^Yup. No spacing. Kelly needs to see more time at the PF spot...otherwise, solid performance for most of the game. Needs to make some better decisions at the end of the game. I am happy with what the effort he gave today, though.
and loss assets instead of gaining Houston's picks? IA was restricted FA. King's would've match the offer sheet.
All it took was a TPE and some second round pick. I don't really consider that a significant loss, especially for the production he's providing.
I'm having trouble understanding what he's struggling with. I agree he's not been great, but I see him working really hard, fighting through screens, keeping his man in front... then in the last 4 seconds of the shot clock he either lets the ball handler get around him or leans on him and commits a foul. Rough to watch. He was better offensively. Not perfect, but I don't expect him to be. He just needs to be more assertive and more confident. Run the offense with poise instead of nervously capitulating to Kobe or Boozer. It took Rondo a while to get it when he played with veterans, but Lin needs to just figure it out. Point Kobe off, tell Boozer to get in the post, give him the ball, then space the floor or make a cut.
He'd have better options though if Byron benched Booz and Wes, and inserted Ellington and Davis. He had a great chemistry going with Davis but now they hardly play at the same time. That's the pick and roll game both of them need. Ellington would be a much better option than Wes.
Lin Davis pick and roll is worth going to with both of them used as starters. Lin looked really down in the post match interview. He took responsibility and said defense was the main issue. It is hard to dislike someone who is trying. His game is driving and using hesitation dribbles and angles. It will always feature more turnovers than a Chris Paul style game. I have faith he can improve and will be useful.
Defensively, I think he needs to give the player a little space, and give the shot to the guard rather than forcing penetration (unless it's Steph Curry). But other than that, he gets screened off 80% of the time and since there's no communication defensively, there's no help in the form of a hedge or rotation or switch. He continues to chase his man and at this point, he's at a severe disadvantage, and then he typically goes for a block, which is not the right play in this case, as tempting as it is. When Lin goes 1-on-1 defensively with these guys, he's typically okay. At least, better than what we've had before (Fisher, Farmar, Blake, Sessions).
I don't know if I'd say he's been better than Blake vs. PGs. Blake was a bulldog defensively against guys more his size... Not great ever, but a bulldog none the less. I think you're right that Lin could get away with giving a little more space. The problem is we're giving up threes at a record pace right now. If we tell him to give a little space, aren't we being counter productive? I think the reality is he just needs to play with Davis more. Davis is a great help defender and rim protector.
I'll give that Blake always played hard, but he was undersized and did not have the same footspeed. Lin makes it up with his size and length for a PG. We're giving away three's because we're giving up too much penetration. Once we get broken down by the pick and roll, it's a scramble rather than a rotation and we leave a man open. It's not the PG that's killing us on 3's (unless it's Curry), it's typically the man helping out because we're unable to prevent penetration. Typically, I'd live with a PG jacking up a 3 around a good hard pick than being broken down and leaving someone wide open. Davis is a fantastic help defender, but it's a team effort, and he gets in foul trouble when he over commits. Bottom line, we need to work on defending the pick and roll. Watch tapes of San Antonio or the Big 3 Miami teams, they did it right.
Lin is doing his job on the defensive end. He actually did really well against Isaiah Thomas when it was 1-1. But when he was screened, there was never the proper defense to help out, thus allowing Thomas to do whatever he wanted. Lin on defense has been superb, he's actually been pretty damn good. On offense, he's being very hesitant. And also, he wants to run plays, but players are getting so confused. Espicially Boozer and Wes. They clog his lane repeatedly and don't allow any room for him. So I don't blame all his offensive woes on him. Also, I've seen him point Kobe off at times to run the offense, Kobe needs to move when he tells him so. I've seen plenty of times Lin direct Kobe somewhere but Kobe continues battling for post position. It'll come together soon, Lin is not the problem. It's our god awful help defense and post defense.
He'll have even better options when Davis takes those minutes from Booz & Nick Young is back. I expect Lin & Young to play very well off each other.
Why hasn't this happened already, though? Booz and Wes are useless and doesn't give us the best chance to win games when you both have them out there at the same time much less in the starting lineup. We don't see 15 to 20 games to see 'if they work,.' It doesn't. As for Lin, I think he's been doing well 2 of the last 3 games, he's been solid. I think he'll get better as the season progresses. I'm rooting for him to do well.
From what you guys see of Lin so far(those who have watched every game hopefully and truly analyze the game as they watch)... what is Lins TRUE,value right now? If Nick Young is being paid 5.5 mill, just something to keep in mind.
If this is what Lin is, he's a $2-3M player, and he's a backup. I don't think he's Linsanity, but I think he's a good deal better than this.
Definitely. He's playing way below expectations right now. If he keeps this up we might be able to keep him for really cheap and then use some cash to get another guard. He'd be a great 1st guard of the bench.
