We All Blew It On Lin

[footey]

Every Division I program in America blew it on Lin, followed by every NBA team.  It wasn't just the Celts and Boston fans who failed to predict this.

We'll see whether it's sustainable.  I hope it is, because I love a great story.  I think it's more likely that he settles down and has a J.J. Barea-type career, which would still be pretty impressive.

Harvard is Division 1. Knicks are NBA team, and are now reaping the rewards, however serendipitously.

Harvard didn't give him a scholarship (not did any other D-I team), and no NBA team drafted him.  I suspect you understood my point.

You did not make that point. You said that all Division 1 schools ignored him, you did not say that all Division 1 schools that grant scholarships ignored him.  While true that Ivies don't give scholarships, per se, their financial aid packages are very generous of late,which is why they are becoming more competitive in D 1 sports, as best evidenced by Harvard's climb to the top25 this season.

[chambers]

Last season, Lin played for the Golden State Warriors, who finished at 36-46.  He played in 29 games, averaging a shade under 10 minutes per game and shooting 38.9% from the field.  There are some posters on this board who seem to have the attitude that a player who can't get off the bench for a bad team can't possibly a rotational player on a contender.

There are probably a few players out there not getting playing time on bad teams or in the D-League who could step up like Jeremy Lin.  Lin could easily have ended up like Blake Ahearn.

He has played like an all star the last 4 games, not like a possible rotational player on a contender.  Forget the stats, look at how he has become the impetus for them turning around a losing record to a winning one, without their top two players (or more likely, because they are without them)!!

We've seen him play four games. Two of which were against the poorest teams in the league, and one Utah team that let him walk into the paint.
The Lakers game was impressive, but a four game sample size against overly mediocre talent is not enough to judge this kid yet.
He got cut from the Warriors and 10 minutes a game over one season is a lot of time on the court, enough to show what you can do in most cases.
He may have come of age in NYC, but it's going to take a season to see how good he actually is.
On a side note, since you're labeling peoples reactions/emotions here, I'll add that you're completely over reacting and you may be chewing your own words one day.

[footey]

Maybe Lin can only thrive in an open offense like the Knicks run and he could very well be effing terrible in other offenses systems.  

So lets not go crazy...

You could say the same thing about future hall of famer Steve Nash.

[footey]

Last season, Lin played for the Golden State Warriors, who finished at 36-46.  He played in 29 games, averaging a shade under 10 minutes per game and shooting 38.9% from the field.  There are some posters on this board who seem to have the attitude that a player who can't get off the bench for a bad team can't possibly a rotational player on a contender.

There are probably a few players out there not getting playing time on bad teams or in the D-League who could step up like Jeremy Lin.  Lin could easily have ended up like Blake Ahearn.

He has played like an all star the last 4 games, not like a possible rotational player on a contender.  Forget the stats, look at how he has become the impetus for them turning around a losing record to a winning one, without their top two players (or more likely, because they are without them)!!

We've seen him play four games. Two of which were against the poorest teams in the league, and one Utah team that let him walk into the paint.
The Lakers game was impressive, but a four game sample size against overly mediocre talent is not enough to judge this kid yet.
He got cut from the Warriors and 10 minutes a game over one season is a lot of time on the court, enough to show what you can do in most cases.
He may have come of age in NYC, but it's going to take a season to see how good he actually is.
On a side note, since you're labeling peoples reactions/emotions here, I'll add that you're completely over reacting and you may be chewing your own words one day.

last time I checked all four of those teams play in the NBA.  If one is going to use the excuse that the teams were substandard, we should throw out all of the stats of players like Kobe and Dwayne Wade and Lebron when they play those same teams. Somehow I don't recall anyone ever suggesting that.  It is a discredit to this kid to dismiss his performances based on the teams he played.  By the way, last I checked, John Wall was drafted 1 partly because he was projected to be a top defender, and Deron Williams is considered an elite defensive PG.

[pearljammer10]

Dude has had four good games. Who knows if he'll even get minutes if Baron gets healthy. The absurdity of this thread is beyond ridiculous.

[Senninsage]

The thing about people saying "let's not get crazy yet", is the fact that Lin is being held to this impossible standard that even a lot of superstars in this league aren't held to. I sure as heck don't see people expecting pierce, allen or KG to give us 23+ points a night, in addition to all the other things Lin has been doing well.

Hell, even Chris Paul and other amazing point guards don't do consistently what Lin has done in 4 games. It's not just about lin's points. It's how he's not really forcing anything, it seems. It's all coming in the flow of the offense and he's really running this team like a top point guard runs a team. And do you see the players that he's doing it with!?

Come on, what Lin has done is amazing.

[Celtics4ever]

Most of the league blew it on Lin give me a break.

[nickagneta]

For everyone predicting greatness for this kid I have three words for you:

Earl Barron 2010

I hope he is great and goes on to a huge contract and greatness in the Western Conference but I think he will settle into something much less than what he is once teams start game planning him.

Remember, Ramon Sessions once had an unreal stretch in Milwaukee and a game with 22 assists. He's much less than great now.

[ACF]

Remember, Ramon Sessions once had an unreal stretch in Milwaukee and a game with 22 assists. He's much less than great now.

Nitpicking here, but it was 24:

Assists: 24 vs. Chicago 04/14/08

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramon_Sessions

[blink]

wow, it seems like every thread these days has to have a negative edge to it.  I don't think that anyone 'blew it' with Lin.  Yes he was good in college, but not outstanding.  There wasn't an overwhelming amount of evidence that he would ever have the kind of nights as an NBA player that he had in the last week.

but sorry LarBrd33, he is good.  Not sure if your comment was meant to be sarcastic or not.  But the player I saw last night against the lakers is good.

what I like about Lin is that he is confident, but not cocky, and that he has made his whole team better.  honestly that is the shocking part.  any nba caliber player can have a few nights that they just explode, but he is actually making the Knicks a better team.  I wish we had a player that could elevate / inspire the play of the rest of the celtics.

[blink]

tp for this one Roy.  Exactly how I feel.

While true that all teams blew it, I hold our team more accountable given the geography.  He was in our back yard for 4 years, and had an outstanding collegiate career. He did not suddenly become this gutty, talented PG.  He played that way over a sustained period.  He has the prototype frame and mind set of an NBA PG, yet was completely ignored.  At least the Warriors gave him a shot, probably more as a novelty act, given his Palo Alto HS roots.

Where was the Boston Globe's Bob Ryan and Dan Shaunessy, or ESPN's Jackie MacMullen, when this kid was in Cambridge for 4 years?  Would love to read the scouting reports written about him by Celtic scouts, and the crow they are eating now.

The responses so far have been predictable: He is not that good, he is not good at all, every team blew it.  No one willing to look in the mirror and acknowledge how stereotypes filter their perceptions on people. 

I think it's pretty inappropriate to assume that the only reason that every D-1 team in America, and then every NBA team, missed on Lin is because of racial bias or stereotyping. 

Lin is a guy who put up good-but-not-great numbers against poor college competition, and who doesn't possess tremendous athletic gifts or shooting ability.  Until recently, when given a chance in the NBA, he looked pretty mediocre.

Now that he was exploded, I don't understand the need to point fingers and to cast blame.  Sometimes guys just outperform expectations.   

[goCeltics]

Every Division I program in America blew it on Lin, followed by every NBA team.  It wasn't just the Celts and Boston fans who failed to predict this.

We'll see whether it's sustainable.  I hope it is, because I love a great story.  I think it's more likely that he settles down and has a J.J. Barea-type career, which would still be pretty impressive.

Harvard is Division 1. Knicks are NBA team, and are now reaping the rewards, however serendipitously.

Harvard didn't give him a scholarship (not did any other D-I team), and no NBA team drafted him.  I suspect you understood my point.

i though havard doesn't offer any atheltic scholarship, as well as any ivy league school?

[Roy H.]

Every Division I program in America blew it on Lin, followed by every NBA team.  It wasn't just the Celts and Boston fans who failed to predict this.

We'll see whether it's sustainable.  I hope it is, because I love a great story.  I think it's more likely that he settles down and has a J.J. Barea-type career, which would still be pretty impressive.

Harvard is Division 1. Knicks are NBA team, and are now reaping the rewards, however serendipitously.

Harvard didn't give him a scholarship (not did any other D-I team), and no NBA team drafted him.  I suspect you understood my point.

i though havard doesn't offer any atheltic scholarship, as well as any ivy league school?

They don't, but apparently they didn't give him financial aid, either (which oftentimes acts as a de facto scholarship).  He had to pay his own way.  The only two D-I schools in the country that promised him a place on the basketball team were Harvard and Brown, after he basically recruited them.

[rav123]

Last season, Lin played for the Golden State Warriors, who finished at 36-46.  He played in 29 games, averaging a shade under 10 minutes per game and shooting 38.9% from the field.  There are some posters on this board who seem to have the attitude that a player who can't get off the bench for a bad team can't possibly a rotational player on a contender.

There are probably a few players out there not getting playing time on bad teams or in the D-League who could step up like Jeremy Lin.  Lin could easily have ended up like Blake Ahearn.

He has played like an all star the last 4 games, not like a possible rotational player on a contender.  Forget the stats, look at how he has become the impetus for them turning around a losing record to a winning one, without their top two players (or more likely, because they are without them)!!

We've seen him play four games. Two of which were against the poorest teams in the league, and one Utah team that let him walk into the paint.
The Lakers game was impressive, but a four game sample size against overly mediocre talent is not enough to judge this kid yet.
He got cut from the Warriors and 10 minutes a game over one season is a lot of time on the court, enough to show what you can do in most cases.
He may have come of age in NYC, but it's going to take a season to see how good he actually is.
On a side note, since you're labeling peoples reactions/emotions here, I'll add that you're completely over reacting and you may be chewing your own words one day.

In fact, doing it against the Lakers is not that impressive. The Lakers are not a great team this year (7th in the conference). Their starting point guard (Derek Fisher) is likely the worst in the NBA - or at least, the least-equipped to defend a penetrating scoring PG. They're also one of the oldest teams, coming off a tiring overtime game against their rivals the Celtics the night before. The same tiring game that meant we were thrashed by the atrocious Raptors could easily cause the Lakers to put in a poor show.

[chambers]

For everyone predicting greatness for this kid I have three words for you:

Earl Barron 2010

I hope he is great and goes on to a huge contract and greatness in the Western Conference but I think he will settle into something much less than what he is once teams start game planning him.

Remember, Ramon Sessions once had an unreal stretch in Milwaukee and a game with 22 assists. He's much less than great now.

Exactly, teams will plan, work out his weaknesses, and use them against him.
I can already see Doc drawing up a plan to force this kid to his left on every play or pick n roll.
Have you noticed he goes right 90% of the time?
Remember when teams used to guard Rondo nice and tight?
This is a league of professionals and they will make a plan to try and stop him. Some guys you just can't stop. But even the Mavs stopped Lebron in the finals last year.

And to the OP, you're saying we shouldn't count Kobe Bryant's games against these teams if they are bad. The thing is he has done this DOZENS of times against each of those teams. Not once, in a space of 2 weeks.
Reality check please.

Furthermore, I don't think anyone is hating on Lin in this thread, we all HOPE he is as good as he is, but the standard he's being held to his almost impossibly high, and it's likely that he'll disappoint people this way, which really isn't fair.