After watching the New York Knicks win eight of their first 10 games, you can rest assured: These ain’t Jeremy Lin’s Knicks.
Yes, that’s a good thing. And I am not the only one saying so.
On Friday night, when the Knicks take on Lin and James Harden in Houston, we’ll be reminded of the fact that James Dolan ultimately decided to let Lin walk, for free, to the Houston Rockets. The decision to let such a valuable asset walk, for nothing, was bad — even if the timing circumstances and the financial ramifications played a part.
But the decision to move on from Linsanity was not.
For the Knicks, Linsanity was fool’s gold.
Now, in the end, everyone wins. Lin is on a Rockets team that isn’t expected to contend for a championship, so he can grow and develop at his own pace, with his own team.
Meanwhile, the Knicks have a three-headed point guard monster that has given the team exactly what it needs from the “1” spot: great decision making, 3-point shooting, and defense.
Lin would not have provided the Knicks with that, at least, not yet. Lin is averaging 2.8 turnovers per game as a member of the Houston Rockets while shooting just 33 percent from the field and 22 percent from behind the 3-point line. Defensively, we’ve seen opposing point guards undress Lin, and if that were happening alongside Carmelo Anthony after Lin signed a deal paying him $25 million over three years, all hell would have broken loose by now.
Through 10 games, Lin’s Rockets were just 4-6 and, entering play Friday night, are leading the league in turnovers per game with 16.9.
The Knicks, on the other hand, won eight of their first 10 and lead the league in fewest turnovers per game (10.3).
i am sure anthony would be to first to complain about playing D, I mean he played D for a good 10 games. So what about the last 8 year of his career? can’t wait to see amare playing his statue of liberty D when he returns and i m sure every team is focusing their D on Felton. Lin essentially played half a season while Felton play a few years already, he should be playing better than Lin.
Also Fool’s Gold: The idea that the Knicks in general, and the “3-headed point guard monster” specifically, would maintain the same level of play.
Agreed with much of what you say but remember 10 games does not a season make. Over the course of a season, most players revert to mean. That says Kidd and Felton will get back to their career averages. If that happens, which is likely, expect all hell to break lose, as you say. I am hoping the way they have moved the ball over the first weeks of the season will continue and that will mean higher percentages overall, but does anyone really think the Knicks are going to win shooting 26 3s a game while getting significantly out rebounded every game? Paint me skeptical.
As for the turnovers, Houston has a very high level of TOs, but its hard to blame Lin for that when he’s averaging 2.8TOs vs Felton’s 2.3. James Harden and Omer Asik both average significantly more than Lin.
However, at the end, I do think both teams made out fine and you make the best point. The Knicks have gotten players who can handle the pressure of NY while Lin gets a place he can grow in given that he’s started less than half a season in his career.