Everything Jeremy Lin

[Truth Teller]

TBF, would Lin really be as bad as some of these other guys? The other guys have been terrible.

[DanH]

TBF, would Lin really be as bad as some of these other guys? The other guys have been terrible.

The answer is, yes, Lin would be significantly worse than FVV or Powell.

Not sure why Meeks played at all, but that aside, there is no slot in the rotation that Lin would improve.

[Apollo]

Defensive intensity has been the most important factor in this series in my opinion. The Raptors would have won game one despite falling asleep at the wheel multiple times had they not made some critical defensive errors. Lin is not a good defender. Plus Fred rightfully is the goto guard when Kyle is choking or needing a break or a wake-up call. Lin is more of an insurance policy in my view.

[The Claw Reborn]

I agree Lin is not the answer but an insurance policy. So 2-3 minutes on the court wont make any difference. However what would make a humongous difference is to limit the usage of Fred Van Vleet and stagger those minutes between Lowry/ Green/ Kawhi and even Powell.

Having to see in game 3 Green going back in the 4th at the 4 minute mark because Nurse still hoping that Van Vleet can get out of his shitshow slump is the most agonizing moment in this series.

We already knew the staggering limitations of midget Fred. Its up to Nurse to recognize that.

Yet this is game 85 of his NBA coaching tenure and he is still blind as a bat to see exactly what is happening in front of him.

The most hilarious thing in Game 3 was to bring back Van Vleet in the last seconds of the game relying on his defense against Ross.

What the fuck was that?

[TheWaterboy]

I think Lin would be exposed if he were left out there for more than two or three minutes. However, I'm OK with throwing him out against Ross for those two or three minutes in one game of this series, provided that he plays tight man-to-man defense on Ross, just because that would alter Ross' mindset and get his mind out of the game which has been succesful against Fred Van Vleet because of the height differential.

I agree that McCaw is probably a better option long-term for this series but I can also understand that there is a little hesitancy to try to use him as a playmaker. Lin, in theory, is not as restrictive in that regard, although he did not really show that in his time on the floor. (Conversely, we wouldn't be talking nearly as much about FVV as a liability if his playmaking was more effective also.)

I think that if you want to use McCaw as a point guard, you might actually be best off subbing Kyle out early (say, the 8 minute mark of the first) and relying on Gasol/Siakam for additional playmaking support. Then bring Freddy in to start the second and run some Kyle/Freddy against their bench early in the second as well when resting Green.

[DanH]

Guys. Guys. The team does not need more playmakers. Their biggest issue has stemmed from trying to let guys beside their stars initiate plays. Lin would only make that worse.

And Lin is no better suited to defending Ross than FVV is. If anything, you try McCaw or Miller in those minutes, not Lin. Lin's usefulness exists only in a scenario where there is an injury to Lowry or FVV.

[inthepaint]

I think Lin would be exposed if he were left out there for more than two or three minutes. However, I'm OK with throwing him out against Ross for those two or three minutes in one game of this series, provided that he plays tight man-to-man defense on Ross, just because that would alter Ross' mindset and get his mind out of the game which has been succesful against Fred Van Vleet because of the height differential.

I agree that McCaw is probably a better option long-term for this series but I can also understand that there is a little hesitancy to try to use him as a playmaker. Lin, in theory, is not as restrictive in that regard, although he did not really show that in his time on the floor. (Conversely, we wouldn't be talking nearly as much about FVV as a liability if his playmaking was more effective also.)

I think that if you want to use McCaw as a point guard, you might actually be best off subbing Kyle out early (say, the 8 minute mark of the first) and relying on Gasol/Siakam for additional playmaking support. Then bring Freddy in to start the second and run some Kyle/Freddy against their bench early in the second as well when resting Green.

That would probably work but I would have Lowry play around 38 minutes and have FVV pick up the other 10 at the PG. Then have Green also play around 35 minutes, with McCaw subbing for him, and guarding Ross. I would also stagger this and avoid having both McCaw and FVV at the same time on the floor (try to always have 1 of Lowry or Green at all times on the backcourt)

All this would be temporary though until OG comes back. If we had Ross being guarded by OG he'd have a hard time going for 20.

[JawsGT]

I liked the Lin signing and thought he could have a role with this team for the playoff run. I was wrong. There are only two circumstances in which Lin should see the floor in the playoffs...injuries to multiple guards, or a blowout. He's been quite disappointing since his arrival. Absolutely Powell and McCaw should be ahead of him in the rotation.

[G__Deane]

Copied from SN comments

Here's some facts:
Prior to last night Orlando had not lost on home court since Feb.22 to the Bulls.
Going 9-0 down the stretch. During this stretch the teams they beat were:
Play-off teams: Golden State, Philadelphia
Non-Play-off teams: Dallas, Cleveland, Atlanta, New Orleans, Memphis, New York, Atlanta

[Puffer]

Copied from SN comments

Going 9-0 down the stretch. During this stretch the teams they beat were:
Play-off teams: Golden State, Philadelphia
Non-Play-off teams: Dallas, Cleveland, Atlanta, New Orleans, Memphis, New York, Atlanta

Now they can see what it's like to play a REAL playoff team, not like those posers, Golden State and Philly.

[Nilanka]

2 turnovers in 3 mins, lol

[KeonClark]

2 turnovers in 3 mins, lol

I feel bad for the guy. I know he chose Toronto because he wanted to be part of an exciting run. He was a decent player on his arrival, I know many people wanted him and thought hed have a role maybe where Powell is now, and taking some of those vanvleet minutes that have hurt us a bit.

anyway, bad time to get the yips. Hes played for trash teams for a bunch of years and I think he put too much pressure on himself to come in and be linsane in the membrane. It was a downward spiral he never recovered and I think hes even fallen behind Meeks and McCaw in the pecking order, making it unlikely he ever sees the floor for a meaningful minute

[Nilanka]

I feel bad for the guy. I know he chose Toronto because he wanted to be part of an exciting run. He was a decent player on his arrival, I know many people wanted him and thought hed have a role maybe where Powell is now, and taking some of those vanvleet minutes that have hurt us a bit.

anyway, bad time to get the yips. Hes played for trash teams for a bunch of years and I think he put too much pressure on himself to come in and be linsane in the membrane. It was a downward spiral he never recovered and I think hes even fallen behind Meeks and McCaw in the pecking order, making it unlikely he ever sees the floor for a meaningful minute

50/50 chance he's playing in Tel Aviv next year, lol.

[Scraptor]

I feel bad for the guy. I know he chose Toronto because he wanted to be part of an exciting run. He was a decent player on his arrival, I know many people wanted him and thought hed have a role maybe where Powell is now, and taking some of those vanvleet minutes that have hurt us a bit.

anyway, bad time to get the yips. Hes played for trash teams for a bunch of years and I think he put too much pressure on himself to come in and be linsane in the membrane. It was a downward spiral he never recovered and I think hes even fallen behind Meeks and McCaw in the pecking order, making it unlikely he ever sees the floor for a meaningful minute

I don't know that it's just the yips... the guy has suffered a lot of injuries over the past few years. I think he's probably lost a step as well as being in his own head.

[slaw]

My alternative view on Lin is that Jeremy Lin is still a good NBA back-up PG but Toronto is a very good organization that has developed better players in FVV and Powell to come off the bench. I wasn't one of the get Lin cause he'll replace FVV guys but I did think he'd have a role in the playoffs and help them. I was clearly wrong. It just goes to show that for as much we sometimes overrate our guys, we just as often sell them short....