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@  CC. : (29 August 2013 - 05:20 AM) I agree Morey is referring to D12 and the new bench cast. But still, I can't picture teammates as a birthday 'gift'. Sounds a little inhuman too. It's like Morey said 'here I got you new friends for your birthday because you weren't satisfied with buddy Delfino'. Teammates are people not material gifts aren't they? Haahaha. It just sounds off to me
@  ale11 : (28 August 2013 - 06:35 PM) It would be pretty morbid to tell Lin via twitter that he is gonna get traded that way...looking at it positively, it meant "I got you DH12 and a bunch of shooters, go nuts with the PnR and show your worth".
@  Rahat Huq : (28 August 2013 - 11:20 AM) pretty sure he meant the new guys we've already acquired
@  CC. : (28 August 2013 - 03:00 AM) In Morey's birthday tweet to J.Lin...he mentioned Lin getting 'new teammates'...are these teammates in a Rocket uniform? Or are they new 'new' teammates? This might get some hopes up for the guys wanting Lin out
@  timetodienow... : (20 August 2013 - 01:15 AM) Good insight, ST.
@  Sir Thursday : (19 August 2013 - 10:12 PM) On a radio show or TV interview you have a lot less time to police yourself. In a forum like an AMA, Morey has much more time to decide what responses are OK and doesn't have to be so guarded. That's my hypothesis, anyway.
@  timetodienow... : (18 August 2013 - 09:42 PM) I can see that. He's always very circumspect when he's talking on camera compared to doing these AMAs. I don't think he's uncomfortable speaking but he's more in his element chatting online.
@  feelingsuper... : (18 August 2013 - 04:23 PM) I think you're on to something timetodie but I wouldn't say he is uncomfortable speaking, we just gleam more insight from what he writes.
@  timetodienow... : (16 August 2013 - 10:35 PM) Has anyone noticed that Morey is more comfortable typing than speaking?
@  2016Champions : (16 August 2013 - 08:53 PM) Daryl Morey's reddit AMA today: http://www.reddit.co...eason_addition/
@  Sir Thursday : (16 August 2013 - 06:54 PM) (Although having said that, Cleveland and Washington being improved mean that there might actually be some competition towards the bottom of the Eastern Conference playoff bracket for once).
@  Sir Thursday : (16 August 2013 - 06:53 PM) They may end up with the 8th seed again this year, but they'll be a team on the up rather than a team that's reached its peak.
@  Sir Thursday : (16 August 2013 - 06:52 PM) That's a lot of shooting, anyhow. And they've filled the bench with serviceable players, too.
@  Sir Thursday : (16 August 2013 - 06:49 PM) (or maybe you put Gary Neal in for Delfino)
@  Sir Thursday : (16 August 2013 - 06:48 PM) It's not a roster completely devoid of talent, anyway. Knight/Mayo/Delfino/Ilyasova/Sanders seems like a reasonable starting lineup.
@  Sir Thursday : (16 August 2013 - 06:45 PM) A lot depends on if they can develop their young guys. Knight, Henson, Antetokounmpo...
@  timetodienow... : (16 August 2013 - 06:41 PM) Although this signing does make them look better to me.
@  timetodienow... : (16 August 2013 - 06:40 PM) Maybe. I don't really care all that much, but it just seems like he's being underpaid. And why would he want to stay in MIL? Have you seen the moves they've made thus far.
@  Sir Thursday : (16 August 2013 - 06:36 PM) A player with 7 years' experience qualifies for a bigger max contract, right? Maybe he's angling for that
@  timetodienow... : (16 August 2013 - 06:33 PM) I hope he has an ETO. That would make the deal make sense in my mind. Otherwise why not play next year and get offered the max by a desperate team and have MIL match?

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Assessing Jeremy Lin: Part 1


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#1 Red94

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    Posted 26 June 2013 - 12:48 AM

    New post: Assessing Jeremy Lin: Part 1
    By: rahat huq

    With the Dwight Howard courting period still some time away from commencement, we’ll turn our direction towards the most polarizing topic in Rockets basketball - Jeremy Lin.

    To begin, a recitation of prior thoughts: My stance all year long was one of opposition to Kevin McHale’s handling of Lin.  I believed that McHale did not properly manage Lin’s playing time and confidence, maintaining a short leash when, in my opinion, the circumstances dictated trust and nurturing.  As the only player on the team other than James Harden able to create his own shot, I believed that Lin should have been given more opportunities to succeed; instead, he was routinely benched in the fourth quarters of close games, after short spurts of poor play, and rarely allowed to attack as the primary point of offense.  I believed that early lenience would bear later fruit through renewed confidence and repetition.

    [While McHale’s approach can only be characterized as myopic, I can’t particularly find fault.  Void of job security, McHale doesn’t have the luxury of coaching for the future, unlike Gregg Popovich of the Spurs.]

    What transpired for Mr. Lin during the postseason was perhaps, with the benefit of hindsight, all too predictable.  In the few games in which he appeared, Lin provided little of anything productive, appearing, if not timid, wildly out of sorts.  However, it would not be accurate nor truthful to conclude that Lin would have fared better had he been given a chance to take his lumps earlier on or that the poor showing was direct result of McHale’s mismanagement.  It could very well be that Lin simply doesn’t have it to compete against physical defense.  Yet I contest that the only way to have truly known would have been to have given him a chance.  Without those in-season reps, Lin didn’t stand a chance in the postseason.

    Lin, the player, is a fascinating paradox.  He shatters racial stereotypes in that his dominant trait is his athleticism.  He’s big, sturdy and possesses elite level quickness.  It’s his skill level that comes up short.  Lin’s main ability is in blowing past defenders with a lethal first step, either one on one, or off the pick and roll.  It’s in facing complex schemes or menacing defenders where he comes undone.  I’ve posited that Lin possibly has the lowest overall skill level of any starting point guard in basketball.  After having watched him closely for an entire season, I still feel comfortable with that assertion.

    Unlike his peers, among deception/change-of-direction moves, Lin only has a standard right-to-left/left-to-right crossover, and a weak one at best.  (Other moves frequently seen in the repertoires of Lin’s peers include the in&out, between the legs, behind the back, and spin.)  Lin also does not have hesitation/head-fake moves.  For these reasons, if Lin is unable to simply blow by his man with sheer quickness, he is left unable to get past his man at all.

    Towards year’s end, I spoke at length with a well-placed individual within the Rockets’ basketball ops specifically about Lin’s development.  When asked, in contrast, about which traits made the very best point guard—Chris Paul—truly great, he responded, “the ability to dribble the ball at different heights.”

    While simple, this is rather profound.  What makes Paul, and formerly Steve Nash, so lethal, is that they can keep a live dribble within cramped spaces by using a tight, close dribble.  Paul can dip his way around picks, inside the paint, stop, stay low, and reassess the opposing defensive coverage prior to making his decisions.  Lin, in contrast, can only blow by initial coverage, maintaining a waist-high handle; he can’t stay low and protect the ball.  For Lin, there is no stop-assess, read-react.  There is only the first initial burst.

    This inability on the part of Lin is a subset of the overall inability to play at different speeds.  Lin can only play fast which is why, to date, he is an average point guard at best.  Point guards are taught from a young age that they can and should always be able to control their man, simply by keeping him at his hip.  They can play slow, they can play fast, or they can even stand their ground in one spot, just by protecting the ball with their bodies.  Lin, on the other hand, lets his man control him, as he simply tries to get past him; Lin can’t keep a live dribble in one spot against a pressing defender.  To any trained eye, it’s apparent that Lin did not play point guard in college.

    Among Lin’s other flaws are poor fundamentals and overall lack of variance in his arsenal.  He has an awkward hitch to his shot and most egregiously, he simply cannot drive left.  If you watch, Lin just isn’t comfortable going in that direction.  There is no burst and if he even does go that way, it will just be a few soft dribbles before a pass off.  Even worse, if taking a layup from the left, Lin jumps off the wrong leg and just resorts to a reverse right-handed layup.  Lin doesn’t have a floater or any unique finishing move.

    For these reasons, Lin will never be a pure floor general even at the level of former Pacer Mark Jackson.  It’s possible that Kevin McHale, a man who’s seen a few games of basketball in his time, noticed this immediately and decided it wasn’t even worth the time and reps.  I contest, however, that even if not serving as a full-fledged pure point, Lin at the least, with more confidence, could have better used his elite quickness in the playoffs to create opportunities as a hybrid guard.  Alas, it didn’t happen and we won’t know.  With that said, if McHale’s thinking truly was in line with my theorization, it at least holds ground against the test of rational basis.

    In the next installment, I’ll discuss Lin’s dramatic shooting improvement over the course of the year with a look ahead to his role in what could possibly be a Dwight-centric offense.


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    #2 rocketrick

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      Posted 26 June 2013 - 01:28 AM

      I believe Rahat does make some valid points in his breakdown of Lin. However, coming down hard on Lin's post season performance without mentioning the fact he was injured towards the end of the first half of game 2 which basically left him unable to play effectively the remainder of the series is totally unfair. In fact, Lin was having a much better game 2 performance up to the time he was injured which very well likely could have resulted in good overall numbers were he to have played the entire second game. I still maintain to this day that the Rockets could have stolen game 2 at OKC were Lin not injured at the end of the first half of that game which resulted in him not returning to game action. No doubt, Lin totally stunk it up in Game 1 but was much more effective the time he played Game 2 (first half only due to his injury).

      Lastly, I recall Tony Parker constantly being pulled in his early years with Popovich which reminds me somewhat of what Coach McHale may have been trying to accomplish with Lin (tough love).
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      #3 Steven

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        Posted 26 June 2013 - 01:35 AM

        2 years playing, two years missed playoff games.
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        #4 rocketrick

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          Posted 26 June 2013 - 01:38 AM

          And playing for 2 different coaches in 2 completely different systems in his 2 seasons not to mention just a couple days prior to the start of the second season under a different system and a different coach the Rockets trade for James Harden which changed everything the Rockets were working towards during the preseason.


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          #5 rockets best fan

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          Posted 26 June 2013 - 01:40 AM

          very good article rahat.  few will accept the reality that Lin is average on his best days.


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          #6 rocketrick

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            Posted 26 June 2013 - 01:44 AM

            very good article rahat.  few will accept the reality that Lin is average on his best days.

            Who are you referring to? Most people on this site are Lin detractors.


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            #7 rockets best fan

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            Posted 26 June 2013 - 01:46 AM

            Who are you referring to? Most people on this site are Lin detractors.

            not true..... there's about a 50/50 split here


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            #8 rocketrick

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              Posted 26 June 2013 - 01:50 AM

              Take off your rose colored glasses RBF. Someone should take a poll to prove that Lin has more detractors on this site. Is Lin the greatest thing since peach cobbler? Of course not, but I for one am looking forward to seeing what he brings to the Rockets in his second season.
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              #9 rockets best fan

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              Posted 26 June 2013 - 01:54 AM

              Take off your rose colored glasses RBF. Someone should take a poll to prove that Lin has more detractors on this site. Is Lin the greatest thing since peach cobbler? Of course not, but I for one am looking forward to seeing what he brings to the Rockets in his second season.

              no rose colored glasses for me......just jump over to the Lin thread and check out how many poster I have debated on Lin. now you know how I feel so the Lin thread didn't get to 25 pages with no Lin supporters


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              #10 rocketrick

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                Posted 26 June 2013 - 01:57 AM

                One of these days I'll actually go over and count the pro-Lin posts and negative-Lin posts and I assure you the negative-Lin posts will far outnumber the pro-Lin posts.
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                #11 rocketrick

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                  Posted 26 June 2013 - 01:59 AM

                  When is 2016 Champions coming back out of the penalty box? I'm sure he has something useful to add in the more recent conversations on this site.


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                  #12 rockets best fan

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                  Posted 26 June 2013 - 02:03 AM

                  When is 2016 Champions coming back out of the penalty box? I'm sure he has something useful to add in the more recent conversations on this site.

                  soon...........but in the mean time I guess you have to hold down the fort :lol:


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                  #13 Rahat Huq

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                    Posted 26 June 2013 - 02:25 AM



                    rick: for me, its not about his numbers. the injury affected his shooting, but it didn't have any impact on the fact that he basically looked like a chicken with its head cut off for most parts of the series. that is reflective of simply not being a point guard.


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                    #14 rocketrick

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                      Posted 26 June 2013 - 02:34 AM

                      1st half, game 2? The last game in the playoffs he was healthy?

                      For sure Lin was horrible in game 1. He probably shouldn't have played in any games after being injured just prior to halftime of game 2. However, after being called out by all of the NY Knicks fans for missing the post-season in 2012, he probably didn't want to go down that road 2 years in a row. So I give him credit for trying. He definitely wasn't himself after the game 2 performance. Not that game 2 was great, but certainly he was showing positive signs in the time he was on the floor and was much more himself and much more effective in game 2.
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                      #15 LargeMouthBass

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                        Posted 26 June 2013 - 03:05 AM



                        Rahat, I'm confused as to how you expect Lin to have made an impact in the playoffs without any sort of dribble moves and a dearth of skill. The crux of your argument isn't consistent with your opening or closing paragraphs.

                        Having said that, I believe you are judging Lin a bit too harshly. Of course, people will have opinions, yet you seem to base much of your argument on Lin's performance in the playoffs. Truth be told, he was pretty awful. However, to use those 4 games in which he played (most of them while he was injured) as a "baseline" assessment I think is unfair. It was his first playoff experience. If Lin detractors will cry that his 20-some-odd games during Linsanity were too small of a sample size to judge his talent and potential, how much less stable of a judgment is one that is based on 4 games?

                        I don't buy, for one instant, that one his best days Lin is an "average" guard. To be fair, on his bad days, he is one of the worst guards in the NBA. I won't just point to that 38-point game against the Spurs, but also his string of 20 point games toward the end of the season. He averaged 15 pts and 6 assists after the all-star game and, despite his "hitch", shot a very respectable clip from 3. It baffles me that in a field where columnists and "experts" place so much value on potential and athleticism, that Lin, at 24, is not afforded the same allotment of time to mature. In your article you state that "He shatters racial stereotypes in that his dominant trait is his athleticism. He’s big, sturdy and possesses elite level quickness." Players are drafted into the NBA based on their athleticism and potential. Skills can be easily taught-- you want a player with the physical tools and the mental maturity to work on his game. At 24, Lin somehow managed to at least showcase some of his potential in his stint with the Knicks. To insinuate that he's already finished growing and developing as a player seems just wrong.


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                        #16 thenit

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                          Posted 26 June 2013 - 03:06 AM

                          <br /><br /><p>I agree with a lot of this except for possibly his ceiling.<br />
                          In regards of the playoffs I thought after the injury that Michael shouldn't have let him play at all basically trusting Lin whereas in reg season I believed Michael had no trust in Lin. So maybe as Rahat alluded to is that he might have seen something in Lin. </p>
                          <p>I thin there is a 50/50 split and I'm on "lins" side if u can put it like that but I'm more objective I hope than some</p>
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                          #17 Johnny Rocket

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                            Posted 26 June 2013 - 03:37 AM



                            I disagree with Rahat's assessment that McHale mismanaged Lin. McHale and the Rockets have had a very consistent policy regarding young players: We are going to insist on doing things the right way or else you won't play. San Antonio has the same policy, by the way--even now, Parker is still pulled from games when he's playing poorly. I think that policy is ultimately the right one.

                            I predict that Lin's career will follow the arc of Mike Conley. With experience and hard work, Lin will become a better than average point guard.


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                            #18 timetodienow1234567

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                            Posted 26 June 2013 - 03:44 AM

                            Lol. We can't argue with facts, but you did not point out that Mchale does not have a PG in this system. If anyone is a PG then it's Harden. I thought Lin improved as an off guard throughout the year. True, going left is not a strength, but I don't think it's as big a weakness as you seem to. You said he shatters racial stereotypes.... Then point out that he relies on his athleticism. Was that a crack at Asian athletes? Then you point out against "complex schemes" he struggles. Was that a stereotype that since he's Asian he should be smarter than other 1st/2nd year players? Why you brought up race at all is confusing. I'm white, but your post came across a little strange. From reading your other posts, I'm sure that it probably wasn't meant that way. But overall a good listing of his weaknesses with a lot of hyperbole thrown in.
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                            Why so Serious? :D


                            #19 pharmag

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                              Posted 26 June 2013 - 04:00 AM

                              I have said for a while that I think Lin has "Ginobili" type skills and potential.  I do not think he will ever be an elite PG, but I think he shows promise as a combo guard, especially coming off the bench.  I think there are two reasons that never really happened: contract and no one else to really take the starting role.  

                               

                              For reference, Ginobili has averaged 15 pts on .450 shooting (.372 from 3pt) w/ 4 reb, 4 ast, 2 TO in 23 minutes for his career.  I hope Bev has shown/shows a lot of growth this offseason and can take over starting PG and allow Lin to be both Bev and Harden's primary backup because I think that is the only way to maximize his skill set.  


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                              #20 rocketrick

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                                Posted 26 June 2013 - 04:05 AM

                                If Lin can't win the starting PG spot, then for sure he needs to be moved. I personally don't see anyone on the current roster that will supplant Lin. No way the Rockets can afford Lin's salary slot as a 6th man/rotation player off the bench.


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