What Jeremy Lin Will Take Away from the NBA Playoffs
The headline sounds so final, when Jeremy Lin and his Houston Rockets might in actuality be hanging around these playoffs a while longer.
After all, the Rockets have already made history, becoming—along with the New York Knicks—one of just 12 teams to force a Game 6 after being down three games to none.
The difference between the two: I fully expect Lin’s former Knicks, even without Amar’e Stoudemire, to advance. The Oklahoma City Thunder without Russell Westbrook, however, seem eerily vulnerable. Further, the Rockets have momentum as well as the series equalizer on their home court.
So Lin might have more to glean if the Rockets do press on in this postseason.
But thus far, all Lin has to show for Houston’s stirring comeback attempt is a bruised chest and a bruised ego.
What can Jeremy Lin take away from these playoffs after five games?
“[I] have a lot of learning to do”
Lin himself said the above quote just days ago to the New York Times. And really, there is nothing more important for a young point guard to learn than that he’s got more to learn.
The quote seems in keeping with the Lin I know and admire. He’s always shown himself to be an eager, willing and dedicated student. It’s a noble and humble trait.
And it’s a trait that, after this inauspicious playoff debut, might just save Lin.
Using an analogy that tips a cap to Jeremy’s salad days in the Big Apple, if Lin’s playoff performance thus far were a Broadway play, any reviewer worth his salt would have no choice but to call it a colossal flop.
He’s made exactly one three-point shot in nine attempts spanning three games. He’s averaging 6.6 points per 36 playoff minutes. His defense has been a liability.
After a banner April, Lin entered the postseason playing his best basketball as a Rocket. With the incandescent lights of the playoffs glaring down on him, however, Lin has played his worst.
If it’s not surprising to you, you haven’t been paying attention. Lin made his reputation last year for not only his combination of grace and aggressiveness, but for his ability to hit in the clutch.
That’s been no different this season: According to 82games.com, Lin was 47th in the league this season in points scored in the clutch. If that doesn’t sound impressive to you, consider that Lin finished ahead of a whole passel of clutch-play household names: Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Manu Ginobili.
But many will tell you clutch only counts in the playoffs. If that’s the case, Lin has been miserably un-clutch, both offensively and defensively—so un-clutch that he’s been replaced by his understudy.
Yes, I’m saying the awful truth is even if Lin is 100 percent healthy, Francisco Garcia will likely continue to start.
And be honest: Pretend you’re the Rockets coach, and your team’s won two straight without Lin after falling behind 0-3. No matter how much you root for Lin—an upbeat and hardworking young man who’s impossible not to like as a person—could you in good conscience go back to the lineup that put you in the hole in the first place?
Lin had his chance to seize the moment when Westbrook went down. What might he have done in Game 3 had Lin not been injured himself? We’ll never know.
But we do know it was Garcia who carpe-d the diem, replacing Lin in the third quarter and sparking a furious Rockets comeback that fell just short. Patrick Beverley’s numbers and performance have been far superior to Lin’s as well.
I know some readers will be prone to defending Lin’s poor performance, saying it came against Westbrook, unquestionably one of the game’s finest point guards.
If that’s you, I’d first ask whether you were also one of those who held Lin’s 29-point regular-season performance against Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder as definitive proof of Lin’s dominance. If you did, perhaps you might explain to me the discrepancy between that game and these playoffs.
Or perhaps you can help me understand Lin’s play on this possession. The pass is crisp, and clearly to Kevin Durant’s outside hand. What on earth is Lin doing going for a steal here?
He had solid defensive positioning; had he maintained his feet, Greg Smith would have provided help defense, and together they would have made this shot much more difficult for Durant.
Instead, Lin makes a play that would get him benched on the frigging Washington Generals.
His playoff stint has been short, but plays like the above have made Lin look decidedly outmatched. It’s enough to make even the staunchest Lin fan uneasy the next time Jeremy takes the floor.
To be sure, Westbrook is a tough cover, and a strong perimeter defender. To that I say: so what. As a fan who still holds out hope that Lin too can be one of the game’s finest point guards, I am certain it serves Lin much more for us to be realists rather than apologists.
A healthy Jeremy Lin certainly deserves court time against Reggie Williams and Derek Fisher, the Thunder’s replacements for Westbrook. And he’ll get it.
Moreover, a productive Jeremy Lin is good for the NBA—he boosts viewership and fan interest both internationally and domestically—and good for life, as everyone with a heart was inspired by his goosebump-inducing ascension from end-of-the-bench journeyman to superstar.
But with his performance in these playoffs, Lin—like Charley in Flowers For Algernon—appears to have reverted to what he used to be.
Don’t get me wrong. I am in no way counting Jeremy Lin out. He’s got the offseason to assess all that he needs to improve upon. He in fact did improve in many key areas during the regular season. And he plays the position in professional basketball at which there is no greater learning curve.
But in the playoffs, Lin has learned there is no time for learning. Literally everything is expected of you, and if you can’t deliver, the moment will demand someone who can.
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Jeremy Lin’s Importance Highlighted During Roller-Coaster Series with Thunder
The Houston Rockets are down three-games-to-none against the Oklahoma City Thunder in their first-round playoff series. Not coincidentally, Jeremy Lin has struggled mightily and clearly isn’t 100 percent healthy.
A quick look at the numbers will reveal that something is up, as Lin is averaging just 4.3 points on 25 percent shooting (11.1 percent from three-point range), 2.7 assists, 2.3 rebounds and 0.7 steals in 23.7 minutes per game during the series.
Compare that to his regular season output—13.4 points on 44.1 percent shooting (33.9 percent from beyond the arc), 6.1 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 1.6 steals—and you can glean that the Rockets depend on Lin to win ball games.
ESPN reported that Lin is suffering from a bruised chest, and it’s undoubtedly hindering his ability to make shots, handle the ball and effectively make a positive impact on the floor.
Even after Russell Westbrook—a hyper-athletic guard who is tough matchup for Lin—went down with a season-ending torn meniscus (h/t CBS Sports), Lin wasn’t able to contribute anything meaningful.
In fact, Lin’s two-point, one-assist performance in 18 minutes of Game 3 action was arguably his worst showing of the 2012-13 campaign, regular season included.
This slump has put a heavy burden on James Harden and the rest of the Rockets’ supporting cast, and it’s just too tall a task against the No. 1-seeded Thunder.
Remember, OKC handily beat Houston twice during the regular campaign and it took a superhuman effort from Harden (46 points, seven rebounds, six assists) and Lin (29 points, six rebounds, seven assists) to narrowly edge the eventual Western Conference champions back in February.
Not many expected the Rockets to win this seven-game series, but if Lin were healthy and playing at the top of his game, it would at least be competitive.
If there is anything for Houston fans take away from this, it’s that the Taiwanese-American point guard is extremely important to this club’s chances of winning a title in the future.
He has to remain healthy and productive during the 2013-14 campaign and hopefully be able to contribute to the Rockets’ next postseason run. Despite his immense skills, Harden certainly isn’t able able to shoulder the load by himself.
As long as he gets back to full health and continues improving, the 24-year-old Lin could help the Rockets reach even greater heights next year—and hopefully assist them in winning their first playoff series since 2009.
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Jeremy Lin Injury Update: Point Guard’s Injury Won’t Affect Series Outcome
The Houston Rockets are a terrific young team with a lot of potential, but they don’t stand much of a chance upending the Oklahoma City Thunder in the opening round of the playoffs—even if Jeremy Lin were at full strength.
The point guard came out of the game Wednesday night in Houston’s 105-102 Game 2 loss after scoring seven points and dishing out three assists in 20 minutes. According to Adi Joseph of USA Today, the injury that forced his removal was diagnosed as a chest contusion and he is listed as day to day.
The Houston Rockets previously reported it was a shoulder injury, but a chest bruise may be a better sign for the point guard in his hopes to return.
Even if he does manage to play in Game 3, Lin won’t give the Rockets a much better chance of beating Oklahoma City in a seven-game series. He hasn’t exactly been a major impact player through two games, and a 2-0 deficit will be hard to overcome against the best team in the Western Conference.
In Houston’s Game 1 loss, Lin scored just four points on 1-of-7 shooting in 32 minutes, including an 0-of-4 mark from behind the arc. While he looked better in Game 2 before the injury (and Oklahoma City would narrowly avoid defeat), there isn’t much to be hopeful for with a two-game disadvantage against the West’s No. 1 seed.
Lin finished the regular season on a tremendous note, scoring at least 12 points in each of his last nine games. In that span, the 24-year-old dished out eight or more assists five times and limited his turnovers significantly, also posting some surprisingly efficient shooting performances.
But things haven’t gone so well in the playoffs, and Lin isn’t to blame. Granted, he’s largely been a nonfactor through three quarters on the court, but so have a number of reserves coming off Houston’s bench. Things just haven’t come together as the Rockets would have hoped.
Rockets Playoff Production
| Points | Opp. Points | Turnovers | FG % | |
| Regular Season | 106 | 102.5 | 15.5 | 37.9 |
| Game 1 | 91 | 120 | 15 | 36.3 |
| Game 2 | 102 | 105 | 16 | 39.6 |
Even if Lin comes back in Game 3 and plays well enough to boost Houston to a win at home, the Rockets would still be facing two more games in Chesapeake Energy Arena in the final four contests of the series—a tall order for a team lacking a consistent second scoring option for James Harden.
Anything can happen in the NBA playoffs, but the writing is on the wall for the Rockets. Lin may return close to full strength and in late-season form, and he may help Houston steal a game or two from Oklahoma City in the Toyota Center. It just won’t impact the eventual outcome of the series.
Houston is still a piece or two away from being a legitimate title contender. The Rockets have a lot of talent, but it’s not going to happen this year, and nothing Lin does in the ensuing games will change that.
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Houston Rockets guard Jeremy Lin is day to day
An MRI shows Jeremy LIn has a bruised chest muscle
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NBA Injury Report: Playoff Pain for Kevin Garnett, Jeremy Lin, Joakim Noah, More
The playoffs don’t stop the injuries, as players like Kevin Garnett and Jeremy Lin are learning. It’s common sense—more games mean more chances to get injured and more time to be worn down. Then again, it is more time and that means a player like Amare Stoudamire gets a few more days to heal up and maybe get back for the next round.
That means the medical staffs are working hard, perhaps even harder since a playoff share is a much bigger deal to them than the multi-million dollar guys. Yes, playoff bonuses are one of the things that everyone looks forward to and while they’ll never admit it, it’s a motivator.
Work gets tougher inside the playoffs due to the uncertain schedule. Days off are mixed, the schedule can get compressed but with a quick series or even a sweep, teams worry about keeping themselves sharp, which can lead to injuries from change in usage or even practice injuries if they get a bit spirited. Yes, the playoffs add to the uncertainties a medical staff deals with the rest of the season.
As the NBA continues to look for some competitive series and the teams push towards the next round, let’s take a look around the Association at the injuries affecting the results:
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Jeremy Lin Injury: Updates on Rockets Star’s Chest
The Houston Rockets’ chances of pulling a historic first-round upset over the Oklahoma City Thunder may have just been dealt a critical blow.
Houston point guard Jeremy Lin left Wednesday’s game in OKC and is questionable to return with what Jason Friedman of Rockets.com reports is a chest contusion:
Though it’s possible Lin returns to action, the prognosis did not look great on the floor. He was grimacing in obvious pain and did not begin the second half with his teammates.
Lin had seven points, four rebounds and three assists in 20 minutes at the time of his exit.
Carlos Delfino replaced Lin in the Rockets rotation, as Houston came into Wednesday night’s action down 1-0 in their series with the Thunder.
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Jeremy Lin Is Biggest Key to Houston Rockets’ Playoff Success in 2013
If James Harden is the unquestioned leader of the Houston Rockets, backcourt-mate Jeremy Lin is the team’s biggest key this postseason as the eighth-seeded Rockets get set to face off against the Goliath Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round this April.
While both Harden and Chandler Parsons are averaging more points per game than Lin this season, the third-year point guard carries a larger burden as one of the primary ball-handlers and decision-makers for Houston.
The Rockets’ leading assist man, Lin is handing out six assists per night on average this season and attempting roughly 11 shots per game.
But he has played above average in three starts against the Thunder this season, averaging 7.3 assists per game and shooting an improved percentage from the floor.
If Harden is the superstar that must lead the way for Houston in this series, then Lin is the sidekick that he can’t afford to be without. The Rockets can bank on Harden scoring over 25 points per game. Kevin McHale can’t be so sure that Lin will even score double figures, however.
While the Rockets were the second-highest scoring team in the NBA this season, averaging roughly 106 points per game, the Thunder were right behind them, posting the same impressive numbers offensively in 2012-13.
Even worse, Oklahoma City averaged a ridiculous 121 points per game against Houston in three games during the regular season. That means that Lin’s performance offensively, in addition to his effort on the defensive end against Russell Westbrook and the Thunder’s perimeter players, will be the biggest key for the Rockets in this first-round series.
Houston doesn’t stand a chance of taking four games from Oklahoma City this spring if Harden is forced to take over every game. It will take a team effort on the defensive end, but, more importantly, it will take an incredible individual effort from the Rockets’ floor general in order to provide Houston with a dynamic duo capable of matching the Thunder’s greatness on the offensive end.
Even if McHale and the Rockets place added emphasis on the defensive end of the court, it’s still unlikely that 106 points will be enough for Houston to win a single game in this series.
The Rockets will need the April 2013 version of Jeremy Lin in this series if they are to pull off the upset. If Lin can average 17 or more points and seven or so assists per game on 36 percent (or better) shooting from beyond the arc against Oklahoma City, Houston will have a real shot at accomplishing the unthinkable and advancing to the next round.
Otherwise, the Rockets will be headed for an early offseason.
Follow Bleacher Report Featured Columnist Patrick Clarke on Twitter.
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Early Predictions for Jeremy Lin’s 1st Playoff Series
Has there ever been a more captivating ride than the one Jeremy Lin took the sports world on during a magical two months last season?
He went from obscurity to global icon, from the end of the New York Knicks bench to the apex of Madison Square Garden. He was everywhere you looked—yet if you blinked you may have missed it.
His meteoric surge, which started with a 25-point, seven-assist effort on Feb. 4, 2012, reached near mythical proportions when it came crashing down as ferociously as it had started.
A knee injury brought his season to an abrupt end in late March, and he swapped his iconic blue and orange threads over the summer for the red and white unis of the Houston Rockets.
Lin hasn’t enjoyed nearly the same reception during his first full season as an NBA starter. Any mentions of him as a global icon are confined strictly to the past tense nowadays.
Yet one could logically assume that it’s this season, a year of both regression and recognition, that will emerge as his greater achievement. Like his Knicks team from a year ago, these Rockets are playoff-bound.
And unlike last season, he’ll be one of the major factors in determining his club’s postseason fate.
Sans crystal ball, I can’t tell you exactly how Lin the playoff performer will look. But there are already some hints as to how this may turn out.
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Jeremy Lin’s Dominant Stretch Must Continue into Playoffs for Rockets to Win
Jeremy Lin is playing some of his best basketball of the 2012-13 campaign at the right time.
Over the past five games, the Houston Rockets superstar has averaged 18.8 points on 49.3 percent field goal shooting and 45.5 percent on three-point attempts, while also contributing 8.0 assists and 2.0 rebounds.
No coincidence, the Rockets are 4-1 over that stretch, with their sole loss coming on the tail end of a back-to-back on the road against a feisty Denver Nuggets opponent. Even in that contest, Lin was still 8-of-15 for 23 points and dished eight dimes.
It’s a great sign for Houston, as the team is currently sitting at 43-34 and looking to possibly jump the Golden State Warriors for the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference. The organization is extremely close to locking up its first playoff appearance since 2009, and it’s due in no small part to Lin’s contributions.
On the season, the 24-year-old has averaged a stout 13.2 points, 6.1 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game. However, he found his way into coach Kevin McHale’s doghouse earlier this year and spent extended periods of time on the bench.
Lin also slumped for a period in February and March, but has righted the ship and looks to have the hot hand this spring.
With those troubles behind the Taiwanese-American superstar, he can continue logging significant minutes and finish guiding his squad into the postseason.
Once there, Lin will need to keep up this great stretch of play if the Rockets are going to be a dark horse contender and advance outside of the first round.
Regardless of whether Houston nabs the No. 6, 7 or 8 seed in the Western Conference, it will have a tough draw to open things up.
They will likely be facing either San Antonio or Oklahoma City if they get one of the lower two, or squaring off with Denver, the Clippers or Memphis as the No. 6.
Clearly, the higher seed would be the better option, but Houston isn’t winning a series against anyone unless Lin steps up and puts together some of his best outings as a member of the organization.
This young franchise has plenty of time and room to grow into a real contender, but they could make some initial headroom and gain invaluable experience by banding together behind Lin and James Harden to win a playoff series in 2013.
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Yes, race has played a role in Jeremy Lin’s career
Column: Can we all agree a form of racial stereotyping factored into Jeremy Lin narrative?
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