Ah, September – one of the best times for any sports fan. College Football is in full swing, the NFL has started another season and the baseball playoff race is getting tense. But any TRUE sports fan knows why this part of the year is the best on the sports calendar; fall is when NBA players start to make outrageous guarantees!
First, it was Jason Terry who was forecasting a championship for his new team, the Boston Celtics. The former Dallas Maverick and annual Sixth Man of the Year candidate is no stranger to guarantees; in fact, he got a picture of the Larry O’Brien trophy in the off-season before the Mavs won their 2011 title.
How could the Knicks let the Breakthrough Player of Year walk? The answer might be more simple than you think
Jeremy Lin can play basketball well. That became obvious during 2012, especially when he poured in 38 points against the Los Angeles Lakers and even more so when he brought the Knicks out of the Eastern Conference cellar and pushed them back above the .500 mark. It is for this reason that many basketball fans are up in arms over the fact that NYK will probably let Jeremy Lin go to the Houston Rockets.
“How could you let a player who means so much to our franchise just walk away,” says Angry Fan X.
“James Dolan is an arrogant asshole who has no idea how to run an NBA franchise,” says Analyst Y.
Let me just go on record and say that this is a smart basketball move for the Knicks. That is not to say that I trust James Dolan or that the Knicks are organizational masterminds, but I will say that I agree with this decision. » Read more..
Conspiracy theories in professional sports have been around since the Chicago Black Sox all the way to every single NBA Draft Lottery ever. Money is the key word in any possible conspiracy, people tend to forget that pro sports isn’t “just a game”, it is a business. Some players, owners, and commissioners get caught up in squeezing out every single penny they can get their hands on, legally and illegally. I will dedicate my next couple of posts to possible conspiracy theories that will get you to think, “Was it all a lie?”.
The first one I will cover is one of the most popular ones of all time. It all started in 1985, the year where the NBA gave birth to the “lottery”. The lottery that you know and hate now is when the worst fourteen teams in the NBA a shot at getting the prized #1 overall pick. The worst record in the regular season is awarded the best chance of getting the first pick and the percentages get lower as the teams get better.
After the 1984 season, the NBA created the lottery system to prevent teams from purposely receiving the worst overall record, like the Houston Rockets were accused of. This system, which was used from 1985 to 1989, gave every non playoff team an “envelope” which was a chance to receive the #1 overall pick. All envelopes would be placed in a spinning three dimensional sphere, which would randomize the envelopes.
When I think of the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts, I think about Michael Jordan, Ervin “Magic” Johnson, and Larry Bird. If you were to bring up Tracy McGrady I would give you a quick no. T-Mac, a 15 year veteran, is only 32 years old and will most likely be remembered for his time in Toronto with cousin Vince Carter. Both players have very similar careers and will not make the Hall.
McGrady’s numbers have declined over the past couple of years and you can blame those on injuries. This year as a member of the Atlanta Hawks, McGrady is only averaging 5.7 points per game. In his past three season, McGrady has been on four different teams (Hawks, Detroit Pistons, New York Knicks, and Houston Rockets). In those three seasons combined, T-Mac is only averaging 7.5 points per game as a role player. After being his cousins little shadow in Toronto for three years, Tracy went to Orlando for the 2000-01 season and things began to take off. McGrady’s points per game went up by 11 from 15 to 26 that year. For the next eight seasons, McGrady averaged more than 20 points per game. In his final two seasons with the Magic, McGrady led the league in scoring with 32.1 and 28 points. That is really all he has to lean back on.
When you think of Hall of Fame credentials you think of championships or at least carrying their team as far as they could. Well Tracy doesn’t have any rings and he did not carry his team. As a matter of fact, McGrady never got out of the first round of the playoffs. THE FIRST ROUND. For some reason T-Mac still thinks he is a Hall of Famer, “If we’re going by the numbers, I think they’re Hall of Fame numbers. You total (two scoring titles) up along with my points, my playoff average (28.5 in 38 career games), so, yeah, I think I have the credentials.” Tracy, that is a lot of first round playoff games.
Like many I will remember Tracy for his appearance in the 2000 Slam Dunk contest when he assisted Airsanity in the greatest performance of all time in the event. Unfortunately that will not get him into the Hall of Fame. So Tracy, if I could suggest anything, it would be to retire now so you stop averaging 5 points per game the rest of your career. All you are doing is hurting whatever chance you have of being enshrined.
If you consider yourself a Knicks fan, list’LIN up. If you don’t consider yourself a Knicks fan, and hate on the Knicks & Jeremy Lin, you can list’LIN up too.
First off, do not hate on Jeremy Lin and say he is not good, or he sucks, or hes gettLIN lucky, or any of that. I’ve had numerous debates with friends and their only defense – he’s a lucky nobody, got cut from the GoldLIN State Warriors and HoustLIN Rockets, he wasn’t drafted; he can’t be that good or he wouldn’t of gotten over looked by so many team front office’s. Well ladies and gentLINmen, he may not be able to produce what he has the last 5 games for a career average, but do not look away from the obvious.
Daryl Morey (@dmorey) , GM of the HoustLIN Rockets tweeted, “We should have kept @jlin7. Did not know he was this good. Anyone who says they knew misleading U. RT @trane711 Just accept the @jlin7 mistake.” A team that once cut Lin, already in regret? You don’t see public statements in the news everyday of teams showing remorse for a player they once cut – unless they were completely LINfatuated with this player’s style of play the last 5 games.
The last 5 games, he IS withLIN the best top 3 point guards in the NBA. Was he THE best, thats debatable. You can only judge the man on what he’s proven as an everyday starter. I don’t care his past stories, who cut him, how many times he’s been the last man on the bench, or his ethLINicity – he has started the last 5 games and has produced more efficient numbers than ANY OTHER athlete in their first five games in NBA history. Is he going to be an all-star, a MVP, a hall of famer… who knows – nobody does. But don’t sit here and say how bad he is or how he is overhyped, when all he’s done is produce, produce, produce. What more do you want Jeremy Lin to do before you give him credit? There’s not much more he can do. So to all the haters, stop being LINgorant.
Do not get me misunderstood – I am not saying this man is going to be a top tier PG at the end of the year, because I nor can anyone else predict the future, but do not shy away from what he’s done and don’t be ignorant to say he LINs’t a valuable asset right now or a top tier PG right now.
Let’s look at stats just from the past 5 games – since thats all we can judge Lin on, and see whos stats we think match up with who’s.
Now you tell me who you think is who. The first is (1) Rondo, second (2) Chris Paul, third (3) Jeremy Lin, and fourth (4) Deron Williams. Has Jeremy Lin provLIN he is as good as these players for longevity? Absolutely not. Has he proveLIN that since he has been an everyday starter he deserves to atleast be mentioned with theses players until he otherwise does not perform like them? Absolutely. You can’t deny something that he has done… and thats put up LINsane numbers.
Now with that being said, will his numbers decrease when Melo and Amare come back – probability says yes ofcourse. Will his assists and team productivity lack? Nobody knows. Time will tell. Until then, why panic or why deny this man any ‘props’?
He could be a star in the making, he could be the next big overhyped bust, nobody knows. He brings Madison Sqaure GarLIN to their feet and instills hope in them just like Patrick EwLINg once did. Since he’s been in a Knicks uniform as a starter, all he’s done is LIN,LIN, LIN.
As a Knicks fan, don’t stop beLINning and do not give up hope for a championship run this year. We have the talent, it’s obvious and now we have that spark in Jeremy Lin that may just be able to save this team and bring back their “swag” and instill belief back LIN their play after dropping 11 of their last 13 before he entered the lineup. The Knicks fans in ManhattLIN are now back and once again excited about Knicks games. WE BACK AND EVERYDAY WE HUST’LIN!
Floyd Mayweather is an ignorant idiot. In a recent tweet, the jailbird boxer says, “Jeremy Lin is a good player but all the hype is because he’s Asian. Black players do what he does every night and don’t get the same praise.”
Is this not the most asinine comment we have seen this year from an athlete? It has to be right up there with Ndamukong Suh saying he was just trying to get out of the way when he stomped one of the Packers offensive linemen. This is a disgrace and an embarrassment for the sport of boxing.
I’m one of the people who do not like to drink the cool aid until a player proves me wrong with his play for a significant amount of time. Jeremy Line has done just that. He’s played lights out for the knicker boxers since he came off the bench and sparked the Garden as well as the slumping Knicks.
Here are some stats to back up his play Floyd. Lin is the first player in league history to have at least 20 points in each of his four career starts. He’s scored 109 points in his first four career starts. Those numbers are mind-boggling.
Hey Floyd, do you remember that guy named Jordan? He was the best to ever play the game of basketball. He did not even put up the numbers that Lin has in his first few starts. I am by no means saying Lin will be better than Jordan. I’m simply pointing out facts that prove Lin is straight balling right now.
Mayweather has absolutely no credit what so ever. He may be one of the best boxers on the planet but as far as brains are concerned I think he’s had one to many shots to the head.
The rise to fame and credit Lin has received over the past week has been well deserved. He is not getting all the hype because he’s “Asian” as Mayweather would say. He’s getting all the hype because he’s putting up numbers that few players in the history of the league have done in his first four starts.
Lets also point out that Lin is a Harvard graduate. Did you every think about that Floyd? When do we ever see players from Harvard prosper and star in the NBA? Never. The hype has been created because Lin is playing flat out superior basketball and he deserves all of the accreditation.
Floyd Mayweather needs to get in the ring in May, fight, shut up and go to jail. This comment about Lin just proves that Floyd is still an ignorant idiot.
Move over Yao Ming because Jeremy Lin is taking over the NBA by storm. The second year man out of Harvard played for the Golden State Warriors last year, and was picked up by the Rockets before the 2011-2012 season began but was waived in order for the Rockets to sign center Samuel Dalembert to a two year deal. Did both the Warriors and Rockets know what Lin could do? Apparently not. Do both teams regret dropping him? Probably not.
Jeremy Shu-How Lin graduated from Palo Alto High School in California, and then took his talents to Harvard where he played all four years. Lin then made his debut on October 29, 2010 with the Warriors against the Los Angeles Clippers. Lin saw two minutes and thirty two seconds of playing time. Lin did not attempt a shot,nor did he pull down a rebound, dish out an assist, or turn the ball over. He did cause one turnover. Solid night. Lin played in 29 games last year and averaged 2.6 pointer per game.
Oh how things have changed. Lin signed a 10 day contract with the New York Knicks on December 27th. Jeremy made his debut the next night for the Knicks against his former team in the Warriors. Lin only saw one minute of play and was 0-1 from the field. On January 17th, the Knicks assigned Lin to their D league affilitate, the Erie Bayhawks. In Lin’s one game, he posted a triple double with 28 points, 12 assists, and 11 rebounds. On January 23rd, Lin returned to the Knicks, which also happened to be the same day Baron Davis returned to practice. Lin saw some garbage time between January 24th and February 3rd, and then on the 4th Lin stole the show and sent Madison Square Garden into a frenzy. Lin saw 36 minutes of playing time, scoring 25 points, dishing out 7 assists and grabbing 5 rebounds.
Lin has started the last four games for the Knicks since and the Knicks are undefeated since then. In his last 5 games, Lin is averaging 26.8 points, 8 assists, and 4.2 rebounds a game. Jeremy Lin is the 1st player with 20 points and 8 assists in his first two career starts since LeBron James in ’03-04 season. Not bad company. Lin also scored the most points for any starter in their first three starts since the NBA ABA merger in 1976-77. Oh wait, that’s not it. Lin join Flip Murray, Grant Hill, and Dominique Wilkins as the only players to score 20 points in each of their first four starts in their career.
Is Jeremy Lin the real deal? Can he sustain this play all year long, and for the rest of his career? Let me remind you, Lin has done all of this without Amare Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony. I think the trade rumors for Dwight Howard have calmed down and the Knicks have found their missing piece. Give me Lin, Landry Fields/Iman Shumpter, Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemine, and Tyson Chandler is not a bad starting five. Who needs Baron Davis when you have Linsanity. Will Lin’s success continue? I hope so. He is a fun player to watch and he excited those that pay to watch the Knicks play. That is all you can ask for. Landry Field’s tweeted that this is the most fun he has ever had playing basketball, and a lot of that falls on the shoulders of Jeremy Lin.
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Yesterday ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith reported on his radio show that Orlando Magic ownership has reached out to the New York Knicks about a possible trade that would send Dwight Howard to New York and Amar’e Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler to the Magic. If you are the Magic this move totally makes sense. For the Knicks, let’s just say I don’t see this move being a quick fix.
Tyson and Amar'e could cause havoc in Orlando
If the Magic can acquire both Stoudemire and Chandler, they automatically become a legitimate contender in a weak Eastern conference. The Magic who play more of a half court offense could really use the two big men. Amar’e has both a nice back to the basket game, and a face up game. Chandler was instrumental to the Dallas Mavericks winning the NBA championship last season and is a big factor on the boards and on the defensive side of the ball. The Magic would have a nice starting five with Jameer Nelson at the point, Jason Richardson at the two guard, Hedo Turkoglu at the wing and Amar’e and Tyson down low.
Can Superman coexist with Melo?
Dwight Howard would get what he wanted. Howard would get a chance to play in one of the biggest markets and with another superstar in Carmelo Anthony. Howard who is very athletic for a man his size would fit in nicely with head coach Mike D’Antoni’s run and gun system. I have two questions if the Knicks go ahead with this trade. Who is going to play alongside with Dwight, and what makes you think Dwight will be able to work with Melo if Amar’e couldn’t? Let’s take a look at the Knicks roster. Other than Stoudemire and Chandler, the Knicks have rookies Josh Harrellson, and Jerome Jordan, as well as one of the worst big men in the history of the NBA in Jared Jeffries. Howard can’t play two positions at once. I view Amar’e as a better overall player than Dwight on the offensive side of the ball because of his shooting range, so what makes you think Dwight will be able to mesh with Melo?
With Dwight Howard becoming a free agent at the end of the season, the Knicks would be risking a lot if they make this trade. The Knicks signed Chandler over the summer to a four year contract and Amar’e is under contract until 2015. Orlando fans may be saddened if they lose the face of their franchise, but they should be happy with what they will be receiving in return.
Sitting at 6-7 and below .500, the New York Knicks are playing well under their talent level and Manhattan’s expectations. On paper they have an extremely agile and athletic team, minus the poing guard slot, that most believe can compete for an Eastern Conference championship or at sub par atleast sit at top of the Atlantic Divison. Looking at the division, Toronto and the Nets once again see themselves at the bottom with 4-10 and 3-11 records respectively. Boston finds themselves in an unusual third place spot at 4-8 losing their last 5 contests and their home opener at the Garden. This is the first 5 game losing streak since the “Big 3″, Garnett, Allen and Pierce have been together. The Knicks find themselves in 2nd with a 6-7 record, losing their last 3 and the young Philadelphia 76ers find themselves leading the Atlantic Division at 10-3 winning their last three. The 76ers have an NBA leading point differential of +14.9, scoring on average 100.8 points a contest while allowing 85.8.
With this being said, why are the New York Knicks struggling so bad? Injuries have had some effect, but that should not be an excuse. When you have Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire, there is no reason to lose by 25 when one of them is down. Amare, averaging 18.7 ppg this year, is down 7 points from last year while Carmelo Anthony’s stats have stayed rather consistent when looking at points scored a game, posting between 25-26. Melo is still shooting an average of 20 shots per game, and Amare is throwing up the rock on average 5 less times a game.
Stats aside, the Knicks just do not play as a team. Being from Syracuse, I love ‘Melo. Brought Jim Boeheim his first national championship and re-energized the city. But dude, pass the rock. As much as you love to score, and as much as we love to watch you score – its just not getting it done. Teams are predicting your shots, and there are believe it or not 4 other guys on the floor with you. There is no reason every 4th quarter for Carmelo Anthony to bring the ball up court, use a screen and throw up a jump shot. Next possesion; Carmelo Anthony brings the ball down court, dribbles side to side, uses a screen – throws up a jump shot. Use your talent to your advantage. Use your reputation to get others involved. Same goes with Amare. Watching these games I am just astonished their shot selection.
I realize that the Knicks are struggling at the PG spot, with Douglas being a gunner himself and Shumpert – the rookie who has never seen a shot he didnt like. Douglas shoots 11 times a game, and Shumpert 13. After these 4 players (Anthony 20, Stoudemire 15, Shumpert 13 and Douglas 11) the next most shots per game is Landry Fields with 6 and Harrelson with 5 – Tyson Chandler shoots 4 times a game. There is no ball movement. It seems as if when Melo or Stoudemire do not get the rock on a possession, they make sure its their spotlight next time down the court. Its embarrassing and awful to watch. There is 0 team concept watching these guys out there. The Knicks are in the bottom tier with team assists per game, and maybe thats why their record reflects so.
D’antoni needs them to squad up on “D” and pass the rock. Too many egos seem to be getting in the way and less ball movement results in less wins. Melo promised a championship – cant do that with a losing record last time I checked. With the only competitive team really in the Atlantic Divison being the 76ers currently, the Knicks cant afford to sit back and wait for the Celtics to get hot or even the Nets if they ever do end up acquiring Dwight Howard. The time is now.
Ah, September – one of the best times for any sports fan. College Football is in full swing, the NFL has started another season and the baseball playoff race is getting tense. But any TRUE sports fan knows why this part of the year is the best on the sports calendar; fall is when NBA players start to make outrageous guarantees!
