| Ryan Anderson | PER | TS% | MPG | PPG36M | RPG36M | APG36M | FTA36M |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-11 | 19.0 | .591 | 22.3 | 17.2 | 9.0 | 1.3 | 3.0 |
| 2011-12 | 21.2 | .589 | 32.2 | 18.0 | 8.6 | 1.0 | 3.1 |
| Jeremy Lin | PER | TS% | MPG | PPG36M | RPG36M | APG36M | FTA36M |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-11 | 14.8 | .458 | 9.8 | 9.6 | 4.3 | 5.3 | 3.2 |
| 2011-12 | 20.0 | .552 | 26.9 | 19.6 | 4.1 | 8.3 | 7.0 |
Jeremy did receive 10 first place votes and I believe these are some of the well respected writers who voted for him:
Marc Stein
Henry Abbott
Scott Howard Cooper
Also, not all of the voters are great basketball minds. One gave Andrew Bogut a first place vote:
http://www.nba.com/2012/news/05/04/most-improved-player/?ls=iref:nbahpt1
Here are a few videos to help us survive:
Anyone else read the latest article about Mike Woodson? What a pathetic way to cater to his so called stars and attempt to please his boss to lobby for the job. Talking about how to develop his "Big 3". Did he really think that Melo, Chandler and Amare can still develop after playing in this league for 10 years? Did he not understand that the future of this franchise lies in the development of young players like Lin, Shumpert and Fields rather than his so called stars? Did he think that his "Iso and ride Melo for 45 mins a game" is not the problem and he want Melo to improve his conditioning so that he can iso him for 48 mpg for 82 games? Lol.
ReplyDeleteCurious to hear what everyone thinks about Phil Jackson and the triangle with Jeremy? Typically the triangle doesn't feature the point guard much and Phil usually likes to have a veteran in that spot. Penetration comes off of passes and not dribble penetration which is Jeremy's stronger point and overall the PG usually scores from an outlet pass as a last resort. Gary Payton, who I think Jeremy's game somewhat potentially can resemble, was known to hate the triangle and it obviously limited him when he went to LA.
ReplyDeleteMy feelings are mixed about it because I do think Phil's triangle by its nature is an equalizing factor for getting "superstars" to share the ball. Still though, you can't name a PG under the triangle that has an amazing legacy and as a Jeremy fan you really want him to be able to reach his full potential. Then again, if that means rings, perhaps the triangle is the only way Jeremy will have a chance given he'll be stuck on a team with untradable Amare and Melo.
Lin would do just fine in the triangle.
DeleteIn another topic here, I posted why I felt Lin would likely excel in the triangle just as he has excelled in the 6 or 7 systems he's played in as a pro.
A fundamentally sound team player like Lin ought to be a joy for Phil Jackson to coach. The other Knick teammates, I am not so sure.
The NBA is a league where players make the system, not the other way around.
The very first qualities required for the triangle are high bball iq and passing ability. No one on the Knicks have those qualities really except Lin or maybe Fields. NY's big men i.e. Chandler and Amare all don't pass well and don't shoot well (in Chandler's case can't shoot at all). Can't see how they can play the triangle.
DeleteThe Bulls under Phil Jackson never had a big men other than Horace Grant and Bill Cartwright that could shoot consistently, but that didn't stop them from winning championships.
DeleteWhat the Bulls big men had was championship caliber rebounding and defense. Tyson Chandler fits that mold while Amare Stoudemire does not.
I can easily envision Carmelo Anthony excelling in the triangle on offense. What I don't know is how he would respond to Phil Jackson on defense. My guess is that Anthony would settle down and become a very good defender.
Landry Fields is a good role player who also can play in any system. He reminds me a bit of Rick Fox who was a superb role player for Phil Jackson's Lakers.
Phil Jackson was interested in Lin before and after he signed with Golden State. I would imagine that Phil Jackson believes Lin would play well in his system.
Longley (spelling?), Shaq and Gasol are all great big man passers though. Even Rodman is a very capable passer in the triangle.
DeleteHaving said all that, I think Woodson will likely stay. His system is exactly Anthony's game. They just seem like a match in heaven and obviously love each other. I just dislike how he divide his players into "Big 3" and "supporting cast" and apparently Lin is a firmly in that supporting cast group. I can already imagine how he will marginalize Lin's role and hinder Lin's development as a player. And he doesn't seem to care about his young players' growth as much as his so called stars. I really hope Lin leave the Knicks if Woodson stays as coach.
I hope Jeremy stay for just one year after this season and join another team that has a coach treasures his talent.
DeleteYeah, really hate reading Woodson's comments on his "Big 3" and "supporting cast" as if he is a movie director... No wonder he's never won any NBA ring.
Somehow I believe that papa Jeremy would help Jeremy take the wisest move in Jeremy's career advancement. Leave NY Knicks if Woodson ever stays as Knicks coach!
Woodson can say whatever he wants.
DeleteBut when the whistle blows and play begins, the ball will go to the guy who can make the easiest play. On frequent occasions, that will be Lin.
With decreased responsibility comes decreased pressure. Let the big salary guys earn their keep. Lin shouldn't have to do their jobs for them as well as his own.
I don't think Phil Jackson will ever coach again. He had serious back problems when he left the Lakers.
Delete@Phil, I don't know man. For 10-12 million a year my back would be feeling pretty damn good :-)
DeleteLin would adjust fine to the triangle or any structured offensive system. The trade-off is that a structured system would hold Lin back from maximizing his abilities, as he was able to do during the free rein of Linsanity; at the same time, a structured system would help protect Lin from his own, at times, shaky ballhandling and passing (ie, ball control) in the halfcourt against the elite defenses.
DeleteI thought Woodson struck a good balance between a structured halfcourt offense and giving Lin the green light to make plays. Don't forget that Woodson witnessed Linsanity firsthand, too.
I believe Jeremy himself pointed out that Woodson's 'system' was something like the eixth or seventh one he was playing in, and judging from his performance, he doesn't seem to have problems adjusting, so he should be able to pick up the triangle offense pretty well. Especially so given his high work rate and learning abilities. Mind you, it's certainly not everyone's cup of tea : Ron Artest never really learnt the intricacies of the system and commentators pointed out that he seemed to be lost pretty often.
ReplyDeleteBack to the MIP stats given above : well, it does to show that whatever yardstick those media types were using when they cast their votes, most of them didn't seem to give much weightage to the actual statistics, otherwise Jeremy would have been right up there in the voting or might have even won it. I suppose there is still the view that he didn't have a large enough body of games to come to a firm conclusion. I can understand this reasoning and can only hope that this was indeed what happened and not something nefarious like racism. Still, can't begrudge Ryan Anderson this award, he has indeed been playing well.
These awards don't matter. All that matters is Jeremy is getting the chance to show the world what he can do. His performance and stats say much more about his worth than a superficial award. And I would think that even if he had won it.
ReplyDeleteBut boy, are the Knicks a mess. The knives are out for Melo now, but this time even staunch supporters are starting to reassess their opinion on him. His (fatal?) flaws are being exposed in this series. In that sense, this might be a blessing in disguise. Without this playoff failure, we might have been stuck with Woodson and iso Melo next season, and everyone else, including Jeremy, sidelined. As it stands, this is has been a humbling playoff series and Melo MUST now adjust or face his time as a Knick ending in ignominy. Perhaps we can see a return to a Linsanity type ball? One can only hope.
Lin should sign one year deal with Knicks, no matter what. then reassess at the end of next season. meanwhile, improve conditioning during summer, improve outside shoot and make his game more versatile . the main goal next season is to avoid injury and reduce turnover. if he can do these, no matter what happens to Knicks next year, he will be well prepared for a major contract and a better team in 2013-2014 season.
ReplyDeleteJudged by how smart he is, I'm fully confident that he can manage achieve these goals.
Go Jeremy! Do NOT rush game 4. and there won't be a game 5 for sure.
lin, being the nice guy he is...will most likely sign a multi year deal for security due to his surgery. plus, it's always nice to treat your taiwanese parents to a brand new home! seems he's also up to the challenge of playing in media frenzy NY.
DeleteLin for president?! Yea why not.
ReplyDeletehaha, never know. i think though for Jeremy's sake he shouldn't reveal too much of his political beliefs till he gets closer to retiring. my guess is he has plenty of fans on both sides of the aisle.
Deletenever. america's government has a nasty little history of executing good and honest leaders that served in the best interests of the people.
Deletesee JFK, RFK, Martin Luther King Jr, etc, etc.
not too get too off topic, but here is a recent article on the RFK coverup: http://www.cnn.com/2012/04/28/justice/california-rfk-second-gun/?hpt=hp_c2
anyone has video on the Friday's workout? did Link practice on Friday?
ReplyDeleteKHuang, I'm not optimistic as you are about "the ball will go to the guy who can make the easiest play. On frequent occasions, that will be Lin".
ReplyDeleteFrom his breakout game on Feb. 4 to the game vs. the Bulls on Mar. 12, Lin's minutes per game is 36.3 whereas in the Woodson era only 28.1. Less minutes surely bring down his stats in points and assists.
Although Lin is smart enough to adapt to different system, I doubt that under Woodson's coaching, he will be given enough chance and minutes to explore his full potential.
"28.1" minutes under woodson, much of it to do with Lin being pulled in blowout situations.
Deletelin was consistently featured in pressure situations vs indiana and 76ers (back when amare, lin, and melo were all on the court during crunchtime).
even if lin does receive slightly less playing time in non crucial situations, his knees will be thankful.
While we're on the topic of Woodson, if he is to come back next year, he has to decide to jump on the Lin bandwagon early instead of Lin jumping on Woodsons bandwagon. What Woodsons got is fool's good in Baron Davis, Carmelo, and Amare. Fragile, old, and selfish. The term for them is an "old fart". A guy who doesnt want to change. The irony in all of this is at this point, I believe Jeremy would command a high first round pick (and some) if he were to be traded...not just his production but the millions he brings to any team he goes to. Woodson has a high first rounder in his hands and he does not realize it. Plus the fact that with Lin in the lineup he has 2 invaluable sixth men, the crowd and the befitted sixth man. Look at the way the fans helpef them out on the road. Shit, thats real gold right there brother.
ReplyDeleteI havent actually heard all the stuff Wooddon says about Lin and "supporting casts", which are in essence a sign of disrespect. If all said is true, then Woodson is not the man. Phil Jackson would do something that sheepish. He knows every player is an important part of the puzzle (for the triangle). In all those years I havent heard of Phil belittling any of his bench players let alone his starters. He may needle you to play more physical or smarter but not the same type of things woodson is doing.
DeletePhil Jackson would NOT do..... Typo
Deletecute video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pe8GV4qA25s&feature=youtu.be
ReplyDeleteI disagree with the folks who believe Woodson has been bad for Lin. I think Woodson was good for Lin. This is what I said on my blog about Woodson and Lin in reaction to the 2nd game of the back-to-back Pacers games on March 16 & 17:
ReplyDeleteThe 2nd game on the back-to-back in Indianapolis promised to be a big test for the team and Lin in the new Woodson era. The Pacers are a proud, rising, young-veteran, mid-level play-off team with good chemistry, a quick PG, and good defense. The Pacers were determined to protect their home court after the blow-out loss at MSG. The Pacers came out focused. The Knicks and Lin passed the test.
Lin played tough against a physical team and his defense on Darren Collison was solid with improved help behind him. He was confident and made big plays to lead his team to the win. Lin filled the stat sheet with 19 points on 10 FGAs, 7 rebounds, 6 assists (should have had 10), a block, and a steal. The Pacers tried double-team traps, full court pressure, and switching the bigger Hill and George onto him in response to Lin's improved ball-handling. He showed a stronger left on his dribble, he attacked the double-team traps, and maintained his dribble in the half court. On several drives, he carried Collison on his hip. Lin's passing was still shaky in the half court, but hopefully his passing nuances will improve with experience.
Despite the speculation Lin's game would disappear with D'Antoni, Lin has looked more comfortable in Woodson's more-structured system. It looks like his strengths have been preserved by Woodson while his weaknesses have been mitigated. Lin's strong all-around performance in Indianapolis is the way, during Linsanity, Knicks fans had hoped Lin would adjust his game when Anthony returned. Lin played confidently and, though the ball returned to Anthony at the end of the game, Lin had his coach's green light to make plays down the stretch. Lin's defense looked better in large part because the help was back. Woodson's use of more set plays eased the pressure on Lin. Lin won't have as many touches under Woodson, but he can be more productive with his touches.
Pundits writing off Lin as an inflated product of D'Antoni's system overlook that Lin is a converted PG who was a do-everything play-making scoring guard before the NBA. At this point of his development, Lin is still more SG/PG combo guard, with a combo guard's ball handling and (half-court) passing limitations, than NBA point guard. With the good teams having made defensive adjustments to Lin, the pared down PG role comes just in time for Lin. Lin no longer has to handle the ball as much, create everything, break down every defense, nor make every decision. Reducing his PG responsibilities in Woodson's more-structured system means less freedom for Lin, but it should also be a better fit for him at this early learning stage of his career. Lin's weaknesses as a PG will be less exposed and he can fall back on his strengths with more off-the-ball and match-up work when defenses shift their focus to Anthony.
During Linsanity, Lin played like the Suns MVP Steve Nash. He burned star-bright but we knew such an incredible run couldn't last forever. Lin rose and he fell. Lin now looks like he's settling into the long-term task of building up a stable foundation for his career, more like the Mavericks stage of Steve Nash's career. The 2nd Pacers game felt like the start of a sustainable developmental curve and the beginning of the actualization stage of Lin's career.
PS Lin, of course, played his last game of the season a week after the Pacers games, on March 24. Looking at his poor shooting against the 76ers (his game-saving 4Q clutch scores were all on drives and FTs) and Raptors, Lin was likely playing in pain before the Pistons game on March 24. It's frustrating, because Lin was well on his way to establishing a strong role as Woodson's PG.
DeleteAssuming the Knicks would have played the Heat in the 1st round with a healthy Lin, I would like to have seen Lin perform against the Heat when the Heat couldn't focus on him as the head (of the snake) of the Knicks offense. With Woodson's system mitigating his weaknesses, I think Lin could have inflicted serious damage on the Heat defense with his off-the-ball playmaking and scoring skills.
In the series, we've watched Anthony start hot then cool off down the stretch of the games as he's become tired and the Heat have squeezed down on defense. That's the point of thge game, with Anthony dragging and needing help, where Lin's clutch ability would have risen to the top.
PPS Imagining if Lin had played this series healthy in Woodson's system, I could see late-game stretches with Wade and Lin dueling with clutch scores. Then James switching off of Anthony to guard Lin after Chalmers, Cole, Wade, and Battier failed to contain Lin's full off-the-ball repertoire.
DeleteHeh. You're more optimistic than me, Eric.
DeleteAs much as I believe in Lin, I feel that the Knicks would still be blown out by the Heat with a healthy Jeremy Lin.
There is no preparation for playoff basketball other than playoff basketball. Lin would learn lots of hard but good lessons as a playoff novice. And then he would come back next year ready to rumble.
K: If Shumpert and Lin were healthy, I think the Heat still win, but the series would have been a lot more competitive. I believe, in defeat, Lin would have shown the world his clutch ability at the play-off level, similar to how rookie Wade introduced himself as a clutch play-off performer during the 03-04 play-offs when Lamar Odom was ostensibly the Heat's best player.
DeleteI think what you are describing could easily happen for Lin next year if the Knicks keep him.
DeleteTo me, the main difference between rookie Wade and 2nd year Lin is that Wade was a celebrated lottery pick who his team made the centerpiece of their plans. Lin has become a centerpiece too, but only in midseason. Plus Lin has played a lot fewer games at a much higher intensity than Wade did at that point.
Jeremy Lin has had the greatest season ever of a midseason minor league callup. That said, it's overwhelming to go from the D league to the Jordan rules. In a way, I am relieved that Lin is temporarily shut down because he's had so much thrust onto his shoulders all of a sudden.
Give Lin a summer to rest and work on his game. Next season, he'll play even better.
That goes back to my original post praising Woodson's coaching of Lin. Woodson's system helped Lin by pulling him back from the Nash-level PG responsibilities Lin carried all game, every game under D'Antoni. Anthony would have commanded the opposing defense's attention in the play-offs, like Odom opened space for rookie Wade to show off. Most importantly, when Lin played for Woodson, Lin was still called on to make plays in close games, most notably in the 4Q of the 76ers game. (Given how Lin's shooting suddenly dropped off a cliff, I believe Lin's knee was already in pain by the 76ers game.) Woodson would have called on Lin to make plays in the play-offs.
DeleteWith D'Antoni's system, the Heat defense keyed in on Lin and they stopped him. With Woodson's system, the Heat's 'Jordan rules' have to go to Anthony. Right now, the Heat really only need to guard Anthony, Smith, and who else? The Heat are barely guarding the Knicks PGs. Davis exploited that gap early in the series before his back gave out again from over-exertion. Lin would have thrived in that gap. In other words, as a 1st option, advantage Heat over Lin; as a 2nd or 3rd option, advantage Lin over Heat. Under Woodson, Lin would have at least stretched a Heat defense focused on Anthony. If his clutch ability reared up as expected, Lin could have broken the Heat defense enough times to make the series competitive.
@JLinFan#1:
ReplyDelete"If you want to say he just didn't play enough games, well that is fair."
That really, truly is the only reason why Lin lost. No one has ever gotten an official NBA award after appearing in barely half the games and getting major minutes in 2/5ths of them, and they weren't going to make Lin the first.
And not just MIP mind you. It is also why Lin wasn't an All-Star and win a host of other accolades, and also why the Knicks didn't put up a good enough record to avoid the Heat in the playoffs, which kept Lin from getting a shot at meaningful playoff experience and exposure in the 2nd round. ALL of that can be blamed on the 13 DNPs plus the 8 games where Lin played 7 or fewer minutes before February 4. Which means that ALL of it can be blamed on D'Antoni. It was D'Antoni who played Toney Douglas 35 minutes a game. It was D'Antoni who chose playing around with 2 shooting guard or 3 small forward lineups over so much as giving Lin 15 minutes a game as a rotation guard off the bench. D'Antoni was NEVER HELD ACCOUNTABLE for letting Lin languish on the bench while the team was losing. Quite the contrary, D'Antoni was "the good guy" as opposed to Melo and later Woodson being "the bad guys" to Lin fans.
The Ryan Anderson/Jeremy Lin comparison is really just one guy having a coach who was willing to give him the minutes that his ability merited versus another guy whose coach was still trying to replace him with Deron Williams during the height of Linsanity (and no, don't claim that D'Antoni was merely trying to dump Melo, because were that the case, D'Antoni would have tried to trade Melo for another SF, not a PG). Sorry, but wanting the media to give Lin the MIP despite D'Antoni keeping Lin off the court for 1/3 of the season is just another way of letting Mike D'Antoni off the hook.
Well, Woodson was an asst for Dantoni. So he gets some blame too, I guess.
DeleteI would've liked to see Deron Williams and Jeremy Lin in the backcourt starting together. Lin would be the shooting guard on paper. After all, Lin was an SG in college.
DAntoni tried out the contracted players he had, and they didn't work out. He turned to Lin, who was the waiver wire reject. Dantoni stuck with Lin afterwards. Bad usage of Lin was followed by good usage of Lin.
I do agree with unknown that playing Lin earlier may have improved the Knicks playoff situation.
KHuang:
DeleteAfter Woodson's latest comments, you can assign him as much blame as you choose. I am tired of defending the guy, want him gone and don't care who replaces him. He will tell Melo and company what they want to hear and let those guys play however they want in order to keep his job, and will do so despite fully knowing that it has no chance to work. I admit, I don't think that D'Antoni was much of a coach, but after reading this nonsense http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/knicks/challenging_melo_ypzDpCxkkrQQy6zR2skkkN I am wondering if Woodson is much of a PERSON.
"I would've liked to see Deron Williams and Jeremy Lin in the backcourt starting together. Lin would be the shooting guard on paper. After all, Lin was an SG in college."
Lin's best position in the NBA is PG. It is the best use of his skills and ability, and it his best matchup against other NBA athletes on both sides of the court. Playing any other position would diminish his capabilities, and that is true no matter the coach or system. The idea that Lin playing SG with Williams is superior to playing PG with Melo is a most unusual one. It is just as unusual to assume that D'Antoni would have played Lin at SG over Shumpert, who played great during Linsanity and would have similarly thrived with Williams.
Easy there, unknown.
DeleteI LIKE Mike Woodson. I think he's done a coach, and the record looks good. He may have misgivings about Lin, but I've liked the way Woodson deployed Lin. I'd like to see that continue.
I also agree that in the NBA, Lin should be a pg. But that doesn't mean he's utterly incapable of playing SG or even SF against teams that go small.
I did not say that Lin and Williams would be better than Lin and Melo. Personally, I want Melo and Lin to costar together.
I could easily see DAntoni playing Lin over Shumpert if Williams had been acquired. Actually, I could easily see Dantoni starting Shumpert at SF alongside Lin and Williams. Dantoni likes to have ballhandling perimeter players who can space the court at PG, SG, and SF.
Unknown: I think it's safe to assume that if Lin had played out the season, he would have been the consensus MIP. I don't think it's a travesty that Anderson got the award, but I still would have given Lin the award because of the extreme jump from his 1st to 2nd season.
DeleteI disagree with "Playing any other position would diminish his capabilities, and that is true no matter the coach or system."
While Lin is still a work-in-progress as an NBA PG, he already has advanced NBA scoring and 'swing' skills. Lin has actually underutilized his off-the-ball game in the NBA because he's been pigeonholed as a PG. The halfcourt ballhandling and passing that still have room to improve at PG would be elite assets at SG. His passing is at least on par with the elite SGs who sometimes moonlight at PG. At 6'3 200, Lin has legit NBA combo guard size. Yes, he would have trouble guarding the bigger SGs, but they would have trouble guarding him, too.
I believe PG is Lin's career position as a starter, but he has plenty of game to bring to the SG position. I believe right now, at the beginning of his career as he learns to play PG at an elite level, Lin is actually a stronger SG than PG.
KHuang:
Delete"Actually, I could easily see Dantoni starting Shumpert at SF alongside Lin and Williams. Dantoni likes to have ballhandling perimeter players who can space the court at PG, SG, and SF."
Such a lineup would have had absolutely no chance in terms of defense or rebounding, and wouldn't have even been that good at scoring against better defensive teams. There are plenty of ballhandling, perimeter SGs and SFs who have NBA size, and that is who D'Antoni would have gone with for the long term.
Eric:
"At 6'3 200, Lin has legit NBA combo guard size."
Reserve combo guard, yes. Starting combo guard, no. Starting combo guards are generally 6'5" or 6'6" like Shumpert and Dwayne Wade.
"The halfcourt ballhandling and passing that still have room to improve at PG would be elite assets at SG."
Not really. Plenty of PGs and even many SFs are excellent ballhandlers and passers. It would not be nearly the advantage that you believe it to be.
"Yes, he would have trouble guarding the bigger SGs"
Of the 16 NBA playoff teams, only 3 have SGs that are shorter than 6'5", and those guys are listed at 6'4" and outweigh Lin by 10 or more lbs. So, when you say "he would have trouble guarding the bigger SGs", that means he would have trouble guarding pretty much every starting SG in the NBA.
"but they would have trouble guarding him, too."
That statement presumes that starting NBA SGs have had trouble guarding 6'3" guys who lack a consistent jumper in the past. Can you name a 6'3" inconsistent shooter who gave NBA defenses fits? I certainly can't.
As a PG, Jeremy Lin is an All-Star. As a SG, he is a backup. Maybe a very good backup, even a 6th man sort, but still a backup.
Lin scores more by going around defenders and creating space with angles than by elevating over them. He did pretty well driving around PGs. You don't think he would be able to drive around slower SGs? I suppose he'll break out his post-up game someday, which would be tougher against the bigger SGs, but he hasn't relied on it yet in the NBA. The current defensive rules make it easier for smaller guards to use their quickness without being bodied and pushed around like in the old days (the 90s).
DeleteIverson, of course, is the modern-era model for small SGs who are scorers rather than shooters. Billups has played SG. In the younger set, Barbosa, Lou Williams, Ben Gordon, and Monta Ellis come immediately to mind as SGs around Lin's height/weight (Lin is actually taller and/or heavier than each of them) who are noted scorers more than shooters. Delonte West has shuttled between bench and starter with that role. Gilbert Arenas before his injuries. Westbrook, Parker, and Rose are scoring PGs around Lin's size who are noted scorers more than shooters.
I agree that Lin at SG ideally would be paired with a bigger PG to crossmatch with the bigger SGs. For example, Lin would be the perfect complement for Kidd, a role last filled by West. But 6'3 guarding 6'6 isn't the same as 6'0 guarding 6'6. Lin is quick enough to stay in front of most SGs and he has quick hands. The issues are strength and veteran savvy. Lin is tall enough where strength can compensate for height on defense. For example, Kidd is also 6'3 and has mostly guarded SGs for years now. Lin will likely become stronger as he progresses into his mid-late 20s and he'll become a smarter defender. Will he ever lock down bigger guards like Kidd has done? I'm not saying that, but he can do enough on defense where his benefits at SG outweigh the costs.
Lin's ballhandling, often scrutinized at PG, would be above-average at SG. His passing would be elite among SGs. I don't understand why you think Lin's PG-specific skills, of which passing is one of the most important, are all-star level at PG but would be average at SG?
I agree that Lin's career position as a starter is PG, but that doesn't mean he wouldn't also be productive at SG. I also agree that Lin is naturally suited to be an NBA 3rd guard who plays both SG and PG.
Knicks just forced a Game 5.
ReplyDeleteDoes Jeremy come back now???
Hmmmm....
That's the Million dollar question. Baron Davis is hurt. Will Lin play in Game 5 ? Will he play behind Bibby and Douglas ? If so ..... Can he learn from his past mistakes vs. The Heat and produce ?
DeleteYep. Davis hurt with Shumpert already out. Game 5 is also 5.5 weeks (38 days) since Lin's surgery when his projected return has been 6 weeks.
DeleteThe pressure definitely will be ratcheted up for Lin to suit up for Game 5.
I would prefer Lin didn't. The Heat have 3 guys in Chalmers, Wade and James who can defend Lin. If Shumpert were healthy, that would have really helped, because that would have forced the Heat to alter their strategy, as Shumpert would have matched up against Wade and James can't exactly ignore Anthony.
DeleteBut with no Shumpert, the Heat are free to run varying defenders at Lin in order to put maximum pressure on him physically and mentally. I just don't know how that is a favorable situation for Lin to step into.
Not hatin' on Lin's ability, seriously. But playoff sports is about matchups, and the Knicks as currently constituted match up poorly against the Heat, who are the best perimeter defensive team in the NBA. But I guess with Davis and Shumpert gone now, maybe Lin will suit up after all.
He wouldn't be playing the D'Antoni style PG role. It would be more like the Philly rematch.
DeleteMelo (or Smith) could often bring the ball up. Even in the half-court, Jeremy could play off the ball and stick to his mid-range game. Also, he'd play only 20-25 minutes, tops.
Let's just put it this way. Would Lin be an upgrade over Bibby? The Knicks just won (albeit at home) with Bibby logging heavy minutes.
The Knicks are so thin at guard now, Bibby isn't even the right comparison anymore. Bibby's starting. The question is, is Lin an upgrade over Toney Douglas, who's played the same amount of minutes as Lin has this series?
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI had a dream...it went like this.
ReplyDeleteLin comes back game 5 and finishes with 20 and 8. Knicks win. Lin goes on to avg 18 and 8 for the remainder of the series and knocks out Heat.
Then I woke up.
To be fair...
DeleteI once had a dream that Lin would become the Knicks' backup PG this season. And after 3 or 4 years of hard work, he would get a chance to start for a crappy team like Toronto or Charlotte.
...and then Linsanity happened. If anyone can meet or exceed "dreams," it's Jeremy. Then again, I highly doubt even MJ himself could pull off a comeback.
Ah, so one unknown meets the other.
DeleteFunny...i cant remember any of my dreams.
DeleteSteve Nash's 1st season back with the Suns was 04-05. In 03-04, the Suns were 29-53. In 04-05, the Suns were 62-20 and reached the WC finals.
DeleteI hope he doesnt come back, but if he does just hit the game winner. Thats all I ask is two points. That would be stuff for the legends
Deletehttp://www.sbnation.com/nba/2012/5/6/3003732/jeremy-lin-injury-update-knicks-vs-heat
ReplyDeleteLooks like people are expecting Jeremy to come out and play on Wednesday.
I say bring Lin off the bench and let the fans of MSG cheer him to death.
ReplyDeleteThen play him and YANK HIM before his body fails him. Do that in spurts throughout the game. And if the Knicks win, continue the sporadic minutes thing until elimination occurs.
I'm not a mindreader; even so, when the camera panned to him after Davis was hurt, it looked like Lin was making a decision about playing in Game 5. His body language said he wants to play.
DeleteOn one hand, Lin is rusty, out of shape, and his knee may still be weak and unstable. Coming back against a Heat team that will be locked into ending the series on their home floor is a tough spot. On the other hand, Lin will probably be asked to do no more than eat minutes to rest Bibby, make the smart safe play, and not make mistakes, rather than carry the team. Then there's Lin's clutch ability and history of rising to the challenge - we can't count out Lin rising to this extraordinary challenge.
Given the setting, Lin's competitiveness, and normal style of play, I doubt he'll hold back when he checks in, knee or no knee. Woodson will have to be careful to protect Lin from himself.
Look for Jeremy Lin to play in Game 5 folks.. Unless you want Mike Bibby to follow up on an injury train as well..
ReplyDeletecurious about the logic?
Deletedoes it mean if JLIN plays, he will be the one to follow up the injury train then?
we certainly don't want to see that happen.
The logic is that Bibby is also an old fragile point guard who, like Davis, is in greater danger of injury if overextended.
DeleteThanks, but is Jeremy ready to play? Rush him back before his knee is 100% healed? I feel really hard to make decision to vote. Something is wrong with the Knicks Feng Shui? Just too many injuries not explained.
DeleteThis Feng-Shui stuff has been lingering in my mind for quite some time seeing the injury plaguing Knicks. I'm from Taiwan here and didn't not dare to bring this up for the Western educated... But I do believe it has something to do with the Feng-Shui.
DeleteI have been following this site since last year and of course Jeremy Lin. Need to say a big thanks to jlinfan#1 and all the posters here that make this blog just a pleasure to read and learn about NBA bball.
Just can't believe all the injuries only happen to the Knicks but not the Heat! Don't know if Jeremy will be pressed to play, even by himself. And it's playing at Heat's court, not MSG. feel worried.
ReplyDeleteThere ought to be a new poll about whether Lin should return for Game 5. I'd be curious to compare the results with the Game 4 poll.
ReplyDeletejust a conspiracy theory:
ReplyDelete- MIA lost to NYK so that the remaining three games still have to be played: no loss of tickets income.
- Jeremy plays in Game 5 and MIA gets very aggressive with him. being rusty, Jeremy didn't play well and re-injured himself, get the blame for losing the game.
just a conspiracy theory:
ReplyDelete- MIA lost to NYK so that the remaining games have to be played...no loss of ticket income.
- Jeremy plays in Game 5. MIA gets very aggressive with Jeremy and NYK lost. Being rusty, Jeremy doesn't play well, re-injures himself, gets the blame for losing the game.
Ain't no one going to blame Lin for anything. Those that do are simply idiots who will get piled on with criticism.
DeleteThe playoffs are the playoffs. On the other hand, players are players. NBA players get mentally tired, like any of us. Even the Miami Heat cannot expend 100% energy every game. They ought not to, as they are going to easily win this series.
Lin should play.