There is no question Jeremy is in the worst shooting slump of his career. However, tonight his whole game was affected as his confidence has disappeared and he looked like a total mess. In the NBA, without belief in yourself, you have no shot. How and why has this happened?
First, lets look back at Linsanity of last year. This was a convergence of so many good things all coming together at the right and perfect time. The right system, the right coach, the right players surrounding him. It's much more obvious now how valuable Tyson was as his pick and roll big man. He had Shump as the shutdown defender who would help guard quicker point guards. Novak was automatic from outside. Jared Jeffries was the all around glue guy and his buddy Fields as his sidekick. Jeremy played with no fear and with the attitude of "I've got nothing to lose I might as well just swing for the fences". He was able to train for over 4 months straight due to the lock out at Sparta and with Doc. He got his opportunity and seized the moment and played his game.
Now, what a difference 7 months makes. The convergence of many not so good things have him in a slump and its erased any memory of Linsanity and have left many of us sad, befuddled, angry, impatient, ungrateful, unsure, pained, or any other non-positive emotion you can think of.
The first warning signs showed up in the summer as Jeremy didn't start working out hard until about mid July. A knee injury that supposed to take 4-6 weeks to heal, took about 12-14 weeks. Did he try to rush back too soon? Was there much more damage than reported? With a trip to Taiwan/China already scheduled for the full month of August, Jeremy didn't get more than two full months in at Sparta and with his shooting Coach Doc Scheppler. Doc is taking a lot of flack right now as Jeremy struggles but just remember, the JLin shooting of Linsanity was all Doc, as Jeremy has stated many times.
Next, seeing Jeremy in preseason, I immediately thought he was around 80% and that it would take at least a month to get close to 100%. His conditioning didn't look great either. It's been a month and he still looks a step slow and he hasn't regained all his explosiveness. He seems to fade in the 2nd halves so far and he doesn't seem to be in top condition.
With Jeremy starting to get in better rhythm at the end of preseason with his new teammates, his roll seemed to be set as the primary ball handler and shot creator. However, the last minute trade of Harden for Kevin Martin completely changed his role. Now, instead of having the ball in his hands 70-80% of the time while on the court, he may have it 30-40%. Jeremy just looks so uncomfortable out there most of the time. Especially, when he's running to the corner. Also, he seems to be running away from the ball as to not wanting to shoot. This is just messing up the whole flow of the offense.
Another not so good thing is the inexperience of this team. Not only in its play but being able to help Jeremy in overcoming his rough start. Jeremy stated many times how he received valuable input from the vets in NY.
All of these negatives have snow balled and now Jeremy is left with no jumpshot, no quick first step, no confidence, and no aggression.
With all of these things said, lets truly realize how much pressure this young man has on his shoulders. He is only human and as bad as we're feeling here, he is feeling 1000 times worse. For those of you who have followed him from his high school or college days until now, we know that he has overcome even bigger obstacles.
Many laughed when we said he is an NBA player. Then he became one. Many more hated and ridiculed when we said he would be a starter. Then he became one. Now many are so excited to say I told you so when he is struggling. People can laugh and hate as much as they like, but that won't stop us from supporting him 100%.
Lastly, it's up to Jeremy to make this right. It's not going to come easy. He is going to have to work his way through this. We know his character and the kind of man he is. We know he will come through. We'll stay positive and supportive in this tough time.
Agree with JLinfan#1 and hope that Lin will just relax, play ball and be himself
ReplyDeleteNice summary of all emotions.
ReplyDeleteKeep your head up, Jeremy. We're all behind you. Most important of all, God is up there gracing it down.
Well said.
ReplyDeleteI've been saying the problem is mental, and I still believe it. While it should be just another regular season game, there's too much baggage associated with it and I feel like Friday is going to be an inflection point in Lin's career. The question is, which direction will it be?
Carpe diem Jeremy.
I know many of us are worried about Friday's game against the Knicks. One saving grace about his first encounter with his old team will be that it's on home turf. I can only imagine what it would be like if it was at MSG with all his ex-fans. It would certainly be tough on the psyche. I wonder if the anticipation of playing against his old club and proving himself "worthy" of his contract has messed with his head. It may be good that he'll finally be able to get this game out of the way early in the season. Perhaps he hasn't had the chance to fully reconcile his feelings towards the whole signing fiasco from this summer and needs closure. Hopefully this game will provide him with that and he'll be able to concentrate better when it's all said and done. That is if this really is all a mental thing.
DeleteWe got your back though, Jeremy. Just do your thing and you'll get your groove back!
I just hope he comes out of it soon, before the team and caching bench looses their confident totally on him, and he gets benched.
ReplyDeleteYes, JEREMY! It's all up to you. We are supporters, will always support. Let's not let those nay sayers tell us that Jeremy Lin is not worth it.
ReplyDeleteThey'll eat their words.
DeleteA simple medical reason is that Jeremy Lin may have caught the same virus that knocked James Harden out.
ReplyDeleteA complex medical reason is that Jeremy Lin likely doesn't take performance enhancing drugs and is competing against a league known to be abusing them.
My exact thoughts on both points!
DeleteAlso a lot of athletes take steroids to speed up the recovery.
I still think that Lin will get his confidence back *IF* he simply assumes (act as if) confidence - despite the undoing by his coaches; coach's attitude is more potent than words. Lin is is still young but he must not be easily impressionable if he wants to fight for his career (not talking money). That's where sports psychology comes in if he can't do it on his own; it's used all the time, but not as publicized.
My doctors confirmed both points. PED definitely plays a vital role in speeding up recovery and also enhancing performance. There are some very good Chinese traditional herbs that can slowly but surely help Jeremy in his recovery. Hopefully his parents consult Chinese physician and get the right concoction for him.
Deletewhat the? dude he doesnt need to take chinese traditional herbs and become the next tom gugliatta.
DeleteChinese herbs -> must be careful as they may not mix safely with JLin's supplements [from his training regimen.] Some might also come up positive [if ever a drug test is to be conducted.]
DeleteI suppose if ever they would use them, they'd consult both TCM and western doctors to make the necessary adjustments...
@janelin7 @aircow33
DeleteI'm pretty sure I've seen a video and read in articles that he has a Chinese physician back in the Bay Area. Remember seeing him in a doctors office with a guy putting a flaming rag on his leg?
I know I know, many Asians don't buy that "Chinese Traditional Herbal/Medicine" stuff...
DeleteDidn't know who Tom Gugliatta till I googled him. Sorry for Tom but Chinese medicine has been around for thousands years and it's proven to be effective.
Qualified Chinese physician won't bring harm to patients though the healing effects are not immediately felt and seen.
won't "prescribes medicine that"
Delete@ 888
DeleteMassage therapist. [Nothing ingested though.]
@ janelin7
I think TCM is effective, but it works best in a holistic TCM program. [Careful if it's to be grafted into an existing west-based program. [Still could work though.]
@via,
DeleteIf I'm not wrong, western program usually emphasizes on ingesting of Calcium, BComplex, antibody, glucosamine, etc while TCM offers better solution for blood circulation, enhancing qi and nourishing muscles and tendon.
@ jan
DeleteI think so.
Western -> targeted
Eastern -> holistic
For TCM, the external manipulations would probably be supplemented by tonics with stuffs like 當歸, 陳皮, 黨參 etc...
Fun Fact: Mickael Pietrus has received knee treatment from Shaolin monks
@via,
DeleteInteresting fun fact/link from you, as always. thanks
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DeleteFor JLin flu -> Maybe try boiled Coke with lemon and ginger haha.
DeleteWhat "League" are you talking about, sir? The one where 185 pound Kevin Durant is the #2 best player? Man, that guy SURE looks like he's "Abusing" PEDS. HA. The Excuses here are hilarious.
DeleteAh, a new troll in Daniel coming after us on this site. WELCOME.
DeleteContrary to your insistence that NBA players don't use performing enhancing drugs, report after report have cited the NBA as having the WORST drug detection and enforcement policy in all of pro sports.
You, like so many haters who know nothing about the game, think that taking PEDs will result in NBA athletes looking like garguantuan bodybuilders (which they actually DO). In truth, short courses of PEDS cycled through the body can enhance stamina and aid in joint recovery and increase performance without adding overt layers of muscle.
EVERYBODY knows that NBA players use PEDs. In fact, I wouldn't even blink an eyelash if somebody told me Jeremy Lin tested positive for drugs. While I am not insinuating that Lin is a drug user, I find Daniel's haterade to be a bunch of BS because he's just pretending that he doesn't know about PEDs just so he can flame people on this site.
In other words, Daniel, you'll get embarrassed further the more you come after people here.
@Daniel
DeleteYeah, because Lance Armstrong looked like he was a PEDs abuser too. All 160lbs of him. Not all PEDs bulk you up. Here's an article on it:http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/50443/tell-me-the-nba-has-no-doping
Very well written piece, JLinfan#1. Kudos.
ReplyDeleteagree. Good analysis.
DeleteWe agree, JLinfan#1.
DeleteWe know his character and the kind of man he is. We know he will come through. We'll stay positive and supportive in this tough time.
Nash and Stockton both struggled in their first 3 years and were by all means sub par and mediocre. experience, practice, and some personnel changes fixed all of that for them.
ReplyDeleteit takes time.
I wouldn't say Stockton was sub-par in his third year... He had fantastic PER and WS. And he topped the league in AST% in his third year as a player, from the bench!
DeleteThe fact that JLin gets all the attention was because of Linsanity and that contract from Houston. So he have more pressure to bare than Nash and Stockton. That's the downside but at the same time that can be a kind of motivation for JLin to prove to the rest of the world.
Deletetw.ah.c,
DeleteThis is why I hold out Lin's play for Woodson as the reasonable standard by which to judge Lin, and not his play for D'Antoni.
Woodson used Lin in a more conventional PG role and Lin did well in it, considering the short span he played for Woodson and the injury. For general projection, Lin's play with Woodson is more applicable across the various NBA systems while still showing Lin in a positive light.
Whereas the Linsanity run occurred under circumstances and a system that are rare in the NBA, which makes his play for D'Antoni less applicable for most of the NBA, thereby setting a bar that's unfair to Lin playing in any system except D'Antoni system.
Projecting Linsanity for Lin makes sense only if we're talking about a reunion with D'Antoni in LA. Otherwise, for now, the expectation level for Lin is best set at Lin's play for Woodson.
Add: To be more precise, the Linsanity run is useful for describing Lin's talent in terms of potential and projected ceiling, but when setting reasonable expectations for Lin's near-term production, his good play for Woodson is a better guide.
DeleteWhat makes you think hes in a slump and what makes you think he has to make anything right? Hes in cruise control right now, out of the spotlight, and just being an nba player right now. In his mind this horrible night was a good night because Houston got the W. You positive spinners of all people should be able to relate. He finally got his contract, he had his time in the limelight and he is more than grateful for that 'miracle.' He has nothing to prove this season. I mentioned before hes a good kid but I don't think he wants what most of us want from him.
ReplyDeleteLin says he expects to become an NBA all-star someday, not in an all Asians vote for me to start way, but in an I will be one of the best in the NBA way.
DeleteI'm sure he still wants to prove that he's worth the $25 million contract and it's not "ridiculous". He doesn't want to be a one-hit wonder. He's worked to hard for too long for that. Plus what Eric said about being a true all-star.
DeleteStructure.
ReplyDeleteWith the Knicks, under both D'Antoni and Woodson, Lin had a clear role at PG that complemented and fit with the roles of his teammates. Lin also earned cachet/equity with the Knicks that, clearly, the Rockets did not accept as transfer credit.
The Harden trade removed Lin's expected PG role for the Rockets. As I framed it in a previous thread, if Harden is the new Lin, but Lin isn't the new Kevin Martin, then what is Lin to the Rockets now? They're still trying to figure that out.
Lin is struggling with his shot more than his normal streakiness, but it's not just that. Lin also appears unclear on what he's supposed to be doing - what his role is - as the Rockets PG since the Harden trade.
A pattern is emerging of the Rockets beginning games with Lin playing PG one way and looking productive doing it, but then Lin's role changing for the worse as the game moves on.
I think the Rockets offense looks significantly worse with Lin out of the game, and Harden is a worse point than Lin, but that hasn't stopped the Rockets from committing to Harden as the primary ball handler, which has cut deeply into Lin's expected role. Now Parsons is emerging as the team's second ball handler, further cutting into Lin's role.
With Harden and now Parsons increasingly occupying the ball, the Rockets PG role is being increasingly Chalmerized, which moves the team's PG needle towards Douglas.
If the Rockets PG role continues to develop in the Chalmers defender/shooter direction, I wonder at what point would the Rockets coaches begin to consider Lin for the 3rd guard role.
Eric, I also see the same confusion of PG role as Coach Sampson experimented with multiple lineup that will produce the best chance to win games.
DeleteIt's good that Sampson offered his vote of confidence that Lin will be the starter. It would mean a lot to Lin to keep trying his best for a breakthrough. He knows this team needs JLin to keep good offensive flow going. Houston won this game because the Bulls could not score enough points. All the turnovers were horrible too watch.
I think Lin just needs to let the game come to himself, first and foremost be the floor general to be patient to penetrate the defense and reset the offense if it's not there. And when he's open, take the shot confidently. If it misses, it misses and try again next time. I thought he was a bit frustrated being unsuccessful to be aggressive to attack the basket and being impatient to reset the offense when it's not there. It's a hard balancing act but I'm glad to see Houston is being patient with him. He will reward them in due time.
I didn't realize your last 2 paragraphs.... other than that my exact thoughts - as well as that of many other observers.
DeleteThe Rockets' "basketball minds" let it leak right off the bat that they didn't have a lot to do with the signing of Lin. They wanted to make sure they get respect from their peers.... I think they are dead wrong. Lin has to fight through with this BS as well.
Also, it is possible that Lin was acquired with trade in mind, and even more likely since bring in Harden. My only confusion is, don't they want to value Lin up before a trade?
Lin would look nice in a Lakers uniform, no? I wonder how confident the Lakers are in Nash right now.
Delete@eric Lin going to the Lakers would make him a back up PG for the next three years and however many more years they keep Nash (I know he's old) though. The way Lin's been playing, if for some reason he ended up there, why would guys want to defer to him? I get what you're saying and I do wonder about the possibility of Lin in a Laker's jersey.
DeleteI'm assuming the Lakers are pretty confident in Nash's recovery. D'antoni said he's excited is he to work with Nash again so his recovery is probably on schedule.
You have to know that Lin's role isn't going to change in HOU unless he adapts his game and starts hitting his shots. Mchale/Sampson/Bickerstaff/Finch aren't going to give Lin more responsibility, they're kind of the same when it comes to coaching. It makes me sad (gah! I keep using that word) to admit this but it's the truth. Harden is playing so well, the best on the team, and because of that, they're not going to decrease his ball handling/"play-making".
i agree with k.smith. I dont understand why Lakers would want lin? I doesnt make sense, it would be bad for lin as well. He would be the 3rd pg on that team behind nash and blake.
DeleteWhat's better for Lin? 3rd guard for the Lakers? Or starting PG for the Rockets if Lin continues down this path with the Rockets?
DeleteIf Lin is going to be a 3rd guard anywhere, playing with that coach, who believes in him, who OWES him, one or both of those big men (Gasol might be coming back), and with those two old HoF guards as mentors is where to do it. The Lakers can use Lin's young legs.
When the Knicks were talking with Nash early on, with the assumption at that time they would also bring back Lin, I didn't mind, because Nash is old and fragile. Nash can barely play starter's minutes at best, must be preserved carefully for the play-offs, if he makes it that far, and I would be surprised if he lasts 2 seasons of his contract with the best care. Which meant plenty of PT for Lin, and the opportunity for Lin the proto-Nash to learn from the original Nash, with a good chance Lin would be starting by next season anyway.
Now, playing with Nash and for D'Antoni? Even better. Spreading the floor with Lin, Nash, and Kobe together with Howard in the middle, whipping the ball around, is likely something D'Antoni would try.
One of my favorite all-time offenses is Don Nelson's early 2000s Mavs, with Nash, Dirk, Van Exel, Finley, and Walt Williams, a bunch of triple-threats spreading the floor, whipping the ball around, and scoring from all over with quick hitters. I've suggested the early 2000s Mavs offense as a model for maximizing Lin, Harden, amd Parsons. But it takes a special offensive-minded coach, which doesn't seem to be the case with the Rockets coaches. D'Antoni could figure out how to use Lin, Nash, and Kobe together.
If Lin can't beat out Blake, Duhon, and Morris to be *specifically* Mike D'Antoni's 3rd guard, Lin's career really is in jeopardy.
DeleteWhy do you guys always act like Nostrodamus on every single thread?
DeleteJLin has to grow balls, JLin has to understand this, the kid has to understand that, if this happen then carreer in jeopardy whatever, not his knee, all his head, he need a sport shrink bla bla - thousand years of darkness...
JLin is not 100% but he is getting there. He has gotten faster and faster from game to game. Dont you guys see that? He still has trouble with stamina and explosiveness but he will be 100% soon. What I worry about is his shooting and the system in which he plays that doesnt really suit his abilities.
Keep in mind - on his Linsanity game he missed all his 3pt attempts - only made a couple of shots from the field and yet managed to score 25. He did that by attacking the basket...
Think back - last year TD could score if his life depended on it. As PG he did not really help the Knicks. On the last few games his percentage was down, too and yet he managed to nail that 3 pointer by the end of yesterdays game. All of a sudden hes the hero and JLins overrated? Anouncers were talking about the big and bold Sampson decision... serious?
I'm so sick of the fake Knicks love and the Laker wannabe trades!!!
DeleteKHuang,
Deleteztrta made an interesting suggestion that perhaps the Rockets have viewed Lin as trade bait from the beginning and the Harden trade heightened that motive. Someone (I forget who right now) has suggested the Pacers before as a possible better team for Lin than the Rockets.
In that spirit, the Lakers hiring of Mike D'Antoni - we all know the link between D'Antoni and Lin - coupled with the age and fragility of Steve Nash make for an intriguing team for Lin. A long-term relationship with the Lin/Howard pick-and-roll and D'Antoni on an elite, perenially contender NBA franchise? I can think of worse situations for Lin, even if he starts as the understudy for an old, fragile, Hall-of-Fame PG. Worth fleshing out anyway.
willydilly,
We're just prognosticating. "If" is sprinkled in there.
"JLin is not 100% but he is getting there." ... "system in which he plays that doesnt really suit his abilities." ... "Keep in mind - on his Linsanity game he missed all his 3pt attempts"
I agree. That's why my criticism has focused more on the Rockets coaches and Lin's role in the post-Harden system than on Lin's individual performance. Lin was streaky for the Knicks, too, but D'Antoni and Woodson had the faith to stick with him, and Lin rewarded them. Lin isn't being given the same opportunities by the Rockets to redeem himself. While Lin has struggled with his shot, I see improvements in Lin's game that are not being used by the Rockets, eg, Lin should be running the offense even when he's not scoring. I also see Lin effective enough going to the basket early in games to be productive, but then that option and the ball being taken away from him as the game moves on.
Lin raining jumpers and lighting up the scoreboard would be the simplest fix, his power of veto over the Rockets coaches, but the window he's given by his coaches to do that in games has been shrinking.
In sports, lacking confidence is a major problem for an athlete - but I wrote more about that a couple of days ago.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know that Lin worked out at Sparta for 2 months - although it maybe more like 1.5 months due to him leaving Asia the first week of Sept and then having to show up to the training camp in mid Oct.
Even though Lin is always kind and polite, the Rockets' coaching staff never really believed in him (the same reason there were no other offers) because of Woodson's repeated public humiliation of Lin's skills (maybe motivated by them trying to get Lin for dirt cheap?) and due to the steep drop in his stats after Woodson took over - even though everybody expected it since Lin played a different role and less minutes in order to accommodate Carm_lo.
It's obviously true that Lin is surrounded by less experienced players than NY, but I believe the main reason for his lack of confidence stems from his coaches' lack of confidence in him. Regardless of what the coaches said publicly, their attitudes and how they have used Lin during all preseason plus the first eight games spoke louder, as well as Sampson benching Lin in OT in that game where he almost had triple double (maybe Sampson feared Lin might actually get the triple?).
Douglas subbing for Lin eked out the Rockets' win tonight. Lin was benched most of the time since 3 minutes left in the 3rd period and it was justified. Lin played about 2 minutes only in the middle of the 4th period.
I think that ever since people complained about Sampson benching Lin when he almost triple doubled, so far (the last 4 games) Sampson has been more careful about benching Lin *IF* Lin does play better than Douglas. In this game, Sampson even gave Lin the benefit of the doubt, inserting him again about the halfway mark in the 4th Q, but Lin got yanked out again after 2 minutes. This was a back to back bad game by Lin, but as long as it's not frequent, Lin should be fine.
Anyway, the Rockets' coaches have already squashed Lin's confidence, BUT Lin can fight back (in his mentality only) and regain his confidence by just start assuming playing tough and with confidence: Assume and then become; ignore all the negative energies from the coaches.
I think Sampson played Lin those 2 min in the 4Q to give Douglas a breather.
DeleteWow! I *KNOW* you're right!
DeleteOn the other hand, the other day when Lin played very well, Lin didn't get any break and he showed signs of fatigue. I don't know if it was on purpose or not, because the same thing happened to Parsons..... The whole coaching and time keeping seem off with the Rockets. Several costly close games.
"Anyway, the Rockets' coaches have already squashed Lin's confidence, BUT Lin can fight back (in his mentality only) and regain his confidence by just start assuming playing tough and with confidence: Assume and then become"
Delete- He must de-anchor his confidence from his coach's [and team mates'] approval/ disapproval. Look to some other higher figure of authority [one who has an iron belief in him.]
- Learn to compartamentalize.
- He shouldn't rely on organically getting into "the zone" during the game -> learn to drop into visualizing himself into that place at any moment.
- He must have mental strategies he can apply to interrupt any defeatist pattern of thinking at the get-go. He needs this to be automatic: If-Then.
"ignore all the negative energies from the coaches."
- True. Better yet, have positive energies at hand [strong, specific, emotional and positive visualizations, memories etc.] to crowd out the negative. [To simply try to ignore negative energies alone would bring them more to the fore.]
via, well said.
DeleteWorrying and feeling the pressure are forms of negative visualization. Lin needs to feel and act like he's confident, even when things don't go well - which is what top players do, it seems to me.
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DeleteThe man is obviously not 100%. They pulled him out of the bulls game because the game was getting too physical.
ReplyDeleteas for the shooting the man is taking fewer shots inside and attempting more shots from beyond the arc. obviously this is not playing to lin's talent which is driving into the paint and finishing. but he can't do that until his knee is strong enough to take the inevitable hit. until then he's going to be spending majority of the time shooting from beyond the arc where his knee will have a chance to heal.
i am starting to have doubts his knee will ever heal. I mean JLin has had two surgeries on his knee already.
DeleteRockets role for Jeremy has always been a support player. This was clear from how Jeremy was used in pre-season and before the harden trade. This is exacerbated when harden came on board.
ReplyDeleteJeremy's self doubt is the main reason for his confidence. The coaches use and reluctance to let him play through mistakes reinforces his self doubt. Ultimately it's Jeremy being too hard on himself and the coaches usage feeding into that.
Jeremy will come through! When you are at a bottom, there is no where to go but up. Jeremy is a competitor and will not let himself stay at a low. When sadness turns to frustration, Jlin will be on the rise!
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Delete@wilc, great post, I agree with you. Morey and Mchale have stated that they don't expect anything close to Linsanity and Morey made a comment a week or so ago stating that Lin was doing a "solid job", doing things like taking charges, steals/defense, moving the ball...things that solid role players do. What also caught me off guard was a recent interview by Morey. He was asked if they were nervous with Lin's pre-season shooting performance and he said "Yes" but they became less nervous when they signed Harden. If management supported a player, they wouldn't talk about how nervous they were over his pre-season. His answer rubbed me wrong way. I think they've always envisioned him as a support/role player who could attack the basket and get to the free throw line.
DeleteI also think @eric is correct. The PG role has evolved even more since signing Harden. Now that Chandler is hitting his shots and gaining more confidence, he's taking on more ball duties...thus minimizing Lin's role. Harden is NOT the better play-maker and should not be PG BUT the truth is, he's averaging close to 25pts a game and getting enough of his team-mates involved while being guarded by the opposing team's best defensive player.
I'm calling it now, Lin's role isn't going to to change even when Mchale comes back. He will continue to play off the ball/spot up shooter, and Harden will continue to be the primary playmaker. As long as Lin is on the team, he's going to have to adjust...it's going to be a long, painful season. Sorry for all the negativity, i'm kind of bummed.
No coach has EVER entrusted Lin with an offense.
DeleteEvery time, Lin has had to earn it from less than zero. It took him 23 games for Woodson and Dantoni to even allow Lin on the court, and that was out of injury desperation.
With McHale, he'll ride the hot hand. If Lin keeps having more games like Utah where he played like an All Star in the first half, McHale will play him more.
KHuang,
DeleteTrue, the Knicks initially signed him out of injury desperation (Shumpert), and there was a confluence of factors in the Feb 4 game (bad PG play, tiring stretch of games, last week to judge Lin).
However, the Knicks actually played Lin in the 3 games prior to the Feb 4 break-out game, including an extended 20+ min look in Houston on Jan 28, and 9 total games for the season.
Lin's play before Feb 4 was inconsistent. Not good enough to break into the rotation, but showing enough talent to intrigue a team with worsening PG play in a PG-heavy system.
D'Antoni had nothing to lose by taking a chance on Feb 4 by inserting Lin early. Lin broke through in spectacular fashion that night. But Lin had been allowed on the court before Feb 4, and there was a build-up to the breakout game.
Though initially signed because Shumpert was hurt, the Knicks didn't cut Lin when Shumpert came back. The Knicks actually gave Lin a very fair shot given his pre-Linsanity status as a 12-15th on the depth chart. Lin made it work.
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ReplyDeleteWell said, JLinFan#1. It's an honest reflection of many feelings that JLin fans experienced at the moment. I know true fans and supporters will not abandon him during tough time and continue to support and cheer for Jeremy to overcome the latest struggle of ambiguous PG role, shooting slump, coaching change with an inexperienced young team.
ReplyDeleteIt might take 1 game, 5 games, 10 games or the whole season for him to overcome but I believe God will honor him through this difficult time as he has honored Him first. He will come out stronger from this as he has before.
Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.
i just want to show my support to Jeremy. i've been a fan since i first saw him play. he gave us inspiration on and off the court.
DeleteJLin, chin up and march on. You will ultimately triumph!
DeleteJLIn HIghlights vs Bulls - 11/21/12
ReplyDeleteJeremy Lin Foundation - Thanksgiving Event
ReplyDeleteWell written JLinFan#1. It's not like Lin hasn't been down this road a hundred times in his life (being doubted and written off). His faith will ultimately pull him through this.
ReplyDeleteI did not watch the game lat night but was he as bad as Clutchfans describe? They really want to write him off.
ReplyDeleteMany on CF want him out or benched. There are a few who support him, though.
DeleteEveryone relax. Lin is going to do,his thing against nyk on Friday n show ere'one th@ he still gor it. 20/10a/5r & 4 steals. or maybe he will need Felton to kick his butt for him to get his sh*t together. We will see Happy Turkey Day!!
ReplyDeleteYou're expecting too much from him. Let him have a solid game with a win but I doubt they'll win.
DeleteJeremy will not succeed if his game doesn't evolve. Defenders are really keying in on his style of play and exploiting his weaknesses. When i say weaknesses, im not referring to his infamous weak left hand or his recent shooting slump, but rather his style of play. His game is just too one-dimensional. athleticism and natural scoring ability can only get you so far. Clearly defenders have been able to contain him and limit his scoring.
ReplyDeleteJeremy has the ability to blow by almost any defender and finish hard at the hoop. But as a point guard, especially one with as much potential as Jeremy, you must be able to control the tempo of the offense and be floor general.
To do this, you must know how to analyze defenses, know your shooters, know your slashers, etc. Jeremy has simply been playing pick up ball. Driving and dishing to any option without considering second and third options. Unfortunately he doesnt have the same talent around him like in NY, so his run and gun, green light style will not be very effective. He needs to Assert himself and demonstrate to his teammates that he has the ability to lead and control the team. I believe he does. Harden has been the one to take that role.. its not his place to do so. Lin needs to take charge, find that confidence again, and play in a way that will allow Harden to work off of him. Harden is doing more than he needs to. Lin can make the game easier for both of them and bring out the best numbers out of both of them, but he needs to be assertive and play with the same passion he did in NY.
I'm not worried about Lin AT ALL.
DeleteI see a talented young player struggling to become a complete guard. Instead of shying away from his sole deficiency (errant jump shooting), he's ATTACKING his problem. I think that's great!
It's only a matter of time before Lin starts hitting those jumpers. Even now, the looks and minutes are there. Lin doesn't even have to hit more than 2-3 a game to reach his full impact!
The rest of Lin's game remains stellar. He dragged down Nate Robinson and Kirk Hinrich yesterday. Lin's game outside of shooting is AMAZING, though I still suspect Harden's virus infected him yesterday.
I expect to see a slow and gradual improvement in Lin's shooting. It started with Utah, got interrupted by this Chicago cold virus game, and will likely slowly ramp up over time. By season's end, I expect to see Lin as a SOLID player!
What virus are your talking about Khuang,just curious?
DeleteI absolutely agree with KHuang. Yes, Lin played poorly yesterday, but overall, he has shown his ability to pass, rebound, and defend. The Rockets play better when he is on the floor. In Sampson's defense, Nate Robinson is a wily veteran who looks like he is only 5'7" and TD would be a better defender on him.
DeleteI didn't watch the game yesterday but I am so depressed whilst reading the game thread on CF. They were very upset with his performance. I am just asking you Khuang an honest question about Lin, are ou worried about his performance at all?
DeleteI bet this is the best we can see on jlin for the rest of the season. Mediocre player, if you are a great player, any team you are in or any coach you have you will play great. Not so for jlin.
DeleteAnd what about the lack of calls? In the 4th, Jlin gets raked over the arm on the way to an open lay up from behind and doesn't get the foul call.
DeleteAdrien, James Harden just got over a bad cold. He easily could've given it to Lin or other guys. Asik had just as bad a game as Lin did, so maybe the virus got him too!
DeleteNo, I'm not really worried about Lin's game. That's the honest truth.
All Lin has to do is make 2 or 3 more jumpshots a game. That would restore his confidence, open up his game, and put the ball back in his hands.
I believe it's only a matter of time before Lin finally discards that girl style collapsed jump shot that he learned from Doc Scheppler and starts letting the ball fly according to his body's natural mechanics. There really is no other way for Lin to hit those 2-3 shots extra per game.
Thank you for your reply. I'm just worried.
DeleteI have no doubt that Lin will recover. However, I also think that Lin has put too much weight on his playing making. Just be himself and have fun. Have you every heard of any word "fun", "let the game go to me", "take what the defense gives to me" anymore?
DeleteHowever, there is another thought. His coach Sampson may be running out of his patience. Not sure whether the coaching staffs still believe in Lin or not. I felt that they never did. Also, every NBA coach is fighting for their job. Sampson is no exception. They want to survive too. If a coach made mistake, the coach is out. That is the reason why KHuang has been suggesting that Lin has been knocking out coaches. We may witness another round of this list.
Let's put this in another perspective, if you were Sampson, with Lin's current performance, will you put him in the critical period? I definitely do. Yet, some won't. There is a coaching job hanging on the line, mind you.
It really does not matter whether Lin is a starter or not, to be truthful. Lin has to perform. If Lin is benched, fine, just take the time to sit and watch. This may give him time to heal the knee and get off his pressure and eventually get his swag back. Good or bad. Take what the life gives to Lin, learn the lesson and move on.
Be faithful, Lin will get back to what he was.
JLin's Thanksgiving Event has paid off - The Rockets Team Won!
ReplyDeleteHonestly I thought the Rockets could not pulled it off, but they did - it was hard fought and maybe there were some help from the Almighty.
Because the almighty has his favorite sports teams
DeleteYes he's struggling, but he had some enormous match before just like the one vs atlanta. I think it's just a matter of time, but that is painful, i know.
ReplyDeleteWhen a player come back from injury he always has big first games cause he missed the court, cause he wants to do everything etc and then he starts to be tired cause lacks of minutes. Day after day he needs to be fit again and think it needs a couple of months to see the player he was coming back.
Jeremy didn't play since March. He had some brilliant games at the beginnig, he was overused and now he's tired. He needs to get minutes i think. He needs to be back in shape. More games he'll play more he'll be fitter and somewhere in december we'll see the real Jeremy as we supposed at the beginning.
But the coach's choices aren't good for me: If i have a player who's struggling in shooting but he's a good assist man i let him run the show and then pass the ball to the scoring machine with the beard. I don't understand some things, just like your point guard get corner 3s. Have you ever seen rondo or nash or whoever pg getting corner 3s?
If i can add something, it's been 2 weeks since mchale left and gm said nothing about it. No news about his return. If he takes the whole season what happens? Sampson will run the team till the end? I can't understand...
The lack of a true low post scorer has also hurt Jeremy. How many times has Asik fumbled a pass thrown by Lin to him? It seems like dozens. If Lin had someone to throw the ball into the post to or could catch the ball and dunk when he drove into the paint, I think things would be dramatically different.
ReplyDeleteLin fundamentally isn't a jump shooter much less a 3 point shooter but on this team he may not have any choice.
I'm just an elementary-school-level bball viewer, but I watched every one of his games this season, and his practice videos available online.
Delete"If Lin had someone to throw the ball into the post to or could catch the ball and dunk", I think T. Jones can be such a person. I think he can develop into last year's Landry type of a player, catching a lot of Alley-oop from Lin. Am I right, veteran viewers?
Yeah, I don't know why the rookies haven't been played more. Royce White doesn't seem to be working out. I think Cole Aldridge needs to play more if only to give Asik a rest.
DeleteUsually in the NBA, rookie big men have trouble making defensive rotations in the lane and in guarding the pick and roll on the perimeter.
DeleteThe Rockets, in no small part due to Jeremy Lin, are one of the best defensive teams in the NBA. Terrence Jones needs to maintain that defensive pace when he enters the game.
Reasons to stay positive:
ReplyDelete1. Lin's passing skills are amazing
2. Steals and team defense are great
3. Free-throw shooting (hes a legit 85% or better free throw shooter
4. Lightning quick getting to the hoop when he wants
5. He can create shots for himself
All of these things point to being an excellent player. When he gets his shot back he's a 18 ppg player taking 12-15 shots a game.
Not 5. This year he can't score in isolation. For example, he has no between the legs crossover step back move that many 'average' guards have. Yes he can get by his man but so far he gets hung in no mans land, passes out or can't finish. If you're really watching, then no he cannot create his own shot. So far
DeleteHas someone already said to jeremy to return to the number 17 on the jersey ? :D
ReplyDeleteit could work :D
It's not even the number. Lin was wearing #7 on the Mavs summer league team and played well enough to get him an NBA contract. When it comes down to it, it's his role on the team that ultimately effect the way he plays. The Rockets already have their man in James Harden.
DeletePatrick Patterson at one point waived off a pick and roll play that Lin asked for. So it doesn't matter if Lin wears Number 17, 69, or 0. Nothing will change if the situations remain the same.
Superstitiously speaking, Lin's NBA best was while wearing 17.
Delete7 with the Warriors and Mavs. 17 with the Knicks (Anthony wears 7). 4 with Harvard and Palo Alto.
Just kidding :D
DeleteI'm worried. He's seems as athletic in terms of footspeed, but not leaping ability. He can get around his man, but cannot finish because he can't jump as high as last year, or even in college. I remember that college game he dunked on Stanley Robinson and Jerome Dyson of UCONN. I really believe this is a physical problem. Last year he had no problems finishing at the rim.
ReplyDeleteWsh Jeremy and all the supporters a happy thanksgiving...god have a plan for him and in the end, he will be overcome all obstacles.
ReplyDeleteI think the primary problem for JLin is in between his ears.
ReplyDeleteHis head is not in the right place and he lacks confidence.
Lin has lost confidence in his shooting.
And he lost confidence in his role in the offense and adjusting to Harden and new teammates in general.
Getting his confidence back is the first priority.
Ixy, I agree with you.
ReplyDeleteLin has the skills. He dropped 38 on the Lakers. And even if the defenses have adjusted since that point, regardless, you can't score that high without possessing tremendous skill.
Lin has the skills to be a quality starting point guard in the NBA. However, if his mind is shaky and he lacks confidence, he won't be able to harness his ability. I think that's what we're seeing now.
Lin will either get his act together or he won't. This is a great test that's upon him right now. He will pass or he will fail.
Only time will tell.
Read it somewhere, Sampson’s interview after the game:
ReplyDelete(Paraphrase)
“Tony is a very forgetful person, in fact, this is good. He would forget the mistakes he just made, so he’d not be afraid to make mistakes and timid. If you want to succeed, you must have a free hand to make the fortune. "
Sampson's message sounds like praising TD, and at the same time encouraging JLin who’s still in the doldrums.
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!
ReplyDeleteJust as the pilgrims celebrated the First Thanksgiving for the harvest to survive the harsh winter with the help of their Native American tribe friends, we can all be thankful for JLin who will persevere and overcome his own harsh winter and come out stronger because of it.
I'm more thankful with the characters that he displayed in post-game interviews over the struggles and being benched because many kids are watching. Never once he wavered to shift the blame to others, never once he pointed fingers to his coaches, never once he turned his back on his old NY team and owner. Yes, it's easy to be generous when you're on top of the world but true characters are revealed when difficult things happen in life. I can point to JLin as a role model for my sons on how you deal with adversity in life.
I wish and pray for three things for JLin and all of us:
1. He will rediscover his passion to play basketball and play care-free for the audience of One without putting any unnecessary pressure to live up to his contract, his own expectations as a leader or disappointing his fans.
2. He will find new ways to overcome his shooting struggle, lack of explosion in his knees by evolving his game (i.e. beating his man to a spot to stop-and-shoot, keep feeding his big men even when they struggle to finish, find ways to play off Harden, rediscover his shooting mechanics in NY, etc.)
3. We will see the positives more than the negatives as fans in this forum so if he ever reads this forum that most of us hope for the best for him no matter what happens next. Who knows if it helps him to play his best knowing we got his back no matter what? Thanks JLinFans#1 for providing the best JLin fans forum in the world :D
I'm thankful for all the intelligent discussion and perspective from all the faithful fans here (KHuang, cara, swingline, Eric, Nom, wilc, willydilly, michaelterry, ABCBaller, spotless, nephe, eb5attorneys, TVN and many others!). Hope you celebrate Thanksgiving with your family and loved ones.
God Bless!
Jeremy posted this on his Facebook page an hour after his game last night.
Delete"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you...and you will find rest for your souls." Matthew 11:28-29
This young man has so much poise and character.
So true! He's not perfect but I admire he always tries to do the right thing. Those words will sustain him and help him to find his peace to play well. Thanks, Phil! And Happy Thanksgiving to you!
Delete@Psalm234 and everyone else,
DeleteTo you and yours, have a happy Thanksgiving.
Same to you, Nom. I'm trying not to overeat. Ha :)
DeleteHappy Thanksgiving, Everyone!
DeleteGreat words! Happy thanksgiving! and I hope Lin read some of these encourage words from his fans and hopefully it will help him gain back his confidence and strength to continue battling whatever he is at right now! I can sense that many around the corners laughing and jerking about how bad Jeremy lin is right now, but i believe he is not the type of person who is dare to facing them or cares about them!
DeleteAt time like this I ll just simply show my support to Jeremy by saying some encourage words to him！ I believe he still got a lot potential and now he is struggling to get out the potential! Just hope the coach n the team don't stop believing in jlin. And jlin to get more chances to prove him! You ll be alright! Go Jeremy!
ReplyDeleteJeremy,..we got your back!!
ReplyDeleteWhen a coach like Ralph Sampson doesn't want to see you play and instead puts in Toney Douglas, there's obviously something seriously wrong. If he continues to play like this when Kevin McHale returns, then it's safe to say that Lin doesn't fit with the Rockets.
ReplyDeletePeople said that he would be better off with the Rockets since Knicks fans are too extreme and fickle, but in hindsight the Rockets was probably another worst case scenario with people continuously questioning his contract and crying for Dragic/Lowry. They've already dealt with the Yao fans, and Lin being seen as merely a marketing tool is even worst. Now it's just Rockets fans vs LOFs.
Best case scenario, Rockets give up on Lin and trade him for Chris Duhon/Steve Blake. Both their contracts expire after next season, so Rockets can start clean and go after another PG in the future. Lin is reunited with the coach that lets him play freely, which no doubt was huge on his confidence and he can spark their bench, which the Lakers severely need. He also at times can play with Dwight Howard, whose one of the best bigs at the pick and roll (both defending and using). Remember Lin had Tyson Chandler in NY. He also can be mentored by Steve Nash (who took at least 3 seasons to become a impact player) and has a polarizing player like Kobe Bryant, who continues to deal with his fair share of media scrutiny and fans.
Lin to Lakers, why not?
DeleteAt a purely basketball standpoint, Morey has another Trevor Ariza on his hands. A player that had a hot streak that he decided to sign but inevitably did not work with the Rockets and got traded, and continues to be bounced around the league (Hornets and now Wizards). The main thing that would halt this is if the owner isn't ready to give up on Lin, but I think since they already got their man Harden, they should just part ways. Lakers can give them two players with eventual expiring contracts, which will add to the Rockets rebuild mode. Lin's role is different in NY than what he has now with Houston.
DeleteThe Lakers would give Lin a more defined role, lead the bench where they have enough shooters (Jamison, Meeks)to space the floor and share some minutes to play alongside the starters which includes Dwight Howard. People keep saying Lin is a horrible defender, which isn't entirely accurate. Lin is being forced to help defend other players bigs and gamble with steals, which leaves his man entirely open for the jumper. Also Lin will gain more experience with practice going against players like Kobe and Metta World Peace guarding him and advising him on how to break certain defensive schemes against him. The Rockets don't really have a true defensive player, besides maybe Asik.
Lin strengths still are being able to get into the paint and find his teammates, those things will quickly enhance the Lakers bench. The things he struggles, which include shooting and help defense, can be fixed over time, better teammates, and what better way to have that with Nash tutoring him. He could have had that with Kidd in NY, but that didn't happen.
lakers would be even worse for lin. kobe, dwight, and pau would pin the blame on him. he'd be relegated to the same spot up duties as fisher had in the past, even without phil jackson. no thanks.
DeleteYou must hate the Lakers to think that Kobe, Dwight, and Pau would pin the blame on him. That's absurd considering that the franchise is both on Kobe and Dwight. Lin would be a role player off the bench and Steve Nash would be the main PG with Mike D'Antoni.
DeleteFisher was a starter until he got traded and the Lakers got Ramon Sessions, two entirely different situations.
Nash's age and fragility coupled with Mike D'Antoni as their new coach, and the possibilities with Howard and maybe Gasol as PnR partners for Lin, make the Lakers an intriguing team for Lin.
Deletekobe has a history of blaming everyone but himself. same with dwight. neither would protect lin when they fail. they wouldn't dare blame nash, future hall of famer, either.
Deletethe problem with the lakers are that they're still unathletic. same issue when phil was coaching. not even lin will change that.
Who has Kobe been blaming recently? Even to go as far backing up Pau Gasol. Dwight and Nash would be there in the end, so blaming the guy who would probably come off the bench makes lots of sense right? And u also stated Pau Gasol would pin the blame on Lin but seem to not have mentioned him this time.
DeleteI know you hate the Lakers, it makes sense.
I love the comments from all you guys. I hope your encouragements are able to reach JLin. Even if they don't, I hope somehow he knows there are a lot of fans out there who, no matter what, will continue rooting for him, supporting him, and cheering for him.
ReplyDeleteSo, JLin, go out there and have fun.
Right mate... Go out there and have fun jeremy!
DeleteDon't look the stats, just play basketball and enjoy !
You're right on Spotless, go out there and have fun and don't look at the stats.
DeleteProblem is, the current interim coach disagrees. If Lin makes a mistake, his leash gets shorter.
However, Lin did have a coach that let him go out there, have fun, and play with freedom. His name is Mike D'Antoni and even Lakers players continue to say that Mike allows them freedom to at least shoot. He's not going to get that with this currents Rockets.
Yes. That's something I fear. I fear the coach will stop believe in Lin n put him on bench when he start to struggle with the game n reducing his time more n more. That's somethin I really don't want to see.
DeleteThere's a chicken/egg thing going on where it's not only his coach reacting to Lin struggling, but also the PG role changing in the Rockets gameplan as the game moves on.
DeleteThe ball leaves the PG's control and moves to Harden's and, increasingly, Parsons's control. That takes Lin off the ball and relegates him to spotting up, where the ball has only reached him sporadically from the team ball movement. The logical end of moving Lin off the ball and changing the PG role into a defender/shooter role as the game moves on is taking Lin off the court altogether.
Even so, I'm actually not convinced Douglas is a better defender/shooter than Lin, but nonetheless, the changes in the Rockets PG role have de-emphasized Lin's strengths at PG.
so, who's making a video comparing / finding the flaws of lin's jumpshots between this season and last? i would if i could!
ReplyDeleteAnyone see this article?
ReplyDeleteLinsanity Is Jeremy On The Bench Late
I saw Nate get by Douglas countless times he just simply missed, while against Lin he put in contested jumpers.
Where does Sampson and the rest get this idea that Douglas is some defensive stopper?
Even so what team pulls their starting PG for the entire 4th? Nash and Irving are huge defensive liabilities and they would never get pulled out in crunch time.
DeleteHow many leads has Douglas blown while he subs out Jeremy? Yet he's somehow a bigger plus on the court in crunch time? I don't buy it and stats don't back it up either.
Agreed. As I have said before, I am uncomfortable with this coach Sampson. He is not head coach material by any measure and if McHale does not return soon Les should seriously think about rehiring. I hope Jeremy can stay resolute in the face of adversity and fight his way back.
Delete@Dystopia that comes to my mind too!I don't know what the heck he has in mind. all he doing so far is put lin out and sit on bench whenever he think it need so or think so! I don't see him as the kind of coach that can help Jeremy develops!
DeleteCan we start a petition to remove Sampson and get a real coach in? I think this Sampson is flawed in his coaching. He benches Lin and yells at him but doesn't do the same when the other players screw up....how come?
ReplyDeleteSampson is the interim coach. The Rockets are waiting on Kevin McHale to return. A petition isn't going to change that and only Lin fans would want that. Rockets fans are up in arms right now and think Lin is a joke.
Deletehttp://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=229170
Read further down the thread, Taiwanese....people are telling that guy to cool it. Clutch said they don't want people posting stuff like that. I think he was referring to the airball....
DeleteJ Lin is definitely not a joke...just developing player without a coach that understands his position.
Carmelo benefited from J Lin being there..He plays defense now...
PS>...I did sign the petition to get Stephen A Smith fired....lol...and I think there was some changes because of the petition.
DeleteJeremy started well against the Bulls...got benched for a looong time.
DeleteCame back in...and played like crap. Not a coincidence. Sampson needs to leave him in until he actually NEEDS a breather.
His substitution patterns demonstrate a clear lack of confidence in Jeremy. Lin started 1-2 with 3 dimes and zero TOs! Why the heck was he yanked after 8-9 minutes?
Sampson seems to have pretty "fixed" rotations that are pre-planned that happen regardless of how a player is playing. Remember when he kept Asik on the bench against Portland (I think) when they needed rebounds?
DeleteIt's kind of goofy but he's a newbie at this and Sampson should be given a chance to learn.
So, Sampson has learned to keep Asik in the game to defend and rebound with the game on the line. That's smart. What has Sampson learned about Lin in the same stretch of games he's learned about Asik?
DeleteAnd read near the end of the thread or that whole forum, that guy is still going on how Lin sucks. There's multiple threads with Rockets fans claiming Lin sucks, wants him gone or benched, and arguing against "LOFs". It's not only the airball rather that Lin hasn't been playing up to his contract and how they wanted Dragic/Lowry.
ReplyDeletePS: Your suggestion was to remove Sampson as interim coach. He's only there because McHale is on leave. The petition didn't get SAS fired and it won't get Sampson fired since most Rockets fans don't care. It would be overwhelmingly Lin fans who would support that, which would just create another rift between them and Rockets fans.
I wouldn't worry too much about it. I think Jeremy said "he will always have haters"....there are people who will always hate....it's too bad...
DeleteThree weeks ago Kyle Lowry had surgery to repair torn muscles and a sports hernia, and while the Rockets front office is preparing for the draft (lottery on Wednesday night); Lowry is making it known that he wants to be moved. Lowry returned to Toyota Center yesterday to lift weights and go through a few shooting drills and while he did not directly say that he wanted to be traded, he made it abundantly clear that factors in place that aren't likely to change, have caused him to believe he'll have to be traded. The Rockets point guard commented that he didn't like the way coaches handled his return from injury last season and the playing time split with Goran Dragic. More specifically, he hinted to Jonathan Feigen of the Chronicle that he couldn't co-exist with current head coach Kevin McHale.
Delete...quote from Brian McDonald Article in May....Not sure if admin will let me quote it...
Haters from opposing teams fans and those who didn't like his hype is one thing, but Lin's fanbase has grown to the point where even Rockets fans are against it.
DeleteMost of the Rockets fans know that Lowry wanted out, but that doesn't mean they don't want him back still especially with Lin struggling. Excuses keep going, including that they think it could have worked out between Lowry and Rockets management. Then there's the Dragic 4th year option, which Rockets fans are still upset about.
Making a petition to fire Sampson won't really help Lin's case. Ultimately it's how he produces when McHale comes back, and if he doesn't fit still then it's properly better to just trade him. Again, Rockets fans have seen a fanbase that think they only cares about the player (Yao Ming) and a player the team got based on a hot streak (Trevor Ariza), so their patience has run thin.
The Rockets fans are right. I do root for Lin independently of the Rockets, though I appreciate team factors and team success are factors in judging individual success.
DeleteAs a NBA fan, I can analyze the Rockets like I can analyze any other NBA team, but I only care about doing so in relation to the Rockets' effect on Lin.
That rockets site that shall not be named is horrid. A lot of the people on there lack bball knowledge and honestly, they're pretty ignorant, and some even racist.
DeleteA forum takes on the personality of the moderators/forum owner. Clutch has the power to make the board civil but he's an ignorant moron that encourages the b.ulls.hit and hatred.
Happy Thanksgiving!
ReplyDeleteHopefully we get to see a better Lin as NBA basketball player tomorrow. IMHO, he looks weaker(not as muscular) than when he was playing last year. Enjoy the long weekend and wish everyone a good game (either watching or playing hoops at any level).
He's thinner because he lost 10 lbs while he was in Asia. He said he did that to put less pressure on his knees.
DeletePeople should know that Jeremy isn't the only "breakout star" struggling.
ReplyDeleteErsan Ilyasova, whom many people thought was the true MIP, is stinking it up.
Ty Lawson is stinking it up (despite having tons of talent and a great offensive coach).
Right now, everything and nothing is wrong with Jeremy. His knee is healed but it's not 100% strong (which is why he's shooting 33% instead of 43%). His team is young and clumsy (costing him 2-3 assists per game). But his passing and defense have never looked better.
It's not the dream start we imagined, but it's nothing to really worry about. It's just annoying as heck. He's really rusty on a young, sloppy team with a bad interim coach (Sampson). Jeremy just needs to keep working and gut it out.
Please don't start a petition to get Sampson fired. If fans want others to respect Lin, then fans need to also respect others. If fans want coaches to have patience with Lin, then maybe fans also should have some patience with coaches. Sampson has only coached, what, 4 games or so? Imagine you are a coach and you have a player who is, so far, merely so-so in training and not living up to your hype. You make a couple of mistakes in coaching. Fine. Even non-Lin fans recognise that the Portland OT sit out was stupid. However, most Rockets fans are unhappy but not overly rabid. But then you have this group of people calling you racist, calling you stupid, calling for you to lose your job, and this happens all day. Think about it. You might like a guy but I think it's going to be hard to continue to like him if all his friends (and particularly his friends) are continuously trying to screw with your livelihood.
ReplyDeleteBeing patient with Lin also means being reasonably patient with the organisation. If Sampson is terrible for 30 games or something, fine. But right now it's a huge overreaction. Lin has constantly managed to adapt and get better. If Sampson loses his job it will be because he deserves it. There is no need to put up silly petitions. Show some respect.
A petition calling for Sampson to play his best PG with the game on the line would be more apt.
Delete@eric
DeleteThat is a lot more reasonable but ultimately I think Lin's own efforts will be more effective than any petition by outsiders.
A petition on anything on behalf of Jeremy will be the most embarrassing thing for him. Really, some people on this site are molly coddling him like a mother hen. Let Jeremy and his team work their way out of this current slump.
DeleteI have nothing against Sampson. He is doing what it takes to make the team win. Nothing with JLin in particular. SO far he is doing okay (could have been better, with better vision in seeing when to swap/rest players).
ReplyDeleteMy only request would be to have atleast one or two games, to have Lin to have total control of the ball and running the offense in full time. And ask JH to to play full SG roll alone.
Lets see how it goes, if he dont try we dont know as well.
I hate Coach Sampson, not only is he a moron but I don't believe anything he says. He just tells us what we want to hear but his actions tell a different story. Here's what Sampson said in the most recent article from the Houston Chronicle:
ReplyDelete"He has his good moments and he has moments when he struggles. We’re going to stay with him. We’re going to keep giving him confidence.
“He’s not struggling any more than James (Harden) has struggled at times. There’s so much more focus on when Jeremy has struggled. All our guys have struggled. We don’t look at Jeremy any different than anybody else.
“For us, he’s another one of our players we have to help and find ways to get better. The thing I love about Jeremy, he continues to work. He continues to look for ways to be better. The one thing he must do is he has to stay aggressive. He has to keep shooting and he has to keep attacking.”
Uhm, "you're going to stay with him and you're going to keep giving him confidence."? You haven't done any of that. Taking him out at the end of games and benching him for TD does not scream confidence. GRR. This is annoying.
You say that Harden's struggled but you continue to feed him the ball, let him iso them out of games and continue to let him be the primary playmaker when he shouldn't be. Don't compare Lin to Harden bc you haven't s.hit for Lin.
Am I missing something? Somebody, help me understand why on earth the rockets think they're helping Lin gain confidence?!
Here's an interesting tidbit from Ast Coach Greg Finch:
“In New York, the ball was in his hands all the time,” Finch said. “He’s a big-game hunter. He makes a big play and wants the next big play right away. In our offense, the ball moves a little bit more between players. He doesn’t always play in the same rhythm as he played in New York. I think that’s affected some of his confidence and shot-making ability.”
If you know that about Lin, then why don't you try to help him out? Oh, I forgot, they think Lin's a role player so they don't really give a s.hit about helping Lin.
This is frustrating. I think what's even more sad is that Lin believes Sampson's s.hit talking ways.
"He doesn’t always play in the same rhythm as he played in New York."
DeleteSo the Rockets coaches disagree with Lin's rhythm at PG. That's a big statement to make about your starting PG whose fundamental purpose supposedly is to set the rhythm of the team's offense.
“In New York, the ball was in his hands all the time ... In our offense, the ball moves a little bit more between players."
So, is it just changes with Harden or is it actually the Rockets system itself that's a misfit for Lin's game? And, if the Rockets don't want the kind of PG Lin was for the Knicks, then why did they hire him to be their PG in the 1st place? Just to mess with Lin's career?
I'm not taking any quotes out of context either. bit.ly/UuOSag
DeleteSo far, from what we've seen, there hasn't been much ball movement though...everything goes through Harden, what are they talking about? I don't even know what to think or say.
I think at this point Lin has just got to adapt. They probably changed their gameplan in favour of Harden, and just as people have been saying you develop Lin as a starter in favour of Douglas as a bench player, any reasonable coach is going to favour Harden ahead of everyone else simply because Harden is a five year, max contract player. So as people have said previously, Lin has to demonstrate he has a more rounded game and is not merely a "system PG" (and honestly I don't think Lin is only good in a D'Antoni system - some of you guys have extremely low trust in Lin's ability to broaden his game, I feel).
DeleteIf the coaches are trying to, as KHuang says, develop Lin and the other players into more complete NBA players, it makes sense.
On the other hand, the ball movement stuff that k.smith is highlighted is kind of funny though. The coaches seem to see Lin as a ballstopper when it's obviously not the case!
I really question Sampson's comments about him supporting Lin etc. He benched Lin several times during crucial times of the games - and that is giving your starting PG confidence? A coach needs to put his starting PG in a role for him to find his opportunities to succeed.So far Lin's role is not quite defined now with Harden in the lineup. Poor shooting aside, I blame the coach and the system that Lin has not been put in a role to allow him to thrive.
Delete@wifflewiffle, I agree, Lin is adapting and will have to continue to adapt, and play off of Harden. This team will never move away from Harden or the next max player they sign. I get that.
DeleteLin isn't going to improve drastically over the season (specifically his shot), especially if he's benched for making mistakes. He'll probably have to focus on it in the off season. I know he'll be fine; he doesn't blame anyone and always takes responsibility for his play.
wifflewiffle: "Lin has to demonstrate he has a more rounded game and is not merely a "system PG" (and honestly I don't think Lin is only good in a D'Antoni system - some of you guys have extremely low trust in Lin's ability to broaden his game, I feel)."
DeleteHence, my holding up Lin's success with Woodson's system and its more-conventional PG role, which is better applicable across various NBA systems than Lin's record with D'Antoni's unique system and PG role. Linsanity is useful for pegging Lin's talent, his potential and ceiling, while his good play for Woodson is more useful setting reasonable expectations for Lin's near-term production.
No Eric, Woodson would've BENCHED Lin this season.
DeleteYour fantasy was ended by the Knicks this summer when Woodson told Lin that they were bringing in those other point guards to supplant him.
This is the NBA. Your fantasizing has NO PLACE in reality!!!! Move ON.
I really hoping for a Linsanity come back. He showed me anyone with any skin color can be successful as long as you try and work hard. And I hope he continues to do the same. Never give up!
ReplyDeleteRight now i don't think the rockets is a good fit for jeremy. If their offensive style doesn't fit with jeremy they should change it cause they made an investment on jeremy. Celtics had ray allen truth and kg but Rondo is the one with ball in hand even if he lacked in shooting not so long ago.
ReplyDeleteAnyway i still have faith things will be better someday. If not in houston... Somewhere