Im happy to see JLin like that. The way he talked, the expression on his face, the words that he chose -> he seems to be totally confident and happy. When he gave interviews last season I often felt as if he was nervous or uncomfortable. I guess thats what you call progress :) Cant wait to see them practice...
Kinda wish Jeremy would stop deflecting "the face of the organization" that much. They pay him $25mil. He's the point guard. He's well recognized. I think it's natural for him to be the face of the organization.
I understand he's being modest and doesn't want the craziness that comes with it, but at this stage for Rockets, there's no other people that can be the face of the organization.
I disagree. Until he earns the respect of other Rockets players by showing him what he can do, it's a smart move on his part to build a team atmosphere.
You see a successful young smart gifted man with a 25 million Dollar contract who seems to be the coolest guy in the world and your thinkin -> typical asian man? Good!
For a moment I thought you were creating a steretype just to blame the person who falls victim to it for it. Glad you didnt do that - otherwise it would mean that youre an evil maniac with a mental problem who would make a great nazi.
If you believe in stereotypes, if you use stereotypes to judge or even bash people - its your fault. Same with racism - being racist is the racist persons fault. Its not the fault of the person who is being hated by a racist. But you know that already - right?
Re-interpreted by press as hedging from expectations. *shrug*
"I learned a lot in New York. It happened so fast. I think I learned about basketball but I think I learned a lot about people and learned a lot about life – that was huge. On the outside looking in, it might have been all the glitz and the glamour but it was really tough for me to handle everything from all aspects so I definitely learned a lot."
"Definitely you want to lead by example and I think more so this year than last year or the year before, kind of coming in as a non-guarantee or partial guarantee guy. Now there’s more stability so I need to be more of a vocal leader and hopefully lead through work ethic and example."
* there are people who support you and are truly happy for your success (such as Landry, Jeffries)
* and there are people who are jealous of your success/spotlight, but pretend to be your friends, then, afterwards, turn around and stab you on your back (such as you-know-who)
As usual, some reporters tried to entrap Lin into giving them a sensational headline to use, but fortunately Lin didn't bite. He's learning fast. I think the American reporters were salivating for a headline something like, "Jeremy Lin already declares himself the face of the franchise."
@Hy -- My thoughts *exactly*! Us real Lin fans, older plus looking at things from further back, knew things before he did..... We love to live in Disney world, but realistically, the world in general is very cynical and people who don't believe that get into extra trouble, on top of what life already throws at you.
He's one of the highest paid players and he attracts the most publicity. JLin is the face of the franchise. It is smart of JLin to focus on team achievement. At the same time I am sure he does realise he will play a leadership role.
It's kinda hard not to see him as the face of the team since he is the only one that did a press conference. I'm pretty sure Jeremy didn't request to talk to the media himself.
Parson probably would be the ideal choice as a white pretty boy, but nobody outside of Houston knows who he is.
I was hoping that McHale would talk to the media as well to get more insights to how today's session went.
I agree that Jeremy's push for the team is great. The only way they can succeed is for all of them to play as a team.
I agree that Lin is a franchise player - and if they get a seasoned superstar at some point, there will be two superstars on the team; I also believe some of his young teammates will become superstars as well.
However, the media was looking to twist things and looking for a "sensational angle" (hence asking the same question 3 times). And, along with the headline, they would have emphasized words such as: "already" "delusional" "so much for being humble" "and he's a Christian?" "started only 25 games" "played only 35 games" "has yet to play a full season" "defensive liability" "can't dunk" "afraid of the Heat" "at best a backup" "was a scrub not long ago" "hasn't yet proven" "turnover machine" "85%" "wasn't consistent" "hasn't been scouted yet" "can't go left" "weak on jump shots" "overrated" "hyped" "injured damaged good" "overpaid" "marketing ploy" "not an elite PG" "not ranked in the top 30 in the league" "he'd be a backup in a contending team" "no longer in D'Antoni's system" "no superstars to pass to" "played well only against weak teams" "hasn't been double teamed" "hasn't been triple teamed" "hasn't been hard fouled yet" "opponents were soft on him" "he never played under pressure" "he has no upside" "he has already peaked" "can he play under a dimmer light?" "his stats will be artificially inflated because without superstars he'll be handed more than than 27 minutes per game" "he's not a 100% pass PG". I'll stop it there.
Well, Jeremy has outsmarted them because he is clearly learning the art of PR, a necessity.
Lin’s hesitancy to accept the role as the team’s leader may have a lot to do with the negativity he received in the New York Knicks’ locker room after “Linsanity” erupted. There was a lot of animosity towards him, and it followed through to the offseason in comments made by his former teammates J.R. Smith and Carmelo Anthony.
Lin took a lot away from that and is hoping to avoid the same type of circumstances with the Rockets, no matter how much excitement there is over his return.
I don't think he answered with modesty as a result of the media attacking him. I think JLin is just being his usual self: down to earth and humble.
I think he realises that he is the face of the franchise frm the perspective of the media and probably his employers.
I do agree that at the same time it is smart to deflect the role for now. He will get less criticism for being a cocky guy. But I don't think being media saavy was his main motivation.
I hope he plays like he has the burden of a franchise player. I believe he will because I believe he sees himself as a franchise player even if he modestly deflects that title. Hopefully he will eventually embrace that role once he feels worthy of that title. I think he is worthy of that title now.
Even without the title of a franchise player, he already plays like he has the burden of a franchise player. He sure did when he was on his old team. The annointed franchise players didn't, but JLin still did.
Accepting the title will show his willingness to demand respect and also some swag/confidence to casual fans and also teammates who don't know him well or follow him closely. That can definitely help him earn respect on the team. Of course actually playing like a top dog is most Improtant. Speaking like one is not necessary, but helps especially considering his history of being unjustifiably looked down on.
I don't know if the reporters asking the questions about being the franchise player was setting a pr trap, but surely no amount of deflection will change the minds of many members in the media that he is the franchise player of the Rox. He should also expect to get even more criticism for losses and bad individual and team performances. The criticisms will be particularly harsh because he is a franchise player and also because there will still be haters and doubters out there no matter how well he does.
I believe that JLin has already embraced his leadership role on the team. Once he embraces his identity as The franchise player, it will serve to motivate him even more to become a vocal leader and teammate protector. He may even be more aggressive in protecting himself and his teammates if he feels that he is the captain of the team and also the most valuable player.
His style of leadership will develop as will his skills. I believe he will be a top dog franchise player who has that modest confidence that is rarely found in the league full of overconfident phony modesty.
I like what he said "I’m a lot more comfortable just because I saw what worked last year, so I have a foundation. I know what works for me, now how can I make myself more dangerous.", especially "MORE DANGEROUS".
The fact that he will make his teammates better is the most lethal weapon Rockets can have.
Harrelson could have gotten a lot better if he had a chance to play in the D-League. It's done wonders for other developing young players. Unfortunately the Knicks don't believe in the D-League or player development. Jeremy Lin and Jerome Jordan were the first Knicks to be sent to their D-League affiliated Erie Bayhawks.
"Smith informed a room full of youth last weekend at the Monroe Sports Center that he was not only going to kick the Houston Rocket's ass this year, he was also going to kick Jeremy Lin's ass."
This is the opposite case of what Psalm was talking about :)
JLin underpromises and overdelivers but Smith overpromisses and underdelivers :) Its funny to see people make life miserable for themselves. Imagine a guy walking down the streets, hitting his own head with a hammer again and again.
Why doesnt he tatoo his forehead with "Im dumb" to complete is own humiliation? Hes a basketball player. If he wants to make a point all he needs to do is play well. He can really keep his dumb statements to himself.
Its true what people say - money cant buy you happiness, it cant buy you caracter and it doesnt make you smarter.
It's funny that any news related to NYK will somehow include key word "Jeremy Lin" in it (so that they can use JLin's name to get some more hits, I guess).
Not sure if you guys notice another funny thing: when googling JLin's news, a lot of pages will have ad for selling NYK jerseys.
the media is so shady sometimes. read the full quote, jr said nothing bad about jeremy lin.
“I was on the outside looking in waiting for my deal to get done during that whole thing and just see what pieces we would pick up instead of Jeremy Lin,” Smith said. “We got some good pieces. Jeremy is a good player, he was good to me and I have nothing bad to say about him. I wish him the best of luck, but we’re gonna kick their ass next year.”
JR Smith is much more honorable than Carmelo, because he might "front stab" you, instead of all acting (badly too) up front and then back stab you constantly.
True, JR's upfront [so upfront he has no prob getting his while a team mate lies collapsed on the court, lol.] Still, it's better to know what's coming at you.
He'll definitely be fouling JLin hard. But JLin will be prepared for him, what with his trash talking & tweetdissing in the past, this time notwithstanding [although tbh, isn't it just typical JR to shoot his mouth off? A bunch of reporters reported this & no raised eyebrows.]
@radd is correct. This is journalism/twitter at its worst trying to spread lies. I wish twitter would put "Like/Dislike" or "Liar" button to keep these wannabe journalists accountable.
If we read the full quote, JR clearly said Jeremy is a good player and was good to him and he had nothing bad to say about him. Then he closed by saying that we (the Knicks) will kick their (Houston's) ass next year. Not the best choice of words for sure to say Knicks will beat Houston but he clearly did not disrespect Jeremy Lin. It's actually the opposite.
What do you mean upfront? JR Smith is the two face. Seems cool with JLin on the court, ESPYs, behind the scenes totally backing his boy Carmelo and complaining about Lin whenever can.
Well, he went all out on tweeter going on about 'loyalty' & all that during the height of JLin-bashing. Quite pointedly.
Irked even Howard Beck [now covering the Nets] who's had enough:
Howard Beck @HowardBeckNYT Many references this summer to JR Smith "turning down more money" to re-sign w/Knicks. Never have seen a single other team linked to him. 2:19 PM - 17 Sep 12 ---
LOL at JLin's tweet: @BigJorts55 just getting settled in. your twitter background is making my head hurt.
[& What's Jort's twitter background?] :) ---
Ugh at that ESPY, JLin gives him a s/o, next thing you know stab you in the back.
Well, now we know why every team before the Knicks has gotten rid of JR Smith.
It's a shame because I actually like his game. While I don't regard him as anything more than a productive sub and spot starter, JR Smith probably had the best stint of his career playing next to GUESS WHO? Jeremy Lin!
I really liked Smith's game playing alongside Lin. In the yawning gaps created by Lin sucking defenders to him like a magnet, Smith hit his open shots and put the ball on the floor. On defense, Smith held his own despite being undersized and underathletic. Lin's steadying influence was the main reason why.
Sadly, JR Smith likely will not experience the same level of on court success this season. He really needs to play beside a dynamic dominating game changing point guard like Lin to play at his best like he did last year.
JR is definitely an immature player whose unguarded comments are being used by the media to pitch him against Jeremy Lin. Melo is another one that is only a bit better in PR with the media. I believe they like Jeremy to a level based on their on-court interactions and non-verbal gestures but there is also a certain level of jealousy that came out when asked by the media.
Grantland came out with a comprehensive story that chronicles the career of JR Smith, always known as a talented scorer with history of clashing with coaches.
It's sad to see how JR's potential may never be realized because of his immature characters. JR Smith is a poster boy of what happened when immature high-school players went straight to the NBA without the benefit of learning to be mature men.
This is the best line of the article: "Had J.R. Smith gone to North Carolina for two years, he might be a five-time All-Star right now."
And this is a good summary of what the Grantland article touched upon: http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2012/09/20/the-enigma-that-is-j-r-smith/
Interesting Grantland article. Kind of going off on a tangent, but one thing I noticed in the article is it includes several quotes from Rex Chapman. This is the same Rex Chapman who posted racist tweets about Jeremy Lin.
It's quite telling that Chapman was never taken to task for this. I even remember that shortly after his tweets, NBATV had him on as a halftime show guest analyst. The NBATV crew had no clue, or else they knew but didn't care, with nary a peep about Chapman's racist remarks. He was able to carry on scot-free as if all was normal. Just imagine if the shoe was on the other foot...
Oh yeah, Rex Chapman's tweet about recognizing Lin from China.
I actually laughed when I saw it. i thought it was kinda TRUE! I saw no racial malice toward Lin there.
Rex Chapman is Asian American and is a big Jeremy Lin fan. He invited Lin to train at the college where he coaches. Rex Chapman is a staunch supporter of Asian American basketball and is fiercely proud of his Asian heritage. He does more to support the Asian community than I do!
The one thing I didn't agree on about Grantland's article was that JR Smith could've been a 5 time All Star had he gone to UNC. I don't think JR Smith has the athleticism or court sense to be any more than what he is: a solid sub and occasional starter who works hard but has inconsistent production because he simply doesn't overwhelm people athletically at the NBA level.
There is no such thing as an NBA All Star who didn't physically dominate his competition night after night, and I don't want to hear about great athletes like Chris Mullin, Larry Bird, Steve Nash, Jameer Nelson, or Mark Jackson.
KHuang are you sure you're talking about Rex Chapman? It sounds like you are talking about Rex Walters, not Rex Chapman.
Here is Rex Chapman's exchange of tweets:
@rexchapman: I say JR is such a great pick-up 4 the #Lins only because he's been playing the past 6-mo's in China. So easy now 4 him to recognize his PG.
@Mars_Pow: c'mon Rex, you know you are going to upset some people with that tweet.
@rexchapman: I'll let u know when I begin 2 give a sh-t.
Thanks achondroplasiaphobia. BIG MISTAKE from me. I appreciate the callout.
I still see nothing racial about Chapman's tweet. I laughed at it, especially now since JR Smith played as well as he could have beside Lin as his Asian point guard!
Well I and many others see it quite differently. To me Chapman is not only racist, but defiantly racist, as indicated by his second tweet ("I'll let you know when I begin to give a sh-t").
King Rex is racist. He's a Kentucky wildcat. Trust me he Is racist, just as Ashley Judd is too. But hey he ain't the only one so who cares. Doesn't mean racist jokes can't be funny but I think king boy Rex was just being an insensitive aHole at best.
I gotta disagree with khuang on jr smith. The guy was crazy athletic. Check his HS clips, he was awesome. He use to attack the basket. I personally believe he is just an idiot mentally. Otherwise he had the talent of a Kobe but not the heart and mind of an elite player or the work ethic. Dood is a lazy player now, just does stepbacks and shoots jumpers all day.
Rex's tweet was an ignorant and failed attempt of a joke because there was the underlying assumption that all Chinese/Asian-American look alike so it must be easy for JR to find Lin on the court after spending 6 months in China.
To put things in perspective, imagine the situation is reversed that Rex Chapman made a joke that it's easy to spot African-American players in the ATP tennis tour because they are so rare in the tennis world. You can imagine the uproar from the media and African-American communities. He'd get fired for sure.
His second tweet simply showed he had no class because he could care less if it offends Asian-American communities.
The good thing is Linsanity has brought in the open all prejudice and stereotype in America and Asian-American communities had many chances to tell the Jason Whitmans that it's not okay to joke about "2-inches of pain", it's not okay to joke about Asian's slanted eyes, and it's not okay to stay ignorant and say all you Asians look alike.
Bill Plaschke's article back in Feb 2012 did a great job unmasking America of its casual prejudice and lazy stereotypes of Asian Americans. http://articles.latimes.com/2012/feb/20/sports/la-sp-plaschke-jeremy-lin-20120221
I only heard just now about WNYW TV anchor who upon hearing a reporter list Lin's physical attributes, asked, "What about his eyes?" And the worst thing is the entire desk laughed about it.
We not only need to reeducate America how not to joke on Asian American's stereotype but we also need to find effective ways to simply tell people, "Just stop. You're being racist".
One time a Caucasian woman came up to my wife and said, "You're a chink and I hate Chinkanos!" I'm proud to say that she shot back, "That's YOUR problem!" and walked away. Don't mess with Tiger Moms!
Just because a guy can dunk in high school doesn't mean that he can take a hit.
Or hustle the way a coach wants him to. Or hit a jumper under pressure. Or keep after a guy who runs around picks.
JR Smith is an NBA talent, but there are many guys in the NBA who are even more talented than he is, starting with Jeremy Lin.
Smith is not quick enough to outquick NBA guards and not big or springy enough to get over them. His reflexes aren't elite either. He's not like Jeremy Lamb with that huge wingspan and extremely quick reflexes.
I feel that JR Smith has gotten a bad rap because his coaches try to make him into an All Star when he's actually just a solid role player. The role he played with NY was JR Smith at his best - unspectacular, uncreative, solid.
Without the high school hype, JR Smith would be regarded by NBA personnel as exactly what he really is: a solid all around bench rotation 2 guard who can start against the weaker teams. Since I don't look at him with hype and only see the player, I'm seeing a moderately athletic role player who is limited in talent.
No matter what people say, JR Smith is NOT A STAR.
Or the numerous highlight reel dunks he had as a Knick last season.
His weaknesses are his shot selection, his lack of defense (though he showed more commitment to defense as a knick), he doesn't use his quickness to attack the basket off the dribble, he's been known to clash with coaches, and he's had off-court incidents.
What keeps him in the league is his shooting touch and his leaping ability. In addition, his quickness prevents him from being a total liability on defense like say a Steve Novak.
And Smith's wingspan (6'10) and standing reach (8'8) are similar to Jeremy Lamb's (6'11 wingspan, 8'6 standing reach).
He's also taller (6'5.5" without shoes) than Lamb (6'4" without shoes).
Smith isn't a star, but he's a good role player that can give you instant offense off the bench, provided the coach can keep him in line.
“I think it’s cool that we’re under the radar. That’s kind of been in some ways a story of my life, going under the radar. I think I’m comfortable there, and I think this team is comfortable where we are.”
Translation: I have been a leader of second rate players and teammates all my life, able to transform such teams into championship contenders because I've been discounted time and time again as the Asian looking leader of these teams. At Harvard, my IVY teammates were just too weak at bball so we couldn't compete on a national scale. In high school, where private schools are still limited in how much they can recruit, I was able to lead scrubs to gold. This year, we will make the playoffs and scare the crap out of the whomever our 1st round opponent is whether it's the Lakers or OKC. We'll probably lose but we will go down swinging. Then in yr 2 and yr 3 of my current contract, I will help transform this no-name Houston team into a real darkhorse championship contender and people will wonder what the heck happened and find other ways to discount my contributions to my team and the NBA.
Translation: By 2015 offseason, I would team up with Kevin Durant and help him average 37 ppg. We will lead our team to 74 wins and win the 2016 NBA Championship. Then, we'll probably win 5 more championships together in our careers.
If only Tim Duncan can be reborn and team up with KD and JLin. That would be the happiest day of my life. They would be the best BIG 3 in NBA HISTORY. Too bad it's not going to happen. That is my greatest fantasy.
Actually I was referring to Lin's HS team beating the likes of teams like Mater Dei, a powerful private school in Southern California that recruits locally within state to assemble local powerhouses in football and basketball that are nationally ranked at times - see e.g. Matt Barkeley, Matt Lienert, Reggie Geary, Schea Cotton, and Miles Simon to name a few. The fact that Lin still beat such teams in the state tourne with mediocre talent on his public school team says a lot.
Personally, I didn't think much when Lin's team beat overrated Mater Dei with its star, Taylor King (broke man's Luke Walton advertised as the white man's Lebron in high school, who flamed out at the college level - in reality King was a shorter version of Steve Novak who couldn't shoot nearly as well but heck he was considered a blue chip and I was dumnfounded how that came to be even back then).
I just thought Mater Dei's frontline was tall but slow, unathletic, and weak, so it was no shock for me that a semi quick Asian player like Lin could score on them. So I didn't think much of Lin at the time.
I too didn't think much of Lin's stats in college since I too wrote it off as skewed by Ivy League competition. Quick Asian guard killing slow unathletic players I assumed. Then I saw him play BC, Uconn, Gtown etc. He wasn't quite as quick as I thought, but heady, and more gutsy/physical than I assumed. I saw he was effective in Portsmouth and Summer League, though not spectacular but for the John Wall game. Then you see glimpses early on the GSW season where he played OK. Then he got benched. I assume he must have sucked in practice. At GSW he did things scrubs don't do like score easy on Tayshawn Prince where he wanted the iso, dominate Utah on the road, and then play effectively the last 10 games or so of that season off the bench. That's when I started realizing dood wasn't getting a fair chance.
I figured he'd never get a real shot, and would just be a guy who got things going for the next AA kid. Boy am I glad every single guard on the Knicks bench got hurt/sucked. If the Knicks were a more competent team like the Spurs and had their act together, Lin would never have gotten off that bench and he'd be out of the league today or back in GSW sitting meeking on the bench praying to beat out some scrub as the 15th man.
His dominating performances (30, 25 pts with 65% FG plus amazing block on Jerome Dyson) in college against well-known schools such as BC, UConn, GTown really put a spotlight on his strength to rise above the competition when the light is bright.
It's still amazing to look back and see how many obstacles he had to overcome to just get in the NBA and then actually had the greatest run of unbelievable performance when he was given a chance in to get some decent playing time in the NBA. And he was 3 days away from being out of the NBA!
Although I truly believe the 13 miracles that he shared in his testimony were truly aligned by the Man Upstairs God himself (i.e. he had no control over the back-to-back-to-back games in a compressed season, his height, etc.), none would have happened if he did not have the supreme self-confidence, put in the hard work himself to develop his skills, persevered to train the hardest even when he didn't get much playing time.
The sky is really the limit for him if God has a bigger plan for him in the NBA and he continues to put in the hard work. It's mind-boggling to see how haters keep casting doubts even after he showed over and over again that he performed even better when the light is bright. Can't wait for the pre-season games to start!
Lin sure looked like a NBA player to me when he was in college.
He was so much faster, stronger, and more explosive than anybody on the court on BOTH teams whenever he played. Watching him annihilate Kemba Walker and UConn's highly regarded backcourt was totally revealing.
Lin was a DOMINANT player in college who had the same on court impact for Harvard that Larry Bird had for his Indiana State Hoosiers that lost only to Magic Johnson's vastly superior Michigan State team.
Lin was a game changer in college. Now he's a game changer in the NBA.
Guess you were right. I assumed Lin just wasn't a top talent going ivy league. Now I know it's just racism and coaches afraid to waste a scholarship on a perceived risk like Lin.
Let's hope Jeremy Lin paces himself well this season.
A Kevin McHale team typically is very well paced - TOO well paced in the minds of many observers who think his players should be injuring themselves like in a Tom Thibodeau Chicago crash course or a George Karl kamikaze squad.
My suspicion is that it's gonna be Harvard all over again: Get guys involved (euphemism for COASTING) through the first two quarters, start to ratchet up the intensity in the 3rd, then CRANK IT in the 4th if the game even gets that far. That is how Lin has played at every level of basketball, including the Knicks.
The difference this year is that Lin likely will be gunning for his 20 ppg. He needs to score like that for the Rockets to win.
This is just the beginning. The Rockets will attract a lot of Chinese and Taiwanese corporate sponsors. I want Les Alexander to get richer by billions of dollars more for rescuing Jeremy Lin from Woodson. Phew! What a major sigh of relief that must have been for Lin (Woodson to Lin was increasingly becoming more like Keith Smart plus a drill sargent). Because of the Knicks' unprecedentedly-deceptive off-season strategy, things looked worrisome for Lin at times. Even more credit goes to Lin's super lawyer-agent, Jim Tanner, and his other agent, Roger Montgomery. Other athletes should be aware know how sharp - and pleasant to work with - those two agents are.
Rockets Sign Accord With East West Bank After Adding Jeremy Lin http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-09-20/rockets-sign-accord-with-east-west-bank-after-adding-jeremy-lin.html
Hakeem Olajuwon should come out of retirement and join forces with JLin. Tyson chandler, Robin Lopez, Hasheem Thabeet, and a bunch of power forwards playing center, piece o cake for the dream.
KHuang's boy Darko apparently is joining the Celtics. Very good situation for him IMO, especially if being put at center alongside frontcourt teammates of KG and PP.
Boston has had a big toughness hole at center since trading away Kendrick Perkins.
The trick will be getting Darko in shape. The Celtics will have to be patient with him because Darko was benched last season. Plus, Darko simply hasn't played enough and lacks NBA winning experience.
Though I view Darko as a skilled high post center, his role on the Celtics will like be a bruising defender and rebounder who is low usage on offense.
I keep hearing Rockets fans repeat the nonsense that Lin was signed mainly for his marketing appeal. Are people really this stupid? If that was the case, then why did the Rockets cut him last December?
These idiots in Houston are failing to ask themselves an obvious question: Why did Lin become marketable? BECAUSE HE PROVED HE CAN PLAY, YOU RACIST YOKELS.
Don't worry about them. Most of the US is a bunch of mindless drones that listen to everything the media tells them. The media's been bashing Jlin for a while now. Once they see how good he is, they'll be rooting for him soon.
Jeremy Lin is going to make the fans quickly forget Dragic and Lowry.
The Rockets are going to attack every game, even if they crash and burn due to frontcourt inexperience.
In the NBA regular season, a focused untalented team can squeak into the playoffs simply by having good chemistry and energy. As the leader of the Rockets, Lin will make sure his Rockets play their hardest night after night even if they can't really get it done on the court.
Daryl Morey @dmorey .@pdpatt has been gr8 organizing tm this offseason.Guys R ready for camp. @ChandlerParsons mad he lost pickup gm 2 @JLin7,@AsikOmer,etc 2day
Jlin and Asik should be 1st team. Chandler not on same team? guess it's just for fun.
Pacman have no business being in that studio, he can't even speak english properly and there is no way he could defend himself. it is so unfair. if i were Manny, i would knock the hell out of that racist douchebag.
SAS likely won't be able to keep his mouth shut about Lin this next season.
Cool. More free advertising from NY!
CAA is doing a phenomenal job advertising Lin for free. They have shown magnificent generosity in expanding Lin's exposure at the expense of their other clients.
Carmelo Anthony, Mike Woodson, JR Smith, and SAS are footing the bill for expanding Linconsciousness. It's the gift that keeps on giving!
I found it more annoying the next day when Sas did a manny voice impersonation. It wasn't racist just unnecessary mimicking his accent and the way he talks cause he is not an American.
Well Sas is doing his part to say mayweather is ducking now. Cant call him a racist or biased as to that. I prefer PACs personality to mayweather but right now, I have to say Floyd's defensive style would probably beat pacman. Pacman is capable of getting lucky and breaking Floyd's guard but I think Floyd has the advantage. Hell manny must beat Marquez and show he can break Marquez's guard if he even wants to consider floyd....
Sas's Lin comments on the other hand are just bs but that's what he gets paid to do.
Lin is already arguably a top 10 pg. Rose cp3 dwill Parker Nash Westbrook rondo clearly ahead. Then who? Actually I don't even think dwill is clearly better overall... U can legitimately argue that lin is better than Rubio Conley holiday curry (with ankle) Felton, Nelson, Jennings, Lillard ( he might be better than Lin w e will see), rivers, Harris, walker, stuckey, calderon, Lowry, dragic, hill, teague.
Comments on everything from Raymond Felton being better at some things to his mentality for the Toronto shot, and approach to games in general. Very insightful read.
It seems like the stats do show that his catch and shoot can improve.
Coach McHale has already given JLin some pointers on the causes of his turnovers and how to improve.
I like how he answered the comment about improving through reps. Reps through experience is one thing, being proactive in improving quickly by identifying problems and finding good solutions and practicing those solutions through reps is even better.
Good for him to say he's not afraid to say that he can learn from other PGs like Felton and Duhon. That's a sign of greatness to never stop learning.
And he praised Omer being "not bad offensively" LOL so it's promising that perhaps he developed some chemistry from the first pick-up game.
"Omer, people don’t give him enough credit for his offensive ability. He’s known for his defense but he’s not bad offensively. I think he’s surprised everybody. That’s the biggest thing so far. I haven’t been able to see the rookies play enough yet to draw any firm conclusions."
Awesome! Thanks for sharing the link!
ReplyDeleteIm happy to see JLin like that. The way he talked, the expression on his face, the words that he chose -> he seems to be totally confident and happy. When he gave interviews last season I often felt as if he was nervous or uncomfortable. I guess thats what you call progress :) Cant wait to see them practice...
Another version [cam angle more comfortable]
Deletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJJwGhJAscE
http://www.nba.com/rockets/news/ready-roll
ReplyDeletetranscript
Kinda wish Jeremy would stop deflecting "the face of the organization" that much. They pay him $25mil. He's the point guard. He's well recognized. I think it's natural for him to be the face of the organization.
ReplyDeleteI understand he's being modest and doesn't want the craziness that comes with it, but at this stage for Rockets, there's no other people that can be the face of the organization.
I disagree. Until he earns the respect of other Rockets players by showing him what he can do, it's a smart move on his part to build a team atmosphere.
DeleteI have to agree with @eb5attorney on this. Very savvy of Jeremy to use a lot of more "we" than "I" to build a team identity.
Delete"We might surprise a lot of people this year" or "We're under the radar" will motivate his young teammates to rally together.
Always good to underpromise and overdeliver.
He's just doing his part to perpetuate the Asian stereotype - shy, introverted, soft spoken.
DeleteHe says that now, 'leading by example and work ethic' and the team looking to McHale for leadership.
DeleteHe will take over once the season starts. He's a natural and vocal leader.
He wants to win too much to not be a leader.
@MrScrewup:
DeleteYou see a successful young smart gifted man with a 25 million Dollar contract who seems to be the coolest guy in the world and your thinkin -> typical asian man? Good!
For a moment I thought you were creating a steretype just to blame the person who falls victim to it for it. Glad you didnt do that - otherwise it would mean that youre an evil maniac with a mental problem who would make a great nazi.
If you believe in stereotypes, if you use stereotypes to judge or even bash people - its your fault. Same with racism - being racist is the racist persons fault. Its not the fault of the person who is being hated by a racist. But you know that already - right?
@ JW
DeleteYup, being modest. [deflected 3x]
Re-interpreted by press as hedging from expectations. *shrug*
"I learned a lot in New York. It happened so fast. I think I learned about basketball but I think I learned a lot about people and learned a lot about life – that was huge. On the outside looking in, it might have been all the glitz and the glamour but it was really tough for me to handle everything from all aspects so I definitely learned a lot."
"Definitely you want to lead by example and I think more so this year than last year or the year before, kind of coming in as a non-guarantee or partial guarantee guy. Now there’s more stability so I need to be more of a vocal leader and hopefully lead through work ethic and example."
"I learned a lot about people"
DeleteI guess he learned that:
* there are people who support you and are truly happy for your success (such as Landry, Jeffries)
* and there are people who are jealous of your success/spotlight, but pretend to be your friends, then, afterwards, turn around and stab you on your back (such as you-know-who)
As usual, some reporters tried to entrap Lin into giving them a sensational headline to use, but fortunately Lin didn't bite. He's learning fast. I think the American reporters were salivating for a headline something like, "Jeremy Lin already declares himself the face of the franchise."
Delete@Hy -- My thoughts *exactly*! Us real Lin fans, older plus looking at things from further back, knew things before he did..... We love to live in Disney world, but realistically, the world in general is very cynical and people who don't believe that get into extra trouble, on top of what life already throws at you.
He's one of the highest paid players and he attracts the most publicity. JLin is the face of the franchise. It is smart of JLin to focus on team achievement. At the same time I am sure he does realise he will play a leadership role.
DeleteIt's kinda hard not to see him as the face of the team since he is the only one that did a press conference. I'm pretty sure Jeremy didn't request to talk to the media himself.
DeleteParson probably would be the ideal choice as a white pretty boy, but nobody outside of Houston knows who he is.
I was hoping that McHale would talk to the media as well to get more insights to how today's session went.
I agree that Jeremy's push for the team is great. The only way they can succeed is for all of them to play as a team.
I agree that Lin is a franchise player - and if they get a seasoned superstar at some point, there will be two superstars on the team; I also believe some of his young teammates will become superstars as well.
DeleteHowever, the media was looking to twist things and looking for a "sensational angle" (hence asking the same question 3 times). And, along with the headline, they would have emphasized words such as: "already" "delusional" "so much for being humble" "and he's a Christian?" "started only 25 games" "played only 35 games" "has yet to play a full season" "defensive liability" "can't dunk" "afraid of the Heat" "at best a backup" "was a scrub not long ago" "hasn't yet proven" "turnover machine" "85%" "wasn't consistent" "hasn't been scouted yet" "can't go left" "weak on jump shots" "overrated" "hyped" "injured damaged good" "overpaid" "marketing ploy" "not an elite PG" "not ranked in the top 30 in the league" "he'd be a backup in a contending team" "no longer in D'Antoni's system" "no superstars to pass to" "played well only against weak teams" "hasn't been double teamed" "hasn't been triple teamed" "hasn't been hard fouled yet" "opponents were soft on him" "he never played under pressure" "he has no upside" "he has already peaked" "can he play under a dimmer light?" "his stats will be artificially inflated because without superstars he'll be handed more than than 27 minutes per game" "he's not a 100% pass PG". I'll stop it there.
Well, Jeremy has outsmarted them because he is clearly learning the art of PR, a necessity.
Excerpt http://www.hoopsworld.com/nba-pm-lin-sees-how-different-houston-is/
DeleteLin’s hesitancy to accept the role as the team’s leader may have a lot to do with the negativity he received in the New York Knicks’ locker room after “Linsanity” erupted. There was a lot of animosity towards him, and it followed through to the offseason in comments made by his former teammates J.R. Smith and Carmelo Anthony.
Lin took a lot away from that and is hoping to avoid the same type of circumstances with the Rockets, no matter how much excitement there is over his return.
Gee, I hope that's not what he learned in NY...
DeleteI don't think he answered with modesty as a result of the media attacking him. I think JLin is just being his usual self: down to earth and humble.
DeleteI think he realises that he is the face of the franchise frm the perspective of the media and probably his employers.
I do agree that at the same time it is smart to deflect the role for now. He will get less criticism for being a cocky guy. But I don't think being media saavy was his main motivation.
I hope he plays like he has the burden of a franchise player. I believe he will because I believe he sees himself as a franchise player even if he modestly deflects that title. Hopefully he will eventually embrace that role once he feels worthy of that title. I think he is worthy of that title now.
Even without the title of a franchise player, he already plays like he has the burden of a franchise player. He sure did when he was on his old team. The annointed franchise players didn't, but JLin still did.
Accepting the title will show his willingness to demand respect and also some swag/confidence to casual fans and also teammates who don't know him well or follow him closely. That can definitely help him earn respect on the team. Of course actually playing like a top dog is most Improtant. Speaking like one is not necessary, but helps especially considering his history of being unjustifiably looked down on.
I don't know if the reporters asking the questions about being the franchise player was setting a pr trap, but surely no amount of deflection will change the minds of many members in the media that he is the franchise player of the Rox. He should also expect to get even more criticism for losses and bad individual and team performances. The criticisms will be particularly harsh because he is a franchise player and also because there will still be haters and doubters out there no matter how well he does.
I believe that JLin has already embraced his leadership role on the team. Once he embraces his identity as The franchise player, it will serve to motivate him even more to become a vocal leader and teammate protector. He may even be more aggressive in protecting himself and his teammates if he feels that he is the captain of the team and also the most valuable player.
His style of leadership will develop as will his skills. I believe he will be a top dog franchise player who has that modest confidence that is rarely found in the league full of overconfident phony modesty.
I like what he said "I’m a lot more comfortable just because I saw what worked last year, so I have a foundation. I know what works for me, now how can I make myself more dangerous.", especially "MORE DANGEROUS".
DeleteThe fact that he will make his teammates better is the most lethal weapon Rockets can have.
Lin's just being Lin.
DeleteThere's no artifice, no excess, no downplaying.
Let the season begin.
Miami Heat signed Josh Harrellson yesterday. I'm glad for him.
ReplyDeleteYeah, finally. I'm so glad Miami picked Harrellson up. He can only do better with more experience.
DeleteYeah, the Rockets should not have cut Harrelson. IMO he has more potential than Marcus Morris. Big men who can rebound and shoot the 3 are not many.
Deleteironically, there is a good chance he will be the first among 2011-2012 NYK roster (except Tyson) to get a ring.
DeleteHarrelson could have gotten a lot better if he had a chance to play in the D-League. It's done wonders for other developing young players. Unfortunately the Knicks don't believe in the D-League or player development. Jeremy Lin and Jerome Jordan were the first Knicks to be sent to their D-League affiliated Erie Bayhawks.
DeleteJLin tweets [an innocent tweet]
ReplyDelete1) people in texas are SO nice. 2) i got a bed. 3) @ChandlerParsons couch was nice. 4) his pantry was even better.
& haters come out...
LOL
DeleteLet the haters hate...
GO LIN!
Go ROCKETS
http://www.nba.com/rockets/splash-insider-presale-2012-13-season-0
ReplyDelete- presale tickets
- chance to meet-&-greet w JLin
http://www.hoopsvibe.com/nba-news-and-rumors/articles/169999-jr-smith-keeps-it-gutter-classy
ReplyDelete"Smith informed a room full of youth last weekend at the Monroe Sports Center that he was not only going to kick the Houston Rocket's ass this year, he was also going to kick Jeremy Lin's ass."
We don't need to go to his level.
DeleteBy the way, he's just a bench player.
LOL! at Smith
I never knew he has a good sense of humor.
*sigh*
Delete:) Skip the posts you don't like, Neph.
@via wong
DeleteI was only laughing at Smith.
This is the opposite case of what Psalm was talking about :)
DeleteJLin underpromises and overdelivers but Smith overpromisses and underdelivers :) Its funny to see people make life miserable for themselves. Imagine a guy walking down the streets, hitting his own head with a hammer again and again.
Why doesnt he tatoo his forehead with "Im dumb" to complete is own humiliation? Hes a basketball player. If he wants to make a point all he needs to do is play well. He can really keep his dumb statements to himself.
Its true what people say - money cant buy you happiness, it cant buy you caracter and it doesnt make you smarter.
Smith should never go to china again...
We don't need to go to his level?
Delete- It's not like you can pre-empt other people's opinions, Neph [or did you think you could?]
LOL at Smith, I never knew he has a good sense of humor?
- Smells like damage control.
It's just news. Indeed it could be a joke.
Anything Nyk you clamp down fast, except to extol them for whatever virtues they supposedly possess. [I have no prob with their positives.]
:) C'mon, Neph...
@ wil
DeleteHe says it to kids.
Can't buy Class.
@via wong
Deleteyou got me all wrong. I was actually laughing at Smith. I actually encourage Smith to try. It is not like he's going to be successful in doing that.
@ Neph
DeleteOookay.
I skipped ALL links related to NYK.
DeleteIt's funny that any news related to NYK will somehow include key word "Jeremy Lin" in it (so that they can use JLin's name to get some more hits, I guess).
Not sure if you guys notice another funny thing: when googling JLin's news, a lot of pages will have ad for selling NYK jerseys.
J.R. Smith will attack Lin, the Rockets, and any person wearing red clothing. He is after all a former hardcore Crips gang member ...
Deletethe media is so shady sometimes. read the full quote, jr said nothing bad about jeremy lin.
Delete“I was on the outside looking in waiting for my deal to get done during that whole thing and just see what pieces we would pick up instead of Jeremy Lin,” Smith said. “We got some good pieces. Jeremy is a good player, he was good to me and I have nothing bad to say about him. I wish him the best of luck, but we’re gonna kick their ass next year.”
@radd
DeleteThe media twisted the words again. These sources have to be fired.
JR Smith is much more honorable than Carmelo, because he might "front stab" you, instead of all acting (badly too) up front and then back stab you constantly.
Delete@ ztrta
DeleteTrue, JR's upfront [so upfront he has no prob getting his while a team mate lies collapsed on the court, lol.] Still, it's better to know what's coming at you.
He'll definitely be fouling JLin hard. But JLin will be prepared for him, what with his trash talking & tweetdissing in the past, this time notwithstanding [although tbh, isn't it just typical JR to shoot his mouth off? A bunch of reporters reported this & no raised eyebrows.]
This comment has been removed by the author.
Delete@radd is correct. This is journalism/twitter at its worst trying to spread lies. I wish twitter would put "Like/Dislike" or "Liar" button to keep these wannabe journalists accountable.
DeleteIf we read the full quote, JR clearly said Jeremy is a good player and was good to him and he had nothing bad to say about him. Then he closed by saying that we (the Knicks) will kick their (Houston's) ass next year. Not the best choice of words for sure to say Knicks will beat Houston but he clearly did not disrespect Jeremy Lin. It's actually the opposite.
http://www.zagsblog.com/2012/09/15/j-r-smith-on-money-lin-and-the-new-season/
What do you mean upfront? JR Smith is the two face. Seems cool with JLin on the court, ESPYs, behind the scenes totally backing his boy Carmelo and complaining about Lin whenever can.
Delete@ Linsanity 2.0 starts on Halloween
DeleteWell, he went all out on tweeter going on about 'loyalty' & all that during the height of JLin-bashing. Quite pointedly.
Irked even Howard Beck [now covering the Nets] who's had enough:
Howard Beck @HowardBeckNYT
Many references this summer to JR Smith "turning down more money" to re-sign w/Knicks. Never have seen a single other team linked to him.
2:19 PM - 17 Sep 12
---
LOL at JLin's tweet:
@BigJorts55 just getting settled in. your twitter background is making my head hurt.
[& What's Jort's twitter background?] :)
---
Ugh at that ESPY, JLin gives him a s/o, next thing you know stab you in the back.
LOL that last post was incomplete.
DeleteJLin: @BigJorts55 just getting settled in. your twitter background is making my head hurt.
Jort's twitter background:
http://twitter.com/BigJorts55
Well, now we know why every team before the Knicks has gotten rid of JR Smith.
DeleteIt's a shame because I actually like his game. While I don't regard him as anything more than a productive sub and spot starter, JR Smith probably had the best stint of his career playing next to GUESS WHO? Jeremy Lin!
I really liked Smith's game playing alongside Lin. In the yawning gaps created by Lin sucking defenders to him like a magnet, Smith hit his open shots and put the ball on the floor. On defense, Smith held his own despite being undersized and underathletic. Lin's steadying influence was the main reason why.
Sadly, JR Smith likely will not experience the same level of on court success this season. He really needs to play beside a dynamic dominating game changing point guard like Lin to play at his best like he did last year.
JR is definitely an immature player whose unguarded comments are being used by the media to pitch him against Jeremy Lin. Melo is another one that is only a bit better in PR with the media. I believe they like Jeremy to a level based on their on-court interactions and non-verbal gestures but there is also a certain level of jealousy that came out when asked by the media.
DeleteGrantland came out with a comprehensive story that chronicles the career of JR Smith, always known as a talented scorer with history of clashing with coaches.
It's sad to see how JR's potential may never be realized because of his immature characters. JR Smith is a poster boy of what happened when immature high-school players went straight to the NBA without the benefit of learning to be mature men.
This is the best line of the article:
"Had J.R. Smith gone to North Carolina for two years, he might be a five-time All-Star right now."
And this is a good summary of what the Grantland article touched upon:
http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2012/09/20/the-enigma-that-is-j-r-smith/
Interesting Grantland article. Kind of going off on a tangent, but one thing I noticed in the article is it includes several quotes from Rex Chapman. This is the same Rex Chapman who posted racist tweets about Jeremy Lin.
DeleteIt's quite telling that Chapman was never taken to task for this. I even remember that shortly after his tweets, NBATV had him on as a halftime show guest analyst. The NBATV crew had no clue, or else they knew but didn't care, with nary a peep about Chapman's racist remarks. He was able to carry on scot-free as if all was normal. Just imagine if the shoe was on the other foot...
Oh yeah, Rex Chapman's tweet about recognizing Lin from China.
DeleteI actually laughed when I saw it. i thought it was kinda TRUE! I saw no racial malice toward Lin there.
Rex Chapman is Asian American and is a big Jeremy Lin fan. He invited Lin to train at the college where he coaches. Rex Chapman is a staunch supporter of Asian American basketball and is fiercely proud of his Asian heritage. He does more to support the Asian community than I do!
The one thing I didn't agree on about Grantland's article was that JR Smith could've been a 5 time All Star had he gone to UNC. I don't think JR Smith has the athleticism or court sense to be any more than what he is: a solid sub and occasional starter who works hard but has inconsistent production because he simply doesn't overwhelm people athletically at the NBA level.
There is no such thing as an NBA All Star who didn't physically dominate his competition night after night, and I don't want to hear about great athletes like Chris Mullin, Larry Bird, Steve Nash, Jameer Nelson, or Mark Jackson.
KHuang are you sure you're talking about Rex Chapman? It sounds like you are talking about Rex Walters, not Rex Chapman.
DeleteHere is Rex Chapman's exchange of tweets:
@rexchapman:
I say JR is such a great pick-up 4 the #Lins only because he's been playing the past 6-mo's in China. So easy now 4 him to recognize his PG.
@Mars_Pow:
c'mon Rex, you know you are going to upset some people with that tweet.
@rexchapman:
I'll let u know when I begin 2 give a sh-t.
Oh darn, you are RIGHT.
DeleteThanks achondroplasiaphobia. BIG MISTAKE from me. I appreciate the callout.
I still see nothing racial about Chapman's tweet. I laughed at it, especially now since JR Smith played as well as he could have beside Lin as his Asian point guard!
Well I and many others see it quite differently. To me Chapman is not only racist, but defiantly racist, as indicated by his second tweet ("I'll let you know when I begin to give a sh-t").
DeleteThat guy's a total asshole.
Fair enough.
DeleteI didn't mind Chapman's second tweet either. I laughed at that one too.
Good posts, achondroplasiaphobia. You've set me straight on confusing the Rexes, so I'll try to see your point about Chapman's racism as well.
King Rex is racist. He's a Kentucky wildcat. Trust me he Is racist, just as Ashley Judd is too. But hey he ain't the only one so who cares. Doesn't mean racist jokes can't be funny but I think king boy Rex was just being an insensitive aHole at best.
DeleteI gotta disagree with khuang on jr smith. The guy was crazy athletic. Check his HS clips, he was awesome. He use to attack the basket. I personally believe he is just an idiot mentally. Otherwise he had the talent of a Kobe but not the heart and mind of an elite player or the work ethic. Dood is a lazy player now, just does stepbacks and shoots jumpers all day.
Rex's tweet was an ignorant and failed attempt of a joke because there was the underlying assumption that all Chinese/Asian-American look alike so it must be easy for JR to find Lin on the court after spending 6 months in China.
DeleteTo put things in perspective, imagine the situation is reversed that Rex Chapman made a joke that it's easy to spot African-American players in the ATP tennis tour because they are so rare in the tennis world. You can imagine the uproar from the media and African-American communities. He'd get fired for sure.
His second tweet simply showed he had no class because he could care less if it offends Asian-American communities.
The good thing is Linsanity has brought in the open all prejudice and stereotype in America and Asian-American communities had many chances to tell the Jason Whitmans that it's not okay to joke about "2-inches of pain", it's not okay to joke about Asian's slanted eyes, and it's not okay to stay ignorant and say all you Asians look alike.
Bill Plaschke's article back in Feb 2012 did a great job unmasking America of its casual prejudice and lazy stereotypes of Asian Americans.
http://articles.latimes.com/2012/feb/20/sports/la-sp-plaschke-jeremy-lin-20120221
I only heard just now about WNYW TV anchor who upon hearing a reporter list Lin's physical attributes, asked, "What about his eyes?" And the worst thing is the entire desk laughed about it.
We not only need to reeducate America how not to joke on Asian American's stereotype but we also need to find effective ways to simply tell people, "Just stop. You're being racist".
One time a Caucasian woman came up to my wife and said, "You're a chink and I hate Chinkanos!" I'm proud to say that she shot back, "That's YOUR problem!" and walked away. Don't mess with Tiger Moms!
Just because a guy can dunk in high school doesn't mean that he can take a hit.
DeleteOr hustle the way a coach wants him to. Or hit a jumper under pressure. Or keep after a guy who runs around picks.
JR Smith is an NBA talent, but there are many guys in the NBA who are even more talented than he is, starting with Jeremy Lin.
Smith is not quick enough to outquick NBA guards and not big or springy enough to get over them. His reflexes aren't elite either. He's not like Jeremy Lamb with that huge wingspan and extremely quick reflexes.
I feel that JR Smith has gotten a bad rap because his coaches try to make him into an All Star when he's actually just a solid role player. The role he played with NY was JR Smith at his best - unspectacular, uncreative, solid.
Without the high school hype, JR Smith would be regarded by NBA personnel as exactly what he really is: a solid all around bench rotation 2 guard who can start against the weaker teams. Since I don't look at him with hype and only see the player, I'm seeing a moderately athletic role player who is limited in talent.
No matter what people say, JR Smith is NOT A STAR.
Definitely a racist comment. It may be humorous, but that does not rid it of the fact that it is racist.
DeleteJ.R. Smith has plenty of springs.
DeleteI recall the dunk contest in his rookie year. Or if you prefer in-game, his monster dunk over the Spurs, among many others.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdmsNA6yhXY
Or the numerous highlight reel dunks he had as a Knick last season.
His weaknesses are his shot selection, his lack of defense (though he showed more commitment to defense as a knick), he doesn't use his quickness to attack the basket off the dribble, he's been known to clash with coaches, and he's had off-court incidents.
What keeps him in the league is his shooting touch and his leaping ability. In addition, his quickness prevents him from being a total liability on defense like say a Steve Novak.
And Smith's wingspan (6'10) and standing reach (8'8) are similar to Jeremy Lamb's (6'11 wingspan, 8'6 standing reach).
He's also taller (6'5.5" without shoes) than Lamb (6'4" without shoes).
Smith isn't a star, but he's a good role player that can give you instant offense off the bench, provided the coach can keep him in line.
He picked up his dribble outside the three point line and still finished at the rim. What an athlete.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
Delete“I think it’s cool that we’re under the radar. That’s kind of been in some ways a story of my life, going under the radar. I think I’m comfortable there, and I think this team is comfortable where we are.”
ReplyDeleteTranslation: I have been a leader of second rate players and teammates all my life, able to transform such teams into championship contenders because I've been discounted time and time again as the Asian looking leader of these teams. At Harvard, my IVY teammates were just too weak at bball so we couldn't compete on a national scale. In high school, where private schools are still limited in how much they can recruit, I was able to lead scrubs to gold. This year, we will make the playoffs and scare the crap out of the whomever our 1st round opponent is whether it's the Lakers or OKC. We'll probably lose but we will go down swinging. Then in yr 2 and yr 3 of my current contract, I will help transform this no-name Houston team into a real darkhorse championship contender and people will wonder what the heck happened and find other ways to discount my contributions to my team and the NBA.
Nice translation!
DeleteTranslation: By 2015 offseason, I would team up with Kevin Durant and help him average 37 ppg. We will lead our team to 74 wins and win the 2016 NBA Championship. Then, we'll probably win 5 more championships together in our careers.
DeleteIf only Tim Duncan can be reborn and team up with KD and JLin. That would be the happiest day of my life. They would be the best BIG 3 in NBA HISTORY. Too bad it's not going to happen. That is my greatest fantasy.
DeleteMy dream team would be Yao Ming, Tim Duncan, Grant Hill, Ray Allen, Jeremy Lin.
DeleteHeh.
DeleteAs much as I like Jeremy Lin, he's not on MY dream team.
I'm gonna enjoy seeing what Lin does with this almost completely unproven Rockets roster.
One quick correction, but I totally agree with your post. Paly is a D1 public school, but it is known for being academically rigorous.
DeleteActually I was referring to Lin's HS team beating the likes of teams like Mater Dei, a powerful private school in Southern California that recruits locally within state to assemble local powerhouses in football and basketball that are nationally ranked at times - see e.g. Matt Barkeley, Matt Lienert, Reggie Geary, Schea Cotton, and Miles Simon to name a few. The fact that Lin still beat such teams in the state tourne with mediocre talent on his public school team says a lot.
DeletePersonally, I didn't think much when Lin's team beat overrated Mater Dei with its star, Taylor King (broke man's Luke Walton advertised as the white man's Lebron in high school, who flamed out at the college level - in reality King was a shorter version of Steve Novak who couldn't shoot nearly as well but heck he was considered a blue chip and I was dumnfounded how that came to be even back then).
I just thought Mater Dei's frontline was tall but slow, unathletic, and weak, so it was no shock for me that a semi quick Asian player like Lin could score on them. So I didn't think much of Lin at the time.
I too didn't think much of Lin's stats in college since I too wrote it off as skewed by Ivy League competition. Quick Asian guard killing slow unathletic players I assumed. Then I saw him play BC, Uconn, Gtown etc. He wasn't quite as quick as I thought, but heady, and more gutsy/physical than I assumed. I saw he was effective in Portsmouth and Summer League, though not spectacular but for the John Wall game. Then you see glimpses early on the GSW season where he played OK. Then he got benched. I assume he must have sucked in practice. At GSW he did things scrubs don't do like score easy on Tayshawn Prince where he wanted the iso, dominate Utah on the road, and then play effectively the last 10 games or so of that season off the bench. That's when I started realizing dood wasn't getting a fair chance.
I figured he'd never get a real shot, and would just be a guy who got things going for the next AA kid. Boy am I glad every single guard on the Knicks bench got hurt/sucked. If the Knicks were a more competent team like the Spurs and had their act together, Lin would never have gotten off that bench and he'd be out of the league today or back in GSW sitting meeking on the bench praying to beat out some scrub as the 15th man.
Some things are just meant to be...
can you please speak at my eulogy?
DeleteExcellent take on Jeremy Lin's rise, @swingline.
DeleteHis dominating performances (30, 25 pts with 65% FG plus amazing block on Jerome Dyson) in college against well-known schools such as BC, UConn, GTown really put a spotlight on his strength to rise above the competition when the light is bright.
It's still amazing to look back and see how many obstacles he had to overcome to just get in the NBA and then actually had the greatest run of unbelievable performance when he was given a chance in to get some decent playing time in the NBA. And he was 3 days away from being out of the NBA!
Although I truly believe the 13 miracles that he shared in his testimony were truly aligned by the Man Upstairs God himself (i.e. he had no control over the back-to-back-to-back games in a compressed season, his height, etc.), none would have happened if he did not have the supreme self-confidence, put in the hard work himself to develop his skills, persevered to train the hardest even when he didn't get much playing time.
The sky is really the limit for him if God has a bigger plan for him in the NBA and he continues to put in the hard work. It's mind-boggling to see how haters keep casting doubts even after he showed over and over again that he performed even better when the light is bright. Can't wait for the pre-season games to start!
Lin sure looked like a NBA player to me when he was in college.
DeleteHe was so much faster, stronger, and more explosive than anybody on the court on BOTH teams whenever he played. Watching him annihilate Kemba Walker and UConn's highly regarded backcourt was totally revealing.
Lin was a DOMINANT player in college who had the same on court impact for Harvard that Larry Bird had for his Indiana State Hoosiers that lost only to Magic Johnson's vastly superior Michigan State team.
Lin was a game changer in college. Now he's a game changer in the NBA.
Guess you were right. I assumed Lin just wasn't a top talent going ivy league. Now I know it's just racism and coaches afraid to waste a scholarship on a perceived risk like Lin.
DeleteJeremy Lin in the Houston Rockets, said everything was fine, good adaptation, not to go to Chinatown, today can go, the way to relax (CAM).
ReplyDeletehow can this kid be so sensible with all the things he say? well,he's way too grounded , that's why... All the best in Houston , JLin!!!
ReplyDeleteLet's hope Jeremy Lin paces himself well this season.
ReplyDeleteA Kevin McHale team typically is very well paced - TOO well paced in the minds of many observers who think his players should be injuring themselves like in a Tom Thibodeau Chicago crash course or a George Karl kamikaze squad.
My suspicion is that it's gonna be Harvard all over again: Get guys involved (euphemism for COASTING) through the first two quarters, start to ratchet up the intensity in the 3rd, then CRANK IT in the 4th if the game even gets that far. That is how Lin has played at every level of basketball, including the Knicks.
The difference this year is that Lin likely will be gunning for his 20 ppg. He needs to score like that for the Rockets to win.
[Jokey tweet, but not far off]
ReplyDeleteScott Soshnick @soshnick
Rockets sign deal with East West Bank, which serves U.S. and China. Thank you, Jeremy Lin. 4:02 PM - 19 Sep 12
http://sanmarinotribune.com/2012/09/19/houston-rockets-announce-partnership-east-west-bank/
This is just the beginning. The Rockets will attract a lot of Chinese and Taiwanese corporate sponsors. I want Les Alexander to get richer by billions of dollars more for rescuing Jeremy Lin from Woodson. Phew! What a major sigh of relief that must have been for Lin (Woodson to Lin was increasingly becoming more like Keith Smart plus a drill sargent). Because of the Knicks' unprecedentedly-deceptive off-season strategy, things looked worrisome for Lin at times. Even more credit goes to Lin's super lawyer-agent, Jim Tanner, and his other agent, Roger Montgomery. Other athletes should be aware know how sharp - and pleasant to work with - those two agents are.
Delete[Bloomberg adds it up]
DeleteRockets Sign Accord With East West Bank After Adding Jeremy Lin
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-09-20/rockets-sign-accord-with-east-west-bank-after-adding-jeremy-lin.html
Anybody know how I can contact the owner of this site personally?
ReplyDeleteby tweeter?
DeleteI dont have twitter or facebook. ha ha Also, I do not intend of setting up one soon.
DeleteLeave a post citing his username then ask him whatever you want.
Deletewith most of the players in the roster being so young, wouldn't it be great if Kenny Atkinson can come to Rockets?
ReplyDeleteIchiro going nuts 6 hits one day!
ReplyDelete*7 curtain call
Deleteand so , the Legend continues... :)
ReplyDeleteHakeem Olajuwon should come out of retirement and join forces with JLin. Tyson chandler, Robin Lopez, Hasheem Thabeet, and a bunch of power forwards playing center, piece o cake for the dream.
ReplyDelete[Hoopsworld]
ReplyDelete2012-2013 Houston Rockets Season Preview
http://www.hoopsworld.com/2012-2013-houston-rockets-season-preview/
Q&A With Terrence Jones
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nba.com/rockets/news/qa-terrence-jones
Harvard Student-Athletes in High School: All-Time Greats
ReplyDeletehttp://www.thecrimson.com/blog/the-back-page/article/2012/9/20/harvard-athletes-high-school-former/
Kevin McHale blames the lockout for not getting along with certain players
ReplyDeletehttp://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/kevin-mchale-blames-lockout-not-getting-along-certain-221318402--nba.html
KHuang's boy Darko apparently is joining the Celtics. Very good situation for him IMO, especially if being put at center alongside frontcourt teammates of KG and PP.
ReplyDeleteBoston has had a big toughness hole at center since trading away Kendrick Perkins.
DeleteThe trick will be getting Darko in shape. The Celtics will have to be patient with him because Darko was benched last season. Plus, Darko simply hasn't played enough and lacks NBA winning experience.
Though I view Darko as a skilled high post center, his role on the Celtics will like be a bruising defender and rebounder who is low usage on offense.
I keep hearing Rockets fans repeat the nonsense that Lin was signed mainly for his marketing appeal. Are people really this stupid? If that was the case, then why did the Rockets cut him last December?
ReplyDeleteThese idiots in Houston are failing to ask themselves an obvious question: Why did Lin become marketable? BECAUSE HE PROVED HE CAN PLAY, YOU RACIST YOKELS.
Don't worry about them. Most of the US is a bunch of mindless drones that listen to everything the media tells them. The media's been bashing Jlin for a while now. Once they see how good he is, they'll be rooting for him soon.
DeleteRockets fans pining for Dragic.
DeleteHe'll win them over as the season gets along.
Jeremy Lin is going to make the fans quickly forget Dragic and Lowry.
DeleteThe Rockets are going to attack every game, even if they crash and burn due to frontcourt inexperience.
In the NBA regular season, a focused untalented team can squeak into the playoffs simply by having good chemistry and energy. As the leader of the Rockets, Lin will make sure his Rockets play their hardest night after night even if they can't really get it done on the court.
looking hard to find news on rockets or lin. Even looking at rocket's tweet page now. Looks like it follows all the rockets players and management.
ReplyDeletehttps://twitter.com/i/#!/HoustonRockets/rocketspersonnel
Daryl Morey @dmorey
.@pdpatt has been gr8 organizing tm this offseason.Guys R ready for camp. @ChandlerParsons mad he lost pickup gm 2 @JLin7,@AsikOmer,etc 2day
Jlin and Asik should be 1st team. Chandler not on same team? guess it's just for fun.
Great find, @JW! Perhaps JLin and Asik led the new players and Parsons led the players from last year.
DeleteLOL Parsons replied he'll get them back tmrw
Chandler Parsons @ChandlerParsons
@dmorey I got you tmrw. Questionable calls in game 7.
Getting along
Deletehttp://pbs.twimg.com/media/A3S2JDUCcAA6tJ9.jpg
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Marcus Morris @MookMorris2
@JLin7 wht up neighbor would u happen to have some salt I could borrow lol??
7:47 PM - 20 Sep 12
The Harvard Club of Georgia is organizing an evening event at the Rox vs Hawks game Nov 2, 2012
ReplyDeletehttp://www.harvardclubga.org/article.html?aid=224
Further proof Stephen A doesn't like Asians. Not that we don't know lol.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyvdzqXH45s
Pacman have no business being in that studio, he can't even speak english properly and there is no way he could defend himself. it is so unfair. if i were Manny, i would knock the hell out of that racist douchebag.
DeleteSAS likely won't be able to keep his mouth shut about Lin this next season.
DeleteCool. More free advertising from NY!
CAA is doing a phenomenal job advertising Lin for free. They have shown magnificent generosity in expanding Lin's exposure at the expense of their other clients.
Carmelo Anthony, Mike Woodson, JR Smith, and SAS are footing the bill for expanding Linconsciousness. It's the gift that keeps on giving!
I found it more annoying the next day when Sas did a manny voice impersonation. It wasn't racist just unnecessary mimicking his accent and the way he talks cause he is not an American.
DeleteWell Sas is doing his part to say mayweather is ducking now. Cant call him a racist or biased as to that. I prefer PACs personality to mayweather but right now, I have to say Floyd's defensive style would probably beat pacman. Pacman is capable of getting lucky and breaking Floyd's guard but I think Floyd has the advantage. Hell manny must beat Marquez and show he can break Marquez's guard if he even wants to consider floyd....
Sas's Lin comments on the other hand are just bs but that's what he gets paid to do.
Lin is already arguably a top 10 pg. Rose cp3 dwill Parker Nash Westbrook rondo clearly ahead. Then who? Actually I don't even think dwill is clearly better overall... U can legitimately argue that lin is better than Rubio Conley holiday curry (with ankle) Felton, Nelson, Jennings, Lillard ( he might be better than Lin w e will see), rivers, Harris, walker, stuckey, calderon, Lowry, dragic, hill, teague.
Not sure if this is posted already - Q&A with JLin (focused on basketball)
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nba.com/rockets/news/qa-jeremy-lin
Comments on everything from Raymond Felton being better at some things to his mentality for the Toronto shot, and approach to games in general. Very insightful read.
DeleteIt seems like the stats do show that his catch and shoot can improve.
Coach McHale has already given JLin some pointers on the causes of his turnovers and how to improve.
I like how he answered the comment about improving through reps. Reps through experience is one thing, being proactive in improving quickly by identifying problems and finding good solutions and practicing those solutions through reps is even better.
Good for him to say he's not afraid to say that he can learn from other PGs like Felton and Duhon. That's a sign of greatness to never stop learning.
DeleteAnd he praised Omer being "not bad offensively" LOL so it's promising that perhaps he developed some chemistry from the first pick-up game.
"Omer, people don’t give him enough credit for his offensive ability. He’s known for his defense but he’s not bad offensively. I think he’s surprised everybody. That’s the biggest thing so far. I haven’t been able to see the rookies play enough yet to draw any firm conclusions."
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete