lookabove wrote:I watched most the Hornets games this year and biggest thing I notice was Lin seem to play significantly better when he started. I pull splits and stat confirm the eye test. Even for his Career Lin just more efficient when he start. He seems to rhythm player that need touches to get into his groove. Honestly as a pure bench player this year he didn't play that well. 51.8% true shooting is below average, but definitely brought defensive intensity every game. But when Lin started for the Hornets, he put borderline all-star numbers at top-tier efficiency. Only 6 other players this year had TS% >= 58.9 and put up 17.5 pts per game.
If I was Lin, he really needs to try to find a starter position.
With Cha
Started Games 13 - 17.5 ppg 4.0 rpg 4.8 apg 2.46 tov TS% 58.9 in 34.4 min
Bench Games 65 - 10.6 ppg 3.1 rpg 2.6 apg 1.81 tov TS% 51.8 in 24.6 min
Career
Started Games 183 - 14.2 ppg 3.1 rpg 5.7 apg 3.05 tov TS% 55.2 in 32.2 min
Bench Games 186 - 9.2 ppg 2.5 rpg 3.1 apg 1.68 tov TS% 53.2 in 21.4 min
The thing is, traditionally it has always been that, a pass first PG would be best as a starter facilitating for other elite scorers on a good team. It has changed a bit but it is still a very good thing.
Gunners or SGs in PG bodies like Crawford, Dixon, House, Jack, Best etc are more suitable to be instant offense. Lin is definitely more of a probing type, reacting to what the defense gives his team.
TinmanZBoy wrote:I've said this before, the general positive tone about lin's success in Charlotte had a lot to do with the low contract and low expectation at the beginning of the season... it was not his best individual season at all... To be honest, I thought he should have absolutely killed last season since he was playing in the east, historically he was pretty good against eastern conference teams and guards... however his shooting dragged him down...there is no excuse for him, 4 years after his break-out and he shoots like this? really really dragged him down on offense... he has to improve his skills, particularly shooting...
he always has the ability to defend, in Clifford's system, he excelled and coach clifford recognizes his talents on defense, he is always better at defending PnRs and help defense than P. Beverley, Ronnie Price, Tony Douglas etc, McHale/Scott did not recognize that, they felt he had to be a pesky on ball defender to start with, which was wrong... quite frankly, defense is the least that I am worried about him...
Lin is like a lot of good players in this league, even for some all star level players, they need certain conditions to shine... they are not super stars... Hornets is a goos situation for him, but not an ideal one...
It surely was terribly frustrating, but hey, the taking a step back to take two forward later, the delayed gratification, gotta respect that. Perhaps he already knew he had to suck for a bit, that's why he took such a dramatic paycut to take pressure off that? He had three consecutive good games, perhaps the form change had something to do with that? One could only hope that he will get acclimated sooner than later, shoot a million jumpers this summer!