but his D is really overrated, he isn't a good passer, and his offense isn't the greatest. That's not what a team that is planning on going deep in the playoff's needs as a starter. I would go as far as to say on certain nights and matchups that AB should get a lot of Bev's playing time.

 

Exactly, anybody that says Lin is better than Harden is crazy. Lin can pass better, and play D better, but Harden is a scoring machine.

 

It must be maddening to try to figure this out if you are the coach. But here is an interesting problem the Rocket's have all season - their 4Q performance is HORRIBLE for the season. How about, mixing it up from time to time and let Lin be the ball dominate 4Q player and see if that give the Defense some different look that they haven't seen throughout the game. Or how about when Lin is in as the 6th man, let him be ball dominate. Or how about when Harden is out, make sure Lin is in as the 6th man, a ball dominate 6th man.

Or, we can continue what we are doing and hope that H&H eventually get to the point where they do bring it every game. They are still far from that.

 

I like Lin a lot, but Yeezus, those turnovers are way too damn high.