It IS a lot of pressure, but throughout his career, Lin actually does better as the stakes and scrutiny get higher. That's what makes him special. I'm just worried he'll lose confidence in his game if Smart keeps jerking him around. Let him play or don't let him play. Don't give him 2 measly minutes in a tense situation and pull him ASAP for making a mistake or two.
Pre-season is pre-season, and there's really no good reason not to play Lin good minutes. I think the coach just felt pressure to Lin in anyway, because of all the hype. Coaches have different reasons, they do take pre-season too seriously or they just dislike a guy. On the other hand, Lin has his work cut out for him to prove that he can run with the pro's. The D-League is a viable option that has developed quite a few players. Better than rotting on the bench.
Good article. Tough but fair.
ReplyDeleteIt IS a lot of pressure, but throughout his career, Lin actually does better as the stakes and scrutiny get higher. That's what makes him special. I'm just worried he'll lose confidence in his game if Smart keeps jerking him around. Let him play or don't let him play. Don't give him 2 measly minutes in a tense situation and pull him ASAP for making a mistake or two.
Pre-season is pre-season, and there's really no good reason not to play Lin good minutes. I think the coach just felt pressure to Lin in anyway, because of all the hype. Coaches have different reasons, they do take pre-season too seriously or they just dislike a guy. On the other hand, Lin has his work cut out for him to prove that he can run with the pro's. The D-League is a viable option that has developed quite a few players. Better than rotting on the bench.
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