Linball

Again ... it's six games. And I hope it continues, for the great story it is.

But ... it's six games. Everyone get a grip.

 

I was toggling between NBA TV and ESPN2 last night trying to catch a look-in of the Knicks game -- and believe me when I say what an upset that is that I would even care about regular-season NBA. Anyway, the Heat had just finished beating up the Pacers and ESPN2 had Wade on the phone. One of the first questions: "What do you think about Jeremy Lin?"

I'm sure players are loving that.

 

I don't think anybody's putting the kid in the HOF right now. But the story is big because of the sudden nature of it. If this is something he, ahem, sustains for several seasons, the story about being an undrafted journeyman who had a sudden unexpected rise to fame will be there, but he'll largely just settle into being another star in the league. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

In other words, if he strings this together for three years, it's not Linsanity, it's just a really good point guard who, by the way, was an undrafted free agent.

 

Man oh man if David Stern could work up a Knicks-Heat first-round playoff series. And don't think he isn't on it already.

 

Heard Stern said NO to Lin getting in on the Rising Stars game. Damn shame. Guess he thinks everyone is going to tune in to see Marshon Brooks and Kemba Walker?

 

Holy shit, really? Why wouldn't he want Lin in that?

 

latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2012/02/president-obama-is-a-big-fan-of-jeremy-lin.html

 

Which brings up the question: Who the F cares?

 

Again, the "most points/assists/turnovers/rebounds through X amount of games" has played out. It's an interesting historical tidbit, not a sign of, well, anything much. He has the most points in his first five starts for any player since?

John Drew, 1974-75 season.

Back to Princeton offenses, Carrill was an assistant with the entertaining Kings teams of the early '00s. Those teams were a lot of fun to watch.

But there have been recent teams that did things the Larry Brown "right way." (Barf). Even the Lakers in their last few titles, when they ran the triangle well, it was run even better than the Bulls did and was a thing of beauty, especially with Gasol operating out of the post. If you want ugly, watch a Mike Brown offense.

I'm sure other players are getting a little tired of it, but many others are excited. Nash and Bogut were among the ones tweeting how much they loved him. And Kevin Ding on the Lakers' locker room last night:
http://www.ocregister.com/sports/lakers-340386-game-lin.html

 

Sportswriters?

 

It doesn't have to sustain to be a good story. In fact, it's almost a better story (for the sake of the story) if he rather quickly goes back to being a journeyman.

If there was an expectation that he should or will maintain what he's doing, the story wouldn't be what it is. There's no man bites dog in that.

 

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