R.I.P. Linsanity Feb. 2012 - Nov. 2012

[Blitzace137]

The Rockets are a work in progress.

13 new players. Average age 23. Over half the roster is rookies/sophomores.

Oh, and they've only played 8 games together, with their primary scorer only joining the team 2 days before the start of the season.

They haven't even finished adding their all their PnR's and screens.

Nobody knows what the Rockets offense will look like at this point.

Any conclusions drawn before the new year are suspect.

Oh, and they're .500 after 8 games.

I wonder how many rebuilding franchises would kill to be playing so well this soon?

The Rockets will be fine as a team but IMO that doesn't change the fact that their not utilizing Lin's skill set. Like you said maybe after they add their PnR's and screen things will fall into place.

[Huntey]

He's playing exactly to the level I thought he would; he's doing fine but he's not the star people think he is. He's an okay starting PG but nothing more.

[BBallfan8]

He's playing exactly to the level I thought he would; he's doing fine but he's not the star people think he is. He's an okay starting PG but nothing more.

I wouldn't really call 11 and 6 on 35% shooting "fine" for a starting PG. Especially considering he is averaging 8 and 5 on 32% shooting the past 5 games.

So far this season among PGs he is:

30th in scoring
21st in assists
31st in shooting %

He is among the top in rebounding, steals and has greatly decreased his turnovers however.

[nycericanguy]

He's not getting to the FT line anymore, last year in his 25 game run he was averaging like 7-8 FTA pg, this year he's at 2.6.

Also his TO's being down has alot to do with Harden taking the ball out of his hands so much. In NY he had the ball in his hands ALOT, especially when Melo & Amare were out, so it was only natural that he was going to turn it over 5-6x per game.

I don't know if its just me, but i get the feeling Mchale isn't a big Lin fan, he's relegated Lin to almost being a spot up shooter, which is strange because Lin is not a good outside shooter. And he seems to be trying to even get Toney Douglas more minutes.

[IndyRealist]

He's definitely putting up starter numbers right now in a system that doesn't favor him.

[Chronz]

20th in scoring? His 12 PPG is 12th in the NBA in terms of scoring? I highly doubt that.

And why are you bragging about Lin being ranked 24th in assists out of all PGs in the NBA? You do realize that what your saying is that Out of 30 starting PGs, Lin is #24 making him in the lower tier.

Below average production is still better than D-League production

[LongIslandIcedZ]

He'll get it going. The injury can not be used as an excuse. It's been far too long for that to still be an excuse.

He flourished in a D'Antoni system. He's not the same player that he was during that stretch, and he wont ever be that guy.

He's still a good player and one of my favorites, but in retrospect, I'm kind of glad the Knicks went with the Kidd/Felton/Prigioni platoon instead.

[Nycbball08]

I wish nothing but the best for Lin, he's a good kid.

[strahan92osi72]

Too bad D'Antoni already got the Lakers job. Lin has to be screaming for Mike D's system right now because he's no good without it.

[nycericanguy]

He's definitely putting up starter numbers right now in a system that doesn't favor him.

If 10 & 6 and 35% shooting are "starter numbers" for a team, that team is in deep trouble.

Dragic putting up 16 & 7 on 47% - HOU let him go why? Even if they really wanted Lin, they could have used Lin off the bench as a combo guard. its not like Dragic was asking for alot more money than Lin. Dragic makes $7.5m this year, Lin - $8.3m

Lowry - 18, 6 & 6 on 55% and making less than $6m.

[strahan92osi72]

If 10 & 6 and 35% shooting are "starter numbers" for a team, that team is in deep trouble.

Dragic putting up 16 & 7 on 47% - HOU let him go why? Even if they really wanted Lin, they could have used Lin off the bench as a combo guard. its not like Dragic was asking for alot more money than Lin. Dragic makes $7.5m this year, Lin - $8.3m

Lowry - 18, 6 & 6 on 55% and making less than $6m.

I'm just glad some other team was foolish enough to open up their wallets and throw money at him, Houston really saved the Knicks from another bad contract. We already got Amare's contract, they didn't need another one.

[Weezy]

I like Lin and he is overrated but I wish nothing but the best for him but Harden is the face of that franchise.

[mightybosstone]

Holy crap these threads are getting annoying. The dude is a 23-year-old point guard playing on a completely new team with a new roster of faces for eight days and whose prior experience consisted of a 20 game stretch last season taking over for an injury stricken Knicks team with no other offense. Give the guy a ****ing break!

And everyone keeps talking about how terrible he's been, but aside from his shooting percentages (which are admittedly awful), his numbers aren't bad at all. His 14.5 PER and .100 WS/48 are right at about the league average.

Everyone just needs to chill out. Eight games is not a strong enough sample size, his shots will start falling once he feels more comfortable in this offense and there's enough talent on this roster to be 4-4 after only eight games. He may never be the superstar he was from last season, but I don't think anybody was naive enough to expect that. I'm totally fine with him putting up 12-14 points and 6-7 assists every night as long as his scoring efficiency improves.

[nycericanguy]

^ He's 24.

[todu82]

No surprise to see Lin not doing that well. He had fizzled by the end of the season last year.