I agree. It's better to say I hope Lin stays healthy. Instead of collective focusing on the specific type of bad injury, which is a very dangerous energy into the ethers. I also hate that it's the first comment under this article. SMH (;~(
Great game by Jeremy! Has McHale finally seen the light? Nah... he's just trying random rotations and getting lucky.
Props to Beverley, he is a very good backup guard. Hustles, rebounds, all out effort, and passes the ball. His skills complement Lin's (and Harden's) very well. I'd rather see Lin and Beverley in together rather than Lin and Harden.
Harden - he actually passed the ball back to Lin a few times.
I know announcers cannot watch every game, but, if you are going to be on ESPN, shouldn't you at least do SOME research? Flip Saunders obviously does not. Did he say anything positive about JLin tonight? He was gushing all over "rookie of the year" and all of his 11 points on 4-12 shooting!
Lol, that's what I said to my wife. The only thing he could say was that Lin was "competitive." That guy should be fired. He was about as bad as a local announcer.
To be fair to Saunders, he FINALLY corrected himself at the end of the game.
"Jeremy's stats aren't that high because he has to play next to a ball-dominant guard like James Harden."
He probably assumed Lin was a fluke before the game (race-based garbage as usual), and then saw Lin school Lilliard and the Blazers with his own eyes -- and then realized the truth.
He's said that Harden made Lin better at the start of the game. But then he said the exact opposite in the 4th quarter. Hoping nobody would notice, ha.
Psalm, he had some jaw-dropping plays tonight, and you could hear it in the Portland crowd.
Besides the plays already mentioned, he had it going with Greg Smith, when Smith scored 9 straight points, I think most if not all from passes by Lin.
And he totally shut down Lillard, who couldn't get by Lin and looked totally lost at times and just wasn't a factor, either as a scorer or a playmaker.
Awesome game. Really fun to watch. Lin was awesome.
I LOVED the three-guard line-up with Harden, Lin, and Beverly. That line-up was a terror on defense, and on offense, the team goes from a three-point shooting team to driving and penetrating. Great move by McHale. I think we'll see more of it with Parsons out with the injury.
Ever thought McHale just put in that lineup because Parsons and Delfino were out? When those two came back, it would return to the status quo of "rotation".
The three guard line-up made Harden less sticky with the ball, and I think Harden plays better defense against a small forward, because they don't run around as much as guards and so takes less energy.
Cara, who the hell knows? I said he'll use it until Parsons comes back, and if it continues to work, he may use it at times in future games. McHale is so flexible with his line-ups, I can see him going very small with the 3 guards plus Parsons at the 4 and Asik.
Every time Jeremy is allowed to play his position he schools whatever overhyped PG he faces.
Blame McHale -- that POS kept Lin's stats down all year by benching him to cool him off and never playing him to start the 4th. The first 6 weeks? Okay, his knee was recovering, but it was clear Jeremy was plenty strong enough by late December.
This might be the FIRST TIME (no joke) Jeremy has started the 4th all season. And what a coincidence...he dominated. We'll have to wait until next year at least before Jeremy gets the respect he deserves. He needs to put up stats for 99.99% of coaches, media and players to realize how good he is.
He's the only complete young PG in the league. And he's going to show it in a couple years.
He's had three straight games (Orlando, Sacramento, and Portland) that rival any game he had during Linsanity -3 games each with around 20 points and assists of 11, 10, and 8, 29 in total. Arguably, he's playing better than he did during Linsanity, because he's putting up these numbers with less minutes and playing more off the ball.
The one real positive about the way McHale dissed Lin all season long and kept his minutes down for dumb-ass reasons is that it helped Lin avoid a significant injury coming off knee surgery, and, he is going to be ultra fresh for the playoffs.
Actually, he's had "Linsanity" games ALL YEAR. He had about five in a row in December. And then a couple more after an off-game.
He's only had two maybe three games in which he's been the primary ballhandler and failed to put up Linsanity stats. First game in Minny and one against New Orleans. And that's I can recall...and I watch every single damn game. It's just that he gets benched or Derek Fisher-ed whenever he starts off cold.
But yeah, at least he's injury free going into the playoffs. And FINALLY the Rockets are learning to trust Jeremy. I don't think McHale would play him like this with Parsons in the lineup, but at least Harden is trusting Lin A LOT more now.
BTW, same thing goes for Mike Conley...he doesn't get enough credit for how good he is. Conley is never considered a Top 5 or even Top 10 PG because his stats are low.
But look how great Conley has been doing since Gasol has been injured/banged up! He's average 20/7 in the past 10-15 games! Casual fans and analysts simply don't understand the idea of a player being underused. It's crazy.
Zx, I excluded the Clippers game, a game that I consider one of his best games ever, only because in that game, he didn't put up Linsanity type numbers, even though he won the game by shutting down CP3.
But, yes, 4 straight great games by Lin, I've never seen him better all season.
the weird and tragic thing is, it occurred after two straight games in which Lin was effectively benched in the fourth quarter by McCrazyHale. The only thing that prevented McHale from continuing to beat down Lin was that Harden was hurt and so couldn't treat Lin like a scrub in the Clipper game.
Holy crap, that was such a great play by Lin. WOW.
And after Lin had that nice reverse lay-up on the fast break, heard plenty of oohs and aahs from the Portland crowd. I bet some of them were actually were beginning to think it might be better to have Lin rather than Lillard as their point guard.
The only time Lilliard "got" Lin tonight was when Lin slipped on a wet spot, haha. The crowd ooh-ed because they though Lilliard broke his ankles. Nope! Just a wet spot -- Jeremy even pointed to the wet spot right before that play to tell the refs about it.
The only Blazer who can slow Jeremy down is Nic Batum...and he was out tonight. Once Batum was out, Jeremy was free to beast.
Just soreness and precautionary icing/brace-wearing. If it was serious he wouldn't have come back with a double-digit lead. He was smiling and looking good all night.
This time of the year, everyone is a little banged up. Glad it's not his knees.
Tweeting from Howard Chen @ho_chenCSN 20m Lin: it was a muscle in his forearm, says it was weird. Says it hurt durin Kings game, but not as bad. Sleeve helpd keep it warm, compressd.
hmm, maybe some kind of deep muscle bruise? well, as long it isn't anything serious, you have to be pretty happy with the results! maybe the shooting sleeve helps. hey, it works for a lot of the other premier shooters in the game!
Yesssss!!! Knee healed, check. Mastered New shooting form, check. Respect of teammates, check...only one more thing left, mchale will admit his mistake and fully respect and appreciate Linsanity.
Flip Sanders is a pal of Kevin McHale. McHale hired Sanders as his coach in Minny only because they were former college teammates. His view of Lin probably just reflected McHale's view.
He was the coach for the Washington Wizards when they were totally pathetic and got himself fired. Tonight's pathetic commentating probably is a reflection of his coaching - the guy is unprepared.
Sanders' comment of "Lin is a good spot up shooter" especially show how he and McHale wasted so many of KG's prime years. Only God knows how many players they have misused and ruined.
fyi, it's flip saunders. Yeah, that line infuriated me, because it was more opinionated spin you might hear on First Take or Numbers Never Lie rather than objective analysis based on research and actually watching the games.
I had said in the previous post thread that I believe Lin would beat the first unit with the second string guys. Tonight, Lin showed what team ball can do again with the second unit. Harden, parsons, Bev, GS and Asik wouldn't stand a chance because they'll be coached by Mchale. Lin would kill them just because of that alone. Lin just has the ability to make all of his teammates shine.
This is the one area where I vaguely understand McHale. He wants to FORCE Lin to co-exist with Harden, so he refuses to stagger their minutes. He's old-school that way.
That said, you simply cannot squander your team's #1 advantage -- having two outstanding attacking guards -- by not staggering their minutes. Houston and San Antonio are the only NBA teams who can have an elite offensive guard on the floor at all times.
There were too many times that when Lin is with 2nd unit, Line tried to get them going, but it was bricks after bricks after bricks. Parsons usually attacks first, I guess that's the reason?
Tomorrow's Denver game will be interesting with Gallinari out. It'll be a tough game playing them on a second game of a back-to-back, but, not having Gallinari could really affect Denver and maybe give the Rockets a chance.
I'm betting we'll see the 3 guard line-up tomorrow.
George Karl is such a brilliant coach...McHale's coaching is so inferior compared to his. Hopefully, Jeremy Lin the coach will make a huge impact to win the game tomorrow.
Gallo is NOT overrated. He's their best pure shooter; Wilson Chandler is not the shooter that Gallo is. Gallinari killed the Rockets singled-handedly in a game that was winnable, except Gallo kept hitting those threes.
Even way back Karl said that to stop the Rox, they had to stop Lin. I expect a really tough night in Denver. Back to back and dumb coaching wil make it just hard to produce a win. Maybe Mchale will just sit out the starters altogether. Lol
Even if Karl is a great coach, I'd still rather have the Rockets face Denver than OKC. The Spurs - they are tough even without Manu, because they are the best coached team in the NBA; but, I think Houston has a chance against the Spurs because of their superior athleticism.
When Lin was injured last year, I wrote that I did not want him to play for George Karl.
George Karl is a fast break offense coach who wants his players to play at maximum speed 100% of the time.
This results in massive injuries. Given that Lin gets bashed more than any player in the NBA, we'd right now be lamenting about Lin not playing due to his body breaking down!
One of the reasons I am McHale's only fan on this board is because I knew he'd have Lin playing at a pace that avoided injury. And that's why we are all looking forward to seeing Lin in the playoffs.
It's games like this that will solidify the credit Lin will rightfully receive for majorly contributing to the Rocket's getting to the playoffs this year. Lin helps the team win like the best of 'em. Unselfish, highly intelligent, highly skilled.
I hope Lin keeps this up. Markedly different Lin we're seeing on the court. Somehow seems...More seasoned than he should be at this point in his career. His confidence is way up, and he doesn't get phased at all by the little things: TOs, misses, etc., I mean even the 4q benchings don't seem to bother him all that much...Instead he jokes about it like how he is allergic.
More command of himself and the flow. Its great watching him work. And best of all, I don't get nervous anymore everytime he gets the ball...Like beginning of the season.
I agree. He's exuding confidence that wasn't there last season even during Linsanity. It's all started with the Clippers game when he shut down CP3 and then with the Orlando game, when he dominated the game and made everyone around him better. I think the players are finally clued into just how good Lin is, and that his contract is looking now like a bargain.
True, as the season progressed he managed to keep himself involved to direct the offense even when he has to find the balance of feeding Harden the ball and making the plays.
In the past, he would get deflated not handling the ball the most time.
But now, he's confident in his 3PT shooting, he knows exactly where to feed his teammates the ball with developing chemistry and most importantly, be disciplined in guarding his man (Lillard/Thomas/CP3) and not overhelp on defense.
It's amazing how much work he put into his shooting has paid off. And somehow, he found his role to share the ball with Harden/Parsons among the randomness.
If Harden and Lin can work on more off-the-ball moves and set plays (i.e. Ray Allen getting behind a screen to shoot), watch out!
psalm, good points. I actually like the play where Beverly brings up the ball, Lin's on the sideline, then, Lin runs towards Bev and gets the ball in attack mode. I like it, because it gives Lin some momentum because he's on the move rather starting a play by standing and dribbling at the top of the key.
Bev and Lin feed off each other very well. They had good chemistry on the play where Lin saw Bev got a clear path to the basket and passed the ball as Bev moved towards the basket. And there was another one during fastbreak when Lin got the ball from Bev and gave it back for another easy layup.
Harden needs to do more off-the-ball moves like this. And so does Lin so they just don't pass to each other on the top of the keys to start making plays.
The future is bright if they play team ball! If they got #6 seed and meet the limping Denver, hellloooo 2nd round :D
Kenoshi said, "Kind of reminds me of a bit of Linsanity except with a lot more purpose and control."
Actually, whenever I happen to stumble across Lin's Knicks highlights, I am sometimes amazed how raw and unpolished some aspects of his game were back then. I guess the improvement is not starkly noticeable from game to game, but when you compare footage of last year, it really is striking.
"His confidence is way up, and he doesn't get phased at all by the little things: TOs, misses, etc., I mean even the 4q benchings don't seem to bother him all that much...Instead he jokes about it like how he is allergic."
Just my theory, but it seems like earlier in the season, he kept having to look over his shoulder with such a short lease. One little mistake and he'd get yanked. Most people, including Lin, don't perform well under those kind of conditions.
But then, Lin had all those great games, and he STILL got benched in 4th quarters. Lin realized that it didn't matter how he performed, McHale was going to make irrational substitutions and bench him anyways. Ironically, that allowed Lin to play more carefree and aggressive, knowing that he'd be benched regardless. He didn't worry about it anymore and started joking about it.
Occu, you mean like driving into the paint not really knowing what he's going to do then turning the ball over? That rarely happens now.
Even though he still turns the ball over at a fairly high rate, his turnovers are different from last year's turnovers. Like tonight, two of his turnovers were from a long pass that came out too slow and short, and that homerun bounce pass to Harden he tried with the team up by 20 and garbage time about to occur.
In other words, more of his turnovers are because of aggressive but safe plays rather than because of reckless or careless play. A turnover on a long bomb pass isn't that bad, because it doesn't turn into an easy basket because the defense is still back and no fast break point is possible.
real-dsb, I made that point after McCrazyHale benched the entire starting quard against Memphis in a game that could have been won. I said that giving Harden and Parsons the Lin treatment would help Lin realize that McHale truly is crazy, and that he shouldn't take mchale's weird obsessive nitpicking criticism of Lin too personally. I said that after that game, we might see Lin play more looser and freer the rest of the season.
And that's exactly what has seemed to happen with Lin.
Roberlin, when I said he was raw, I'm partly referring to his handle (look at his handle in the first Nets game for example, that's not tight ball handling and he was often dribbling too high last year, also his getting frequently stripped when driving into the paint), and playing recklessly in his top gear all the time. This year, he is so good at doing the wrap-around pass around the secondary 'big' defender, it's like a staple move now, but he couldn't do that last year. More importantly, he can see that play now before it even unfolds, whereas last year it seemed to me he often passed in that situation more as a last resort Also, in his dribble penetration, he now has his head up to see the floor better instead of putting his head down and barreling in (which Felton still does, even so late in his career). In general, just more control this year. I'll use the cliche 'the game has slowed down for him' now; he can see so much more of what is happening on the court and react to it, instead of being merely reactive.
Lin was a rookie last year that played 1/2 a season. So not too surprised that he was raw. Look what he has done in a full year of development while coming back from injury and being marginalized and we can appreciate that since February, Lin has improved dramatically in his sophomore year / since Feb.
For sure athletic skills is important, but I also believe its over rated. I've talk a lot about mental skills because it's what separates great players and average players. As great a player Lebron is, he'll always be remember for leaving Cleveland in order to play with 2 other franchise players in order to win a championship.
What Lin brings to his cerebral game is how well he uses his skills to the max. People don't understand why Lin is a winner and they want to give the credit to harden or anyone else they could find. It's like a boxer fighting against a UFC fighter. It's just not a fair. When Lin plays the game he uses all of his weapons, 2, 3, 4 and 5. Most teams use options 1, 2 and sometimes 3 if they have a high payroll team like LA, and Heat. Lin's limited technical skill is more than made up by his clutch mentality and how well he uses what he personal owns; add that to his ability to use his teammates' abilities as well and you can see why he is special.
Yes agree ... Examples of great hof players that were foundation to winning championship teams ("dynasties") but were not extraordinary athletic specimens: Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.
There were quicker, higher jumping, and more physically dominant-looking star players during their era. But what set Magic and Bird apart, in my opinion, it was their court intelligence, mental game, ability to raise the level of their teammates.
JLin definitely seems to have those same qualities and he is still a work-in-progress.
If physical size and athleticism is the sole criteria then smaller men should just surrender and not even consider defending themselves against bigger men. What about martial strategy, skill, motivation, and spirit?
Of course athleticism helps. But how many pro players have we seen who are great scorers in isolation or rely solely on their athleticism but whose teams always fall short of their potential?
I believe that is one of the main reasons that JLin's winning ways confounds people. Sure Jeremy has enough athleticism. But most observers do not understand, are not accustomed to making the effort to evaluate, or are overly invested in physical attributes to see and appreciate his inside mental game.
A few things about Lin that points to this mental strength has been recorded. 1/ he doesn't do well when playing 1 on1, 3 on 3, but 5 on 5 is when he excels. 2/ 4th quarter scoring, or in this years case, Lin has had to do most of his scoring in the 3rd because he is allergic to the 4th!
Unfortunately, lin's talent doesn't pass the eye test. Most people only see the finisher or scorer and nothing else. Magic has been the most vocal supporter of lin's game because he understands the subtleties of his mind.
As much crap as I give PB, his speed matches really well with Lin on offense. I especially like how PB passes to Lin and starts to cut and Lin draws defender and quickly puts the ball right back into his hands with his back to the defender for PB to easily score a layup...And PB seems to be able to find Lin moving off ball often on a cut, something Harden just doesn't seem to get...Lin/PB has better chemistry than Lin/Harden.
Ken, I agree, they play well off of each other, the way that Harden could do with Lin.
I think the problem with Harden is that Harden actually doesn't do much running and cutting unless he's got the ball and is euro-stepping towards the basket.
PB and Lin actually play at more of a similar pace than Lin and Harden, although Lin can play at a very fast pace under control, while PB never seems like he's under control when he's playing. That guy plays like he's had 10 cups of coffee before the game.
Bev really has uncanny nose for offensive rebounds, along with what seems to be mad vertical.
The Lin as SG and Bev as PG lineup is nice, since Lin doesn't have to spend so much energy chasing the opposing PG; Bev does a nice job of that and his more aggressive defensive style is a nice contrast with Lin's.
I remember I saw someone trying to post up Lin tonight. Was that when Lin was at SG? It's funny how especially guards are so eager to post him up, thinking they can abuse him there.
Roberlin "I think the problem with Harden is that Harden actually doesn't do much running and cutting unless he's got the ball and is euro-stepping towards the basket."
Lin cuts often when Harden has the ball at the top of the key. There have been so many occasions that Lin cuts into the paint and IS OPEN but Harden just holds onto the rock.
occupati0: "Lin cuts often when Harden has the ball at the top of the key. There have been so many occasions that Lin cuts into the paint and IS OPEN but Harden just holds onto the rock."
That's because he waited for Lin to clear the lane for his Euro-step drive. That Lin cut will cramp his style :)
Haha, you're joking but there's probably some truth to that.
Harden ISO is awesome but it is lame when he does it when every defender has settled into his proper position and waiting for Harden to make a move, just like his teammates. I want to see Harden ISO when the defense is rotating, when defenders are forced to switch, when there is motion and opportunities that arise from people in motion. Harden can be even more deadly like that; I don't like seeing 9 players standing around waiting for Harden to make a move.
Lin - *gets open off a cut* "Dude pass the ball wtf!" Harden - "Jeremy quit being such a cockblocker and get out of the way them strippers are watchin', 1st lapdance is free if I score over 30!!!"
"I remember I saw someone trying to post up Lin tonight. Was that when Lin was at SG? It's funny how especially guards are so eager to post him up, thinking they can abuse him there."
I think that was Wesley Matthews. Well, he is a big guard, 6'5" 220, so he's got 1 inch and 20 lbs on Lin. I think he does have a legit post-up game, so that was within his normal moves.
But yeah, Lin excels at defending the post, he's very strong. What I find hilarious is when he's "mismatched" against a SF or PF, and everyone (who doesn't know) is thinking Lin's going to get destroyed. Lin almost always shuts them down 1 on 1.
I would love it if every opponent posted Lin up, he'd be DPOY. =)
real-dsb, thanks for confirming that it was the Portland SG who was trying to post up Lin. (I've seen like a dozen Portland games this year but I can't say I can distinguish the players well with the firstrow feed.) Lin got called for fouling him, IIRC, but I didn't see any foul.
Yeah, SF/PF posting Lin up has been hilarious this year.
But on a serious note, I really want to see Lin learning to post up smaller guards. He already has some good post moves, it's just that few teammates will/can feed to him there properly.
What an outstanding game by Lin. His penetrations tonite were very quick and decisive, almost at will. I've never seen Lin so fast in the little games that I've watched. Always catch the highlights. Watched tonite's game on firstrow and Lin was just a blur. Granted the video quality is poor but Lin was still a blur. Going to his left many times aggressively and successfully. I think he's been practicing that. I think without Mchale holding him back, he can master that left hand very quickly. Boy the league better watch out when he's got his left and the shot on point. Whewee! Rox will forever grant the decision if they trade Lin.
I think it's the pacing. His steps have a lot more deliberateness to them. He is now gearing down on purpose to freeze his opponents then once they're on their heels, he just goes into overdrive. Veteran stuff. Saves energy and the change in pace really makes his top gear seem even faster.
One thing that bugged me during the game - there was that one play that I swear, Asik had the ball down low and got whacked repeatedly by several Portland players and the officials just watched and let the hacking go until Asik finally missed and the Blazers grabbed the rebound. That just seemed really weird.
I think Asik getting hacked without calls happens all the time. It's because Asik is SO STRONG that when he gets hacked, his body is barely moved at all. That guy is a mountain.
"Don't wanna give McHale too much credit because it is what he should've done in the first place."
McHale deserves zero credit. In fact, he deserves negative credit because he prevented the development of Jeremy for most of the season.
At least D'Antoni, who accidentally discovered Jeremy's talent out of desperation (rather than coaching brilliance), was smart enough to recognize what he had found and immediately changed his strategy.
You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink. D'Antoni was smart enough to drink the water. McHale just peed in it.
I am reminded of that Audi commercial where a neighbor informs a man that his baseball is signed by Honus Wagner. The man shrugs and throws the ball to his dog to play fetch. Tagline: True greatness should never go unrecognized.
Yeh,it's amazing to see those two guards playing against Portland. They pressured them so much and I was jumping up and down cheering for them! Jlin is THE point guard and Bev is a decent back up! McHale had better recognize it!
The way Lin is improving is amazing. Just can't say how tough he is mentally to have to be marginalized for a season and still can shine. Lin has proven that he is a starter in the nba. Next year he' ll show them he is an allstar. 2 more years of this crap and he can kiss this unappreciative Rox club goodbye.
They have his bird rights, so they're in full control. If they don't like him, they can trade him away or best case scenario, choose not match an opposing team's offer.
"PB seems to be able to find Lin moving off ball often on a cut, something Harden just doesn't seem to get...Lin/PB has better chemistry than Lin/Harden."
"The Lin as SG and Bev as PG lineup is nice, since Lin doesn't have to spend so much energy chasing the opposing PG"
All good points. Yes, let's give credit where credit is due. Beverley is a good backup PG and complements Jeremy well on the floor. Beverley is unselfish, he defers the ball to Lin. Like others mentioned, I also like it when Beverley brings the ball up, and passes to Lin when he cuts. There's so much more movement on the floor. I'm sure Beverley enjoys playing with Lin more too, because Lin will pass it back to Beverley when he cuts too.
I took note of the fact that Lin waited for Bev to give him a hi5 at the end of scrub time a couple of games ago while ignoring Mchale. A lot has been made about how Lin was being threatened by Bev and it took on a Lin vs Bev battle with a lot of fans. Lin however never looks at it that way. When Bev came into the team, Lin took it as a challenge instead to improve himself. But in truth, it's Lin that's coaching Bev into a nba PG.
Patrick Beverley looked good with Lin playing against second stringers of a lottery team.
The guy still has poor reflexes, as we have been seeing all season. Not even playing with Lin can solve that.
It's just like how people here were crowing that Terrence Jones was going to come in and be the best PF for the Rockets. I tried to tell them that wasn't going to happen, but they wouldn't listen. Then Jones comes out and struggles this game.
Not a bit surprised that Lin played well when the Blazers were without Batum or when the Spurs were without Leonard. Although they wouldn't guard Lin directly, their wrecking style all over the court and ability to get blocks and steals all especially in mid range area did affect Lin's shooting and passing somewhat. Lin simply made it easy today.
Really wish the Rockets have a player like them or someone like Ibaka at either forward position instead of Parsons or any PF the Rockets currently use.
Yeah, I really like Batum (when his wrist isn't bust). He disrupts plays like mad. I still remember him disrupting Lin's attempted alley-oop pass to Chandler in that first Portland game. I'm convinced that if it wasn't Batum defending Chandler, that would have been a successful alley-oop. Instead, Lin ended up looking like a bad decision maker that game.
Nic Batum is a Rockets killer. He dominates athletically on both ends of the court and nobody can do anything about it. When he's on his game, not even Lebron James can stop him.
That highlight version has at least two more plays than Geraldd's. The over back over the shoulder pass to Harden in transition (amazing pass behind him while he was flying downcourt), and the nice drive and dish to DMo but 24 sec expired.
you guys need to redefine the term linsanity. he played great. is that enough to call in linsanity. you guys are over using the term linsanity. linsanity was last season. this season let him just be lin...
Thank you, KHuang. I really hope Harden plays decent D and doesn't allow Iguodala to score easily. If HOU can get this one and move up to 6th seed, it can be a morale boost for HOU to play against DEN in the playoffs.
KHuang, we certainly do want the Rox to win. Other than DEN, Indiana is the only team the Rox haven't beaten this season so the Rox have to play their hearts out to beat DEN in the last game they play against each other. If the Rox is moving up to 6th seed and nothing drastic happens to DEN, the Rox will face DEN in the postseason. So winning this game may signify that the Rox are primed to overachieve by making it to the 2nd round of the playoffs?
Can anyone with an access please post this insider article about Lin
Lin, this year and last April, 5, 2013 APR 5 3:18 PM ET By Tom Carpenter | ESPN.com RECOMMEND0COMMENTS4EMAILPRINT Over 75 games with the Houston Rockets, Jeremy Lin's scoring has dipped a bit from what he did in 35 games with the New York Knicks last season (13.0 PPG, down from 14.6 PPG), but the rest of his stats have remained nearly identical to 2011-12. However, he is playing five more minutes per game this season. So extrapolating that out over 36 minutes per game, his production has waned, according to ESPN Stats & Information, from 19.6 points to 14.6 points and 8.3 dimes to 6.9 dimes
i'd like to see JLin do more of that fake/spin move. he did that a month ago going left, then 270 degree turnaround to finish with his right hand.
from the start of the season, i said that Greg Smith should be the starting 4. it took Mchale ~75 games to figure that out. when Lin did his spin move, the 7'1 Leonard was so focused covering Smith that he didn't even try to contest Lin's shot.
i know most people believe that the Rockets need a veteran starting 4 next season. i don't think it's a necessity because Smith may be the best complement to JLin's game. Smith is not a high volume shooter, and he is so effective finishing off of Lin's dish. as he plays more, his defense will improve, and i think he will become a dominant PF. maybe not a great defender like Ibaka, but someone who can post up, get to the line, and most importantly, be in the right spot for JLin to penetrate, finish or dish.
"i'd like to see JLin do more of that fake/spin move."
Only in the right situations though (1 on 1), it wouldn't work if there was a center in the lane ready to block him after the spin.
"from the start of the season, i said that Greg Smith should be the starting 4."
Me too. I hate the stretch 4 strategy having the PF just sit at the 3 pt line. Of course it's great to have a 4 who can be a potential outside threat. But to do that every time is not optimal strategy.
He's a bit immature. He reaches in a lot and being a rookie the refs call him every time. He can't play fourth quarter during which time each possession counts because the opposition target him each time. They either get a basket and/or a plus one or two free shots just because of his terrible fouls.
I think nearly everyone on this forum agrees that Harden's total disregard for defence puts Rocket's chances of winning seriously at risk. Even the commentators in fourth quarter of Blazers game indicated that their team should try to catch up when Harden came in. What happened was that Garcia 'went into his zone - for missing' plus Harden's poor defence allowed Blazers a 9-2 run.
Luckily McHale brought Lin back in to stem the tide, unlike previously.
Can someone post a link to watch the Portland game? I have league pass and thought they would archive the game but apparently it was a national game so they wont be archiving it. Damn it!
Wow. Lin looked powerful and unstoppable last night. His 3 ball and driving were amazing. I wonder how far this team can go if he is able to play like this for every 7 game series.
He said he woke up and couldn't use his arm, and the trainers did their magic. So, it was something that happened in prev game. Did he pinch a nerve with a fall on elbow, etc? His shooting looked fine, and he said he was fine, but you never know what they can do with shots pre-game, etc. Any general ideas?
Main thing is to stay healthy. Look at all the injuries now other teams are experiencing.
Anyway, the chemistry looks real good and improving. I like to see everyone get involved and contributing. Hopefully Harden buys into the team concept and follows Jeremy's leadership. He doesn't care about stats; just winning.
and I pray Jeremy won't tear his ACL......ever
ReplyDeleteWhy? He gets hurt on his ACL ?? I watched icing his elbow tonight... I hope he's fine.
DeleteI think if you don do those crazy move like Rose did, you are more unlikely to hurt your ACL, hopefully.
DeleteWhere is Rose anyway...oh yeah still recouping cause he won't be back until he feels he's 100%
DeleteAnd people give Lin crap when he says he was 80%.
Rose said he wasn't coming back until he's 110%!
Deletehttp://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/bulls/2013/02/12/derrick-rose-knee-injury-return-chicago-bulls/1912521/
Please don't think like that. Please no negative thoughts about Lin and tearing an ACL, ok?
Delete@Spencer,
DeleteI agree. It's better to say I hope Lin stays healthy. Instead of collective focusing on the specific type of bad injury, which is a very dangerous energy into the ethers. I also hate that it's the first comment under this article. SMH (;~(
Great game by Jeremy! Has McHale finally seen the light? Nah... he's just trying random rotations and getting lucky.
ReplyDeleteProps to Beverley, he is a very good backup guard. Hustles, rebounds, all out effort, and passes the ball. His skills complement Lin's (and Harden's) very well. I'd rather see Lin and Beverley in together rather than Lin and Harden.
Harden - he actually passed the ball back to Lin a few times.
Now if McHale would just let them play teamball instead of experimenting with rotations...That would be wonderful.
DeleteGo Jeremy go!
ReplyDeleteI know announcers cannot watch every game, but, if you are going to be on ESPN, shouldn't you at least do SOME research? Flip Saunders obviously does not. Did he say anything positive about JLin tonight? He was gushing all over "rookie of the year" and all of his 11 points on 4-12 shooting!
ReplyDeleteLol, that's what I said to my wife. The only thing he could say was that Lin was "competitive." That guy should be fired. He was about as bad as a local announcer.
DeleteTo be fair to Saunders, he FINALLY corrected himself at the end of the game.
Delete"Jeremy's stats aren't that high because he has to play next to a ball-dominant guard like James Harden."
He probably assumed Lin was a fluke before the game (race-based garbage as usual), and then saw Lin school Lilliard and the Blazers with his own eyes -- and then realized the truth.
Then why would he say Harden make Lin better while it's clear that Harden's ball dominant style make Lin (or at least his stats) worse?
DeleteThe 3PTs and that fake-out on Lillard surely opened some eyes :)
DeleteHaha!
He's said that Harden made Lin better at the start of the game. But then he said the exact opposite in the 4th quarter. Hoping nobody would notice, ha.
DeletePsalm, he had some jaw-dropping plays tonight, and you could hear it in the Portland crowd.
DeleteBesides the plays already mentioned, he had it going with Greg Smith, when Smith scored 9 straight points, I think most if not all from passes by Lin.
And he totally shut down Lillard, who couldn't get by Lin and looked totally lost at times and just wasn't a factor, either as a scorer or a playmaker.
So, yeah, Lin shut down Lillard, whom Clyde Drexler said was close to being an elite point guard already.
DeleteAwesome game. Really fun to watch. Lin was awesome.
ReplyDeleteI LOVED the three-guard line-up with Harden, Lin, and Beverly. That line-up was a terror on defense, and on offense, the team goes from a three-point shooting team to driving and penetrating. Great move by McHale. I think we'll see more of it with Parsons out with the injury.
"I LOVED the three-guard line-up with Harden, Lin, and Beverly"
DeleteYou know what's even better than that? Just Lin and Beverley without Harden. =)
well, let's give Harden some break because he passed to Lin a few times tonight. He's slowly learning to share :)
DeleteI believe if he trusts Lin more, they would both be unstoppable.
Harden just needs to stop taking bad 3PTers without any ball movement. Crazy ISO!
Ever thought McHale just put in that lineup because Parsons and Delfino were out? When those two came back, it would return to the status quo of "rotation".
DeleteThe three guard line-up made Harden less sticky with the ball, and I think Harden plays better defense against a small forward, because they don't run around as much as guards and so takes less energy.
DeleteCara, who the hell knows? I said he'll use it until Parsons comes back, and if it continues to work, he may use it at times in future games. McHale is so flexible with his line-ups, I can see him going very small with the 3 guards plus Parsons at the 4 and Asik.
Delete"I think Harden plays better defense against a small forward"
Deletehmm, good point, I didn't think of that before. They should just have Harden guard the other team's SF most of the time then. Put Parsons on the SG.
Every time Jeremy is allowed to play his position he schools whatever overhyped PG he faces.
ReplyDeleteBlame McHale -- that POS kept Lin's stats down all year by benching him to cool him off and never playing him to start the 4th. The first 6 weeks? Okay, his knee was recovering, but it was clear Jeremy was plenty strong enough by late December.
This might be the FIRST TIME (no joke) Jeremy has started the 4th all season. And what a coincidence...he dominated. We'll have to wait until next year at least before Jeremy gets the respect he deserves. He needs to put up stats for 99.99% of coaches, media and players to realize how good he is.
He's the only complete young PG in the league. And he's going to show it in a couple years.
He's starting to show it right now.
DeleteHe's had three straight games (Orlando, Sacramento, and Portland) that rival any game he had during Linsanity -3 games each with around 20 points and assists of 11, 10, and 8, 29 in total. Arguably, he's playing better than he did during Linsanity, because he's putting up these numbers with less minutes and playing more off the ball.
The one real positive about the way McHale dissed Lin all season long and kept his minutes down for dumb-ass reasons is that it helped Lin avoid a significant injury coming off knee surgery, and, he is going to be ultra fresh for the playoffs.
I totally agree with you. Mchale was blind... I mean "is" blind.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteActually, he's had "Linsanity" games ALL YEAR. He had about five in a row in December. And then a couple more after an off-game.
DeleteHe's only had two maybe three games in which he's been the primary ballhandler and failed to put up Linsanity stats. First game in Minny and one against New Orleans. And that's I can recall...and I watch every single damn game. It's just that he gets benched or Derek Fisher-ed whenever he starts off cold.
But yeah, at least he's injury free going into the playoffs. And FINALLY the Rockets are learning to trust Jeremy. I don't think McHale would play him like this with Parsons in the lineup, but at least Harden is trusting Lin A LOT more now.
Correction: He had four "Linsanity" games in a row and 6 out of 8 from 12/17-12/31.
DeleteBTW, same thing goes for Mike Conley...he doesn't get enough credit for how good he is. Conley is never considered a Top 5 or even Top 10 PG because his stats are low.
DeleteBut look how great Conley has been doing since Gasol has been injured/banged up! He's average 20/7 in the past 10-15 games! Casual fans and analysts simply don't understand the idea of a player being underused. It's crazy.
Zx, I excluded the Clippers game, a game that I consider one of his best games ever, only because in that game, he didn't put up Linsanity type numbers, even though he won the game by shutting down CP3.
DeleteBut, yes, 4 straight great games by Lin, I've never seen him better all season.
the weird and tragic thing is, it occurred after two straight games in which Lin was effectively benched in the fourth quarter by McCrazyHale. The only thing that prevented McHale from continuing to beat down Lin was that Harden was hurt and so couldn't treat Lin like a scrub in the Clipper game.
WORD!
DeleteClutch on ClutchFans posted the sick video of JLin faking Lillard out of his pants:
ReplyDeletehttp://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=236600
He should post up more...he's outstanding at it. Unfortunately, the Rockets would have to run plays for that to happen. And they won't.
DeleteAndre Miller is still great at posting up other PGs. I love watching him operate down low.
cool! :)
DeleteIt got better and better the more you watched it.
This will make Paul Allen will get into the bidding of Lin in 2 years :)
CFJeremy Lin fakes out Damian Lillard
Holy crap, that was such a great play by Lin. WOW.
DeleteAnd after Lin had that nice reverse lay-up on the fast break, heard plenty of oohs and aahs from the Portland crowd. I bet some of them were actually were beginning to think it might be better to have Lin rather than Lillard as their point guard.
The only time Lilliard "got" Lin tonight was when Lin slipped on a wet spot, haha. The crowd ooh-ed because they though Lilliard broke his ankles. Nope! Just a wet spot -- Jeremy even pointed to the wet spot right before that play to tell the refs about it.
DeleteThe only Blazer who can slow Jeremy down is Nic Batum...and he was out tonight. Once Batum was out, Jeremy was free to beast.
Still hate that racist forum tho.
DeleteLove that play.
DeleteLin is laughing and saying "rookie!" hahaha...
He needs to make that into a signature move a la dreamshake.. He gets into the lane so fast, it could definitely work on a consistent basis.
DeleteBest comment I read about this play:
Delete"This fake was so nasty i switched to pornhub when my mom walked in."
BTW I think it was a legit dream shake...Faked Lillard so hard he's like "Where'd he go?!" and Aldridge is like "where'd who go?!"
BTW if I remember correctly he did it quite often last year, he'd shake someone out then shoot a fadeaway that always went in.
DeleteAnybody knows Lin's elbow fine ?
ReplyDelete8-13...looks fine to me!
DeleteJust soreness and precautionary icing/brace-wearing. If it was serious he wouldn't have come back with a double-digit lead. He was smiling and looking good all night.
This time of the year, everyone is a little banged up. Glad it's not his knees.
Tweeting from Howard Chen @ho_chenCSN 20m
DeleteLin: it was a muscle in his forearm, says it was weird. Says it hurt durin Kings game, but not as bad. Sleeve helpd keep it warm, compressd.
Anyone know what that can affect? I watch basketball but have 0 knowledge of the physical mechanics.
DeleteAs long as it's just muscle pain, it's no big deal. Was worried for a sec that it was his elbow (i.e. a joint/ligament).
Delete@Kenoshi
DeleteIt causes you to shoot 8/13 with 2 threes and 4/5 FTs, haha.
So its a plus not minus. Got it :)
Deletepaging Stu...
Deletehe should be able to help out explaining.
hmm, maybe some kind of deep muscle bruise? well, as long it isn't anything serious, you have to be pretty happy with the results! maybe the shooting sleeve helps. hey, it works for a lot of the other premier shooters in the game!
DeleteYesssss!!! Knee healed, check. Mastered New shooting form, check. Respect of teammates, check...only one more thing left, mchale will admit his mistake and fully respect and appreciate Linsanity.
ReplyDeleteLin dominated Lillard in their last match up too.
ReplyDeleteThis game was fucking awesome for Lin. I can't wait for highlights.
ReplyDeletestill waiting... :)
DeleteFlip Sanders is a pal of Kevin McHale. McHale hired Sanders as his coach in Minny only because they were former college teammates. His view of Lin probably just reflected McHale's view.
ReplyDeleteJust saying.
Ah, that does help explain it some.
Deleteoh that's right, good point
Deletemakes perfect sense.
DeleteHe was the coach for the Washington Wizards when they were totally pathetic and got himself fired. Tonight's pathetic commentating probably is a reflection of his coaching - the guy is unprepared.
Deleteanother proof for McHale's non-believer of Jeremy!
DeleteSanders' comment of "Lin is a good spot up shooter" especially show how he and McHale wasted so many of KG's prime years. Only God knows how many players they have misused and ruined.
Deletefyi, it's flip saunders. Yeah, that line infuriated me, because it was more opinionated spin you might hear on First Take or Numbers Never Lie rather than objective analysis based on research and actually watching the games.
DeleteI had said in the previous post thread that I believe Lin would beat the first unit with the second string guys. Tonight, Lin showed what team ball can do again with the second unit. Harden, parsons, Bev, GS and Asik wouldn't stand a chance because they'll be coached by Mchale. Lin would kill them just because of that alone. Lin just has the ability to make all of his teammates shine.
ReplyDeleteLet's see if Mchale is smart enough to put Lin on the floor with the second unit rather than Parsons.
DeleteThis is the one area where I vaguely understand McHale. He wants to FORCE Lin to co-exist with Harden, so he refuses to stagger their minutes. He's old-school that way.
DeleteThat said, you simply cannot squander your team's #1 advantage -- having two outstanding attacking guards -- by not staggering their minutes. Houston and San Antonio are the only NBA teams who can have an elite offensive guard on the floor at all times.
You give way too much credit to Mchale. He thinks that parsons is so much better than Lin so he has parson anchor the second unit instead.
DeleteMcHale can't stagger Lin's minutes. Lin is like a man and a half on defense, his "half" is needed to somehow cover Harden's 0 defense.
DeleteThere were too many times that when Lin is with 2nd unit, Line tried to get them going, but it was bricks after bricks after bricks. Parsons usually attacks first, I guess that's the reason?
DeleteAsik did the same thing too if you can remember. Lin juts forced them to to own up to their inner ability.
DeleteThat's the linning affect!
I have to say I was astounded by Lin's faith in D-Mo. I got exasperated, but as you say Bob C F Chan, that is the "linning effect!"
DeleteTomorrow's Denver game will be interesting with Gallinari out. It'll be a tough game playing them on a second game of a back-to-back, but, not having Gallinari could really affect Denver and maybe give the Rockets a chance.
ReplyDeleteI'm betting we'll see the 3 guard line-up tomorrow.
George Karl is such a brilliant coach...McHale's coaching is so inferior compared to his. Hopefully, Jeremy Lin the coach will make a huge impact to win the game tomorrow.
DeleteGeorge Karl is going to try and shut Lin down to disrupt Rox offense and force Harden to ISO then trap him. Watch.
DeleteAgreed. Karl is so good with his Xs and Os, I'm not sure I want to face Denver in the playoffs even without Gallinari and a banged up Lawson.
DeleteKarl is the only coach who realizes that Lin is actually more dangerous than Harden -- he even had the guts to say it on record.
Also, Gallo is overrated. Wilson Chandler and Corey Brewer are plenty good enough replacements. Wilson on offense, Brewer on defense...that's depth.
I think it will be more like, Lin been shutdown at beginning, and Harden "Force" himself go into ISO mode and been trapped. lol
Deleteagree. Jeremy has to be careful and not get himself into foul trouble or any injury by the tight defense.
DeleteGallo is NOT overrated. He's their best pure shooter; Wilson Chandler is not the shooter that Gallo is. Gallinari killed the Rockets singled-handedly in a game that was winnable, except Gallo kept hitting those threes.
DeleteI haven't really been following Denver. Isn't Lawson out too?
Delete@Brent hahaha what was I thinking Harden "forces" himself to ISO just fine :D
DeleteEven way back Karl said that to stop the Rox, they had to stop Lin. I expect a really tough night in Denver. Back to back and dumb coaching wil make it just hard to produce a win. Maybe Mchale will just sit out the starters altogether. Lol
DeleteEven if Karl is a great coach, I'd still rather have the Rockets face Denver than OKC. The Spurs - they are tough even without Manu, because they are the best coached team in the NBA; but, I think Houston has a chance against the Spurs because of their superior athleticism.
DeleteWhen Lin was injured last year, I wrote that I did not want him to play for George Karl.
DeleteGeorge Karl is a fast break offense coach who wants his players to play at maximum speed 100% of the time.
This results in massive injuries. Given that Lin gets bashed more than any player in the NBA, we'd right now be lamenting about Lin not playing due to his body breaking down!
One of the reasons I am McHale's only fan on this board is because I knew he'd have Lin playing at a pace that avoided injury. And that's why we are all looking forward to seeing Lin in the playoffs.
Jlin winning!!! love it. Nice game. He is a marksman now.
ReplyDeleteIt's games like this that will solidify the credit Lin will rightfully receive for majorly contributing to the Rocket's getting to the playoffs this year. Lin helps the team win like the best of 'em. Unselfish, highly intelligent, highly skilled.
ReplyDeleteGood to see you bamboo Forest, keep posting. I'm not being sarcastic either.
DeleteI hope Lin keeps this up. Markedly different Lin we're seeing on the court. Somehow seems...More seasoned than he should be at this point in his career. His confidence is way up, and he doesn't get phased at all by the little things: TOs, misses, etc., I mean even the 4q benchings don't seem to bother him all that much...Instead he jokes about it like how he is allergic.
ReplyDeleteMore command of himself and the flow. Its great watching him work. And best of all, I don't get nervous anymore everytime he gets the ball...Like beginning of the season.
Kind of reminds me of a bit of Linsanity except with a lot more purpose and control.
DeleteAgreed. Really proud of the progress he's made.
DeleteI agree. He's exuding confidence that wasn't there last season even during Linsanity. It's all started with the Clippers game when he shut down CP3 and then with the Orlando game, when he dominated the game and made everyone around him better. I think the players are finally clued into just how good Lin is, and that his contract is looking now like a bargain.
DeleteTrue, as the season progressed he managed to keep himself involved to direct the offense even when he has to find the balance of feeding Harden the ball and making the plays.
DeleteIn the past, he would get deflated not handling the ball the most time.
But now, he's confident in his 3PT shooting, he knows exactly where to feed his teammates the ball with developing chemistry and most importantly, be disciplined in guarding his man (Lillard/Thomas/CP3) and not overhelp on defense.
It's amazing how much work he put into his shooting has paid off.
And somehow, he found his role to share the ball with Harden/Parsons among the randomness.
If Harden and Lin can work on more off-the-ball moves and set plays (i.e. Ray Allen getting behind a screen to shoot), watch out!
psalm, good points. I actually like the play where Beverly brings up the ball, Lin's on the sideline, then, Lin runs towards Bev and gets the ball in attack mode. I like it, because it gives Lin some momentum because he's on the move rather starting a play by standing and dribbling at the top of the key.
Deleteexactly, Roberlin!
DeleteBev and Lin feed off each other very well. They had good chemistry on the play where Lin saw Bev got a clear path to the basket and passed the ball as Bev moved towards the basket. And there was another one during fastbreak when Lin got the ball from Bev and gave it back for another easy layup.
Harden needs to do more off-the-ball moves like this. And so does Lin so they just don't pass to each other on the top of the keys to start making plays.
The future is bright if they play team ball!
If they got #6 seed and meet the limping Denver, hellloooo 2nd round :D
Kenoshi said, "Kind of reminds me of a bit of Linsanity except with a lot more purpose and control."
DeleteActually, whenever I happen to stumble across Lin's Knicks highlights, I am sometimes amazed how raw and unpolished some aspects of his game were back then. I guess the improvement is not starkly noticeable from game to game, but when you compare footage of last year, it really is striking.
"His confidence is way up, and he doesn't get phased at all by the little things: TOs, misses, etc., I mean even the 4q benchings don't seem to bother him all that much...Instead he jokes about it like how he is allergic."
DeleteJust my theory, but it seems like earlier in the season, he kept having to look over his shoulder with such a short lease. One little mistake and he'd get yanked. Most people, including Lin, don't perform well under those kind of conditions.
But then, Lin had all those great games, and he STILL got benched in 4th quarters. Lin realized that it didn't matter how he performed, McHale was going to make irrational substitutions and bench him anyways. Ironically, that allowed Lin to play more carefree and aggressive, knowing that he'd be benched regardless. He didn't worry about it anymore and started joking about it.
Occu, you mean like driving into the paint not really knowing what he's going to do then turning the ball over? That rarely happens now.
DeleteEven though he still turns the ball over at a fairly high rate, his turnovers are different from last year's turnovers. Like tonight, two of his turnovers were from a long pass that came out too slow and short, and that homerun bounce pass to Harden he tried with the team up by 20 and garbage time about to occur.
In other words, more of his turnovers are because of aggressive but safe plays rather than because of reckless or careless play. A turnover on a long bomb pass isn't that bad, because it doesn't turn into an easy basket because the defense is still back and no fast break point is possible.
real-dsb, I made that point after McCrazyHale benched the entire starting quard against Memphis in a game that could have been won. I said that giving Harden and Parsons the Lin treatment would help Lin realize that McHale truly is crazy, and that he shouldn't take mchale's weird obsessive nitpicking criticism of Lin too personally. I said that after that game, we might see Lin play more looser and freer the rest of the season.
DeleteAnd that's exactly what has seemed to happen with Lin.
Just call me Nostradamus. Lol.
benched the entire starting squad for the fourth quarter against Memphis, even Harden and McHale's favorite son Parsons.
DeleteRoberlin, when I said he was raw, I'm partly referring to his handle (look at his handle in the first Nets game for example, that's not tight ball handling and he was often dribbling too high last year, also his getting frequently stripped when driving into the paint), and playing recklessly in his top gear all the time.
DeleteThis year, he is so good at doing the wrap-around pass around the secondary 'big' defender, it's like a staple move now, but he couldn't do that last year. More importantly, he can see that play now before it even unfolds, whereas last year it seemed to me he often passed in that situation more as a last resort
Also, in his dribble penetration, he now has his head up to see the floor better instead of putting his head down and barreling in (which Felton still does, even so late in his career).
In general, just more control this year. I'll use the cliche 'the game has slowed down for him' now; he can see so much more of what is happening on the court and react to it, instead of being merely reactive.
Lin was a rookie last year that played 1/2 a season. So not too surprised that he was raw. Look what he has done in a full year of development while coming back from injury and being marginalized and we can appreciate that since February, Lin has improved dramatically in his sophomore year / since Feb.
DeleteFor sure athletic skills is important, but I also believe its over rated. I've talk a lot about mental skills because it's what separates great players and average players. As great a player Lebron is, he'll always be remember for leaving Cleveland in order to play with 2 other franchise players in order to win a championship.
What Lin brings to his cerebral game is how well he uses his skills to the max. People don't understand why Lin is a winner and they want to give the credit to harden or anyone else they could find. It's like a boxer fighting against a UFC fighter. It's just not a fair. When Lin plays the game he uses all of his weapons, 2, 3, 4 and 5. Most teams use options 1, 2 and sometimes 3 if they have a high payroll team like LA, and Heat. Lin's limited technical skill is more than made up by his clutch mentality and how well he uses what he personal owns; add that to his ability to use his teammates' abilities as well and you can see why he is special.
Yes agree ... Examples of great hof players that were foundation to winning championship teams ("dynasties") but were not extraordinary athletic specimens: Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.
DeleteThere were quicker, higher jumping, and more physically dominant-looking star players during their era. But what set Magic and Bird apart, in my opinion, it was their court intelligence, mental game, ability to raise the level of their teammates.
JLin definitely seems to have those same qualities and he is still a work-in-progress.
If physical size and athleticism is the sole criteria then smaller men should just surrender and not even consider defending themselves against bigger men. What about martial strategy, skill, motivation, and spirit?
DeleteOf course athleticism helps. But how many pro players have we seen who are great scorers in isolation or rely solely on their athleticism but whose teams always fall short of their potential?
I believe that is one of the main reasons that JLin's winning ways confounds people. Sure Jeremy has enough athleticism. But most observers do not understand, are not accustomed to making the effort to evaluate, or are overly invested in physical attributes to see and appreciate his inside mental game.
A few things about Lin that points to this mental strength has been recorded. 1/ he doesn't do well when playing 1 on1, 3 on 3, but 5 on 5 is when he excels. 2/ 4th quarter scoring, or in this years case, Lin has had to do most of his scoring in the 3rd because he is allergic to the 4th!
DeleteUnfortunately, lin's talent doesn't pass the eye test. Most people only see the finisher or scorer and nothing else. Magic has been the most vocal supporter of lin's game because he understands the subtleties of his mind.
Lin with mad swag tonight. I don't think I've seen him play with such looseness and creativity this year as tonight.
ReplyDeleteAlso, tonight was a nice showcase of his improved handle.
Geraldd highlights.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOTmdgwWA2s
Yes motherf*ckers! Thanks Occupatl0.
DeleteAs much crap as I give PB, his speed matches really well with Lin on offense. I especially like how PB passes to Lin and starts to cut and Lin draws defender and quickly puts the ball right back into his hands with his back to the defender for PB to easily score a layup...And PB seems to be able to find Lin moving off ball often on a cut, something Harden just doesn't seem to get...Lin/PB has better chemistry than Lin/Harden.
DeleteKen, I agree, they play well off of each other, the way that Harden could do with Lin.
DeleteI think the problem with Harden is that Harden actually doesn't do much running and cutting unless he's got the ball and is euro-stepping towards the basket.
PB and Lin actually play at more of a similar pace than Lin and Harden, although Lin can play at a very fast pace under control, while PB never seems like he's under control when he's playing. That guy plays like he's had 10 cups of coffee before the game.
Bev really has uncanny nose for offensive rebounds, along with what seems to be mad vertical.
DeleteThe Lin as SG and Bev as PG lineup is nice, since Lin doesn't have to spend so much energy chasing the opposing PG; Bev does a nice job of that and his more aggressive defensive style is a nice contrast with Lin's.
I remember I saw someone trying to post up Lin tonight. Was that when Lin was at SG? It's funny how especially guards are so eager to post him up, thinking they can abuse him there.
Roberlin "I think the problem with Harden is that Harden actually doesn't do much running and cutting unless he's got the ball and is euro-stepping towards the basket."
DeleteLin cuts often when Harden has the ball at the top of the key. There have been so many occasions that Lin cuts into the paint and IS OPEN but Harden just holds onto the rock.
occupati0: "Lin cuts often when Harden has the ball at the top of the key. There have been so many occasions that Lin cuts into the paint and IS OPEN but Harden just holds onto the rock."
DeleteThat's because he waited for Lin to clear the lane for his Euro-step drive. That Lin cut will cramp his style :)
Haha, you're joking but there's probably some truth to that.
DeleteHarden ISO is awesome but it is lame when he does it when every defender has settled into his proper position and waiting for Harden to make a move, just like his teammates. I want to see Harden ISO when the defense is rotating, when defenders are forced to switch, when there is motion and opportunities that arise from people in motion. Harden can be even more deadly like that; I don't like seeing 9 players standing around waiting for Harden to make a move.
So psalm ur saying:
DeleteLin - *gets open off a cut* "Dude pass the ball wtf!"
Harden - "Jeremy quit being such a cockblocker and get out of the way them strippers are watchin', 1st lapdance is free if I score over 30!!!"
lol
Delete"I remember I saw someone trying to post up Lin tonight. Was that when Lin was at SG? It's funny how especially guards are so eager to post him up, thinking they can abuse him there."
DeleteI think that was Wesley Matthews. Well, he is a big guard, 6'5" 220, so he's got 1 inch and 20 lbs on Lin. I think he does have a legit post-up game, so that was within his normal moves.
But yeah, Lin excels at defending the post, he's very strong. What I find hilarious is when he's "mismatched" against a SF or PF, and everyone (who doesn't know) is thinking Lin's going to get destroyed. Lin almost always shuts them down 1 on 1.
I would love it if every opponent posted Lin up, he'd be DPOY. =)
real-dsb, thanks for confirming that it was the Portland SG who was trying to post up Lin. (I've seen like a dozen Portland games this year but I can't say I can distinguish the players well with the firstrow feed.) Lin got called for fouling him, IIRC, but I didn't see any foul.
DeleteYeah, SF/PF posting Lin up has been hilarious this year.
But on a serious note, I really want to see Lin learning to post up smaller guards. He already has some good post moves, it's just that few teammates will/can feed to him there properly.
@OccupatiO "I've seen like a dozen Portland games this year but I can't say I can distinguish the players well with the firstrow feed"
DeleteYou're still using firstrow? keep this on the DL:
http://www.reddit.com/r/nba/search?q=rockets+game&sort=relevance&restrict_sr=on&t=week
real-dsb, I have League Pass and only do firstrow for national games. Aren't I ghetto? It really is. LOL.
DeleteI've seen that VLC link on reddit many times but never tried it. But I'll check that out in the future. Cheers.
Wesley Matthews is not 20 lbs heavier than Lin.
DeleteActually, I'll bet that a bathroom scale would show Lin and Matthews being the same weight.
If anything, Lin can bash Matthews around. Lin is stronger than most 2 guards in the league and can run circles around all of them.
What an outstanding game by Lin. His penetrations tonite were very quick and decisive, almost at will. I've never seen Lin so fast in the little games that I've watched. Always catch the highlights. Watched tonite's game on firstrow and Lin was just a blur. Granted the video quality is poor but Lin was still a blur. Going to his left many times aggressively and successfully. I think he's been practicing that. I think without Mchale holding him back, he can master that left hand very quickly. Boy the league better watch out when he's got his left and the shot on point. Whewee! Rox will forever grant the decision if they trade Lin.
ReplyDeleteregret not grant
DeleteI think it's the pacing. His steps have a lot more deliberateness to them. He is now gearing down on purpose to freeze his opponents then once they're on their heels, he just goes into overdrive. Veteran stuff. Saves energy and the change in pace really makes his top gear seem even faster.
DeleteI loved his top gear tonight. Even after having seen every single game of his, that gear still surprises and delights me.
DeleteOne thing that bugged me during the game - there was that one play that I swear, Asik had the ball down low and got whacked repeatedly by several Portland players and the officials just watched and let the hacking go until Asik finally missed and the Blazers grabbed the rebound. That just seemed really weird.
ReplyDeleteI think Asik getting hacked without calls happens all the time. It's because Asik is SO STRONG that when he gets hacked, his body is barely moved at all. That guy is a mountain.
DeleteI freaking loved the Bev-Lin line up. It worked surprisingly well. And by doing so, McHale was able to stagger Lin/ Harrden time in the court.
ReplyDeleteDon't wanna give McHale too much credit because it is what he should've done in the first place.
I just hope this line up continues when parsons and delfino return. The longer Jeremy is on the court, the more great things happen...
"Don't wanna give McHale too much credit because it is what he should've done in the first place."
DeleteMcHale deserves zero credit. In fact, he deserves negative credit because he prevented the development of Jeremy for most of the season.
At least D'Antoni, who accidentally discovered Jeremy's talent out of desperation (rather than coaching brilliance), was smart enough to recognize what he had found and immediately changed his strategy.
You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink. D'Antoni was smart enough to drink the water. McHale just peed in it.
I am reminded of that Audi commercial where a neighbor informs a man that his baseball is signed by Honus Wagner. The man shrugs and throws the ball to his dog to play fetch. Tagline: True greatness should never go unrecognized.
Since when does a coach get credit for letting his starting PG play starter minutes? Since when is the default a meaningful choice?
DeleteYeh,it's amazing to see those two guards playing against Portland. They pressured them so much and I was jumping up and down cheering for them! Jlin is THE point guard and Bev is a decent back up! McHale had better recognize it!
DeleteThe Best Backcourt
ReplyDeleteThe way Lin is improving is amazing. Just can't say how tough he is mentally to have to be marginalized for a season and still can shine. Lin has proven that he is a starter in the nba. Next year he' ll show them he is an allstar.
ReplyDelete2 more years of this crap and he can kiss this unappreciative Rox club goodbye.
They have his bird rights, so they're in full control. If they don't like him, they can trade him away or best case scenario, choose not match an opposing team's offer.
DeleteYa know, that DeAleck guy from CF is 10-0 in his predictions!
ReplyDeleteAnd they simply came from his gut feeling.
If he predicts win vs Nuggets in the back-to-back game and turns out right, that would be amazing!
Its those alien tape worms telling him the future.
DeleteI am tracking him for ahm educational purposes...
How many points would Lin need to average the rest of the way to average 14ppg for the season?
ReplyDeletescores 25pts for the next 6 games, average=13.96; 26pts each game, average=14.04
Deleteunless Harden has the rest for the remaining games
Deleteyeah, rather unlikely for Jeremy to score 25pts in 6 consecutive games with Harden handling the rock half of the time.
DeleteThank you.
DeleteA bit off topic but coach Nick talking about Harden's attack:
ReplyDeleteHarden is predictable but still lethal hmm
"PB seems to be able to find Lin moving off ball often on a cut, something Harden just doesn't seem to get...Lin/PB has better chemistry than Lin/Harden."
ReplyDelete"The Lin as SG and Bev as PG lineup is nice, since Lin doesn't have to spend so much energy chasing the opposing PG"
All good points. Yes, let's give credit where credit is due. Beverley is a good backup PG and complements Jeremy well on the floor. Beverley is unselfish, he defers the ball to Lin. Like others mentioned, I also like it when Beverley brings the ball up, and passes to Lin when he cuts. There's so much more movement on the floor. I'm sure Beverley enjoys playing with Lin more too, because Lin will pass it back to Beverley when he cuts too.
I took note of the fact that Lin waited for Bev to give him a hi5 at the end of scrub time a couple of games ago while ignoring Mchale. A lot has been made about how Lin was being threatened by Bev and it took on a Lin vs Bev battle with a lot of fans. Lin however never looks at it that way. When Bev came into the team, Lin took it as a challenge instead to improve himself. But in truth, it's Lin that's coaching Bev into a nba PG.
DeleteJeremy Lin + Patrick Beverly = deadly back court combo
ReplyDeleteIts really work since Patrick truly knows what Jeremy can do. He trust Lin as a leader, so he always pass back the ball to Lin.
DeleteLet's not get ahead of ourselves, guys.
DeletePatrick Beverley looked good with Lin playing against second stringers of a lottery team.
The guy still has poor reflexes, as we have been seeing all season. Not even playing with Lin can solve that.
It's just like how people here were crowing that Terrence Jones was going to come in and be the best PF for the Rockets. I tried to tell them that wasn't going to happen, but they wouldn't listen. Then Jones comes out and struggles this game.
Lin overcomes arm tweak to score 22
ReplyDeleteBtw Lin looks really cool when wearing the sleeve. Can he just keep wearing those to have more protection?
do they have a padded head sleeve? that's what Jeremy really needs! =D
DeleteMaybe Lin should call Iron Man for another new tailor-made robot
DeleteMore like Lin should find Yoda and learn to use the force...
DeleteLin - "You will pass the ball to me Harden"
Harden - "I will gladly pass the ball to you Jeremy!"
And all those cheap shots would result in calls...THAT'S what Lin REALLY needs...Learn to use The Force!
DeleteLin wore the standard hex padded shooter's sleeve
Deletehe should keep the mouth guard too.
DeleteMouthguard, sleeves, now he needs some dragon tatoos and his linsanity killer look is complete!
DeleteJLin post-game interview. He talks about that sleeve too haha.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7MKRZRYRjo
"Laughed (but didn't deny) that could be result of too many video games."
Deletehttps://twitter.com/JasonCFriedman/status/320413029361668096
and piano =D better put those away until the offseason!
Villarreal postgame comments.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrUF7TnbKYU
Not a bit surprised that Lin played well when the Blazers were without Batum or when the Spurs were without Leonard. Although they wouldn't guard Lin directly, their wrecking style all over the court and ability to get blocks and steals all especially in mid range area did affect Lin's shooting and passing somewhat. Lin simply made it easy today.
ReplyDeleteReally wish the Rockets have a player like them or someone like Ibaka at either forward position instead of Parsons or any PF the Rockets currently use.
Yeah, I really like Batum (when his wrist isn't bust). He disrupts plays like mad. I still remember him disrupting Lin's attempted alley-oop pass to Chandler in that first Portland game. I'm convinced that if it wasn't Batum defending Chandler, that would have been a successful alley-oop. Instead, Lin ended up looking like a bad decision maker that game.
DeleteLast game, Batum was injured but still produced.
DeleteNic Batum is a Rockets killer. He dominates athletically on both ends of the court and nobody can do anything about it. When he's on his game, not even Lebron James can stop him.
Batum is a unique player.
Good highlights:
ReplyDeletehttp://youtu.be/RMhBchP_7Ko
That highlight version has at least two more plays than Geraldd's. The over back over the shoulder pass to Harden in transition (amazing pass behind him while he was flying downcourt), and the nice drive and dish to DMo but 24 sec expired.
Deleteits in mandarin lol so not many people can understand it.
DeleteI don't even care about the language spoken. This video had better highlights than Geraldd's.
Deleteyou guys need to redefine the term linsanity. he played great. is that enough to call in linsanity. you guys are over using the term linsanity. linsanity was last season. this season let him just be lin...
ReplyDeleteI don't know what season you're watching, but Lin has had great games like this the throughout the entire season.
DeleteLin hasn't always been used right, even now. Still he puts up massive production.
Linsanity is NORMAL for Jeremy Lin.
Jeremy Lin is getting a spin dribble!
ReplyDeleteWhen I first entered here in January 2012, that was the first thing I said Lin needed to work on.
On that Lillard fakeout play, Lin used two spin moves to completely beat Lillard.
More. I wanna see more.
Who will win the game tonight? HOU or DEN?
DeleteI think Houston, provided Harden doesn't try to hero it up against Andre Iguodala and Corey Brewer.
DeleteTwo things bother the Rockets nowadays:
1) max contract shotblocking big men
2) explosive shooting guards that feast on James Harden's outright refusal to play defense.
Denver doesn't really have either of those things. Hopefully Andre Iguodala doesn't explode against Harden.
Thank you, KHuang. I really hope Harden plays decent D and doesn't allow Iguodala to score easily. If HOU can get this one and move up to 6th seed, it can be a morale boost for HOU to play against DEN in the playoffs.
DeleteHouston also had problems with very athletic big man as well, like Faried.
DeleteNow that Greg Smith and Trob and TJones are steadily manning the PF spot, I think that the Rockets will be just fine up front against the Nuggets.
Deletejanelin7, I hope Houston wins. Denver is the only team the Rockets have not beaten yet.
KHuang, we certainly do want the Rox to win. Other than DEN, Indiana is the only team the Rox haven't beaten this season so the Rox have to play their hearts out to beat DEN in the last game they play against each other. If the Rox is moving up to 6th seed and nothing drastic happens to DEN, the Rox will face DEN in the postseason. So winning this game may signify that the Rox are primed to overachieve by making it to the 2nd round of the playoffs?
DeleteCan anyone with an access please post this insider article about Lin
ReplyDeleteLin, this year and last
April, 5, 2013
APR 5
3:18
PM ET
By Tom Carpenter | ESPN.com
RECOMMEND0COMMENTS4EMAILPRINT
Over 75 games with the Houston Rockets, Jeremy Lin's scoring has dipped a bit from what he did in 35 games with the New York Knicks last season (13.0 PPG, down from 14.6 PPG), but the rest of his stats have remained nearly identical to 2011-12. However, he is playing five more minutes per game this season. So extrapolating that out over 36 minutes per game, his production has waned, according to ESPN Stats & Information, from 19.6 points to 14.6 points and 8.3 dimes to 6.9 dimes
http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/nba/rumors/post?id=5422
i'd like to see JLin do more of that fake/spin move. he did that a month ago going left, then 270 degree turnaround to finish with his right hand.
ReplyDeletefrom the start of the season, i said that Greg Smith should be the starting 4. it took Mchale ~75 games to figure that out. when Lin did his spin move, the 7'1 Leonard was so focused covering Smith that he didn't even try to contest Lin's shot.
i know most people believe that the Rockets need a veteran starting 4 next season. i don't think it's a necessity because Smith may be the best complement to JLin's game. Smith is not a high volume shooter, and he is so effective finishing off of Lin's dish. as he plays more, his defense will improve, and i think he will become a dominant PF. maybe not a great defender like Ibaka, but someone who can post up, get to the line, and most importantly, be in the right spot for JLin to penetrate, finish or dish.
"i'd like to see JLin do more of that fake/spin move."
DeleteOnly in the right situations though (1 on 1), it wouldn't work if there was a center in the lane ready to block him after the spin.
"from the start of the season, i said that Greg Smith should be the starting 4."
Me too. I hate the stretch 4 strategy having the PF just sit at the 3 pt line. Of course it's great to have a 4 who can be a potential outside threat. But to do that every time is not optimal strategy.
'Just finished watching the game (replay).
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy for our boy JLin. He's peaking at the perfect time.
Way to go , Jeremy!
Hey Chan C. Where did you watch a replay of the game? Can you post a link? League pass does not havean archive of the game.
DeleteAs long as Smith manages to stay on court instead of picking up his quick fouls on after another, he will be the PF that'll bother lots of teams.
ReplyDeleteHe's a bit immature. He reaches in a lot and being a rookie the refs call him every time. He can't play fourth quarter during which time each possession counts because the opposition target him each time. They either get a basket and/or a plus one or two free shots just because of his terrible fouls.
DeleteIt's not Smith's folly that puts him in foyl trouble.
DeleteIt's Harden refusing to guard his man, and that player penetrates against Smith to draw fouls.
This is why Greg Smith was PISSED at James Harden.
I think nearly everyone on this forum agrees that Harden's total disregard for defence puts Rocket's chances of winning seriously at risk. Even the commentators in fourth quarter of Blazers game indicated that their team should try to catch up when Harden came in. What happened was that Garcia 'went into his zone - for missing' plus Harden's poor defence allowed Blazers a 9-2 run.
DeleteLuckily McHale brought Lin back in to stem the tide, unlike previously.
Can someone post a link to watch the Portland game? I have league pass and thought they would archive the game but apparently it was a national game so they wont be archiving it. Damn it!
ReplyDeletetry here: http://nbaspot.com/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=34563&sid=77f4f00d9b769725b4b54b1f710efa73
DeleteWow. Lin looked powerful and unstoppable last night. His 3 ball and driving were amazing. I wonder how far this team can go if he is able to play like this for every 7 game series.
ReplyDeleteWe're all wondering if you have any diagnosis of Lin's arm injury?
DeleteThanks
I didn't see the clip. I was at a bar trying to leave and missed the play.
DeleteHe said he woke up and couldn't use his arm, and the trainers did their magic. So, it was something that happened in prev game. Did he pinch a nerve with a fall on elbow, etc? His shooting looked fine, and he said he was fine, but you never know what they can do with shots pre-game, etc. Any general ideas?
DeleteOk the prophet DeAleck has spoken:
ReplyDelete4/6 vs Nuggets @ Denver - Win
Surprisingly, it also seems that DeAleck is Asian.
DeleteAn Asian "Gut-Feeling" Prophet!
DeleteThis would be an amazing prediction if Houston wins tonight. They've never done well in the back end of back-to-back game.
Gallinari might be out but they had the freshest legs plus Manimal and Lawson.
I heard he made 10 correct predictions in a row. If he goes on like that we gonna have to start a new religion around him.
Delete-> the asian orcacle of CF!
DeleteLooks like Lin is having trouble with his shooting hand. Apparently he can't grip anything. Heat and sleeve tonight if he plays.
ReplyDeleteIs it yesterdays or todays news? Sources? THX
DeleteToday... He woke up this morning and can't grip anything. He got hit on the forearm yesterday. Probably a bruised forearm on the palm side of the arm.
Deleteyesterday
DeleteIt was yesterday. Jason Friedman said today that Parsons is still out, and that Delfino is game time decision.
DeleteMain thing is to stay healthy. Look at all the injuries now other teams are experiencing.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, the chemistry looks real good and improving. I like to see everyone get involved and contributing. Hopefully Harden buys into the team concept and follows Jeremy's leadership. He doesn't care about stats; just winning.