“I bomb atomically, Socrates’ philosophies/and hypothesis can’t define how I be droppin these mockeries...” Wu-Tang Clan, Triumph, Wu-Tang Forever.
And nobody can really explain the phenomenon that is Jeremy Lin. From being snubbed by schools, to Harvard, to being punked by NBA teams, almost going to Europe, having a chance to play for the New York Knicks, sitting down while Toney Douglas stank up the Point Guard spot and, finally, showing what he could do, reviving a team that was in desperate need of a “feel good story” and a decent Point Guard.
“Nowhere to run to, nowhere to hide/It’s them kids from the other side “Shao LIN” Worldwide” Wu-Tang Clan, Shaolin Worldwide, Iron Flag.
If you think he only took over America, open your yes. LINsanity is everywhere. From Brazil to Australia. Right now, it’s Lin’s world and we’re just sleeping on the couch.
And, as with great power comes great responsibility, with sudden success comes hate.
People are quick to judge Lin. Saying he’ll fail. Doesn’t matter that he’s shown an impressive IQ and court vision. Doesn’t matter he beat Shaq’s record for points scored in the first 5 games as a starter – Shaq had 130, Lin scored 136.
As sure as there are those who will say “He’s the next Steve Nash”, I’m looking at you Amar’e, there are those who say this will all end soon.
“I’m raw, I’m rugged and raw! I repeat, if I die/My seed’ll be ill like me” Wu-Tang Clan, 7th Chamber, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
The kid is still very raw. He commits more turnovers than a PG should. But, than again, he is better at ball handling than a certain PG from a small College who was declared the League’s MVP twice (Nash, folks).
Right now, Lin’s PER 1 is around a solid 25. That puts him as a weak MVP candidate. Now, stop, read that again. Are you back? Yes, if Lin keeps playing at this pace, he’s an MVP candidate.
But, for the sake of argument and reality, let’s say he won’t be able to keep this pace up. And, with Amar’e Stoudemire back and Carmelo Anthony about to return, Lin won’t have to. What happens to the best Cinderella story since, well, Cinderella?
“Even if one’s head were to be suddenly cut off, he should be able to do one more action with certainty. With martial valor, if one becomes like a revengeful ghost and shows great determination, though his head is cut off, he should not die” Ghost Dog.
With Stoudemire, and eventually Melo, back, Lin won’t have to score. And, we can already see he has the vision and IQ to run the team.
That is what he will rely on: Court vision, speed, passes, pick-and-rolls.
Lin knows he can’t stop his dribble when he’s in trouble. He never freaks out with double teams. He is great at pick-and-rolls. The kid knows basketball. Will he be a 20 points, 10 assists guy? Only time will tell. But can he keep running this Knicks offense? From what I’ve seen, yes.
A pick-and-roll between Lin and Amar’e will free up Melo. A pick-and-roll between Lin and Chandler will free up Melo and Amar’e.
“The way I make the crowd go wild, sit back relax won’t smile/Rae got it going on pal, call me the rap assassinator/Rhymes rugged and built like Schwarzenegger/And I’m gonna get mad deep like a threat, blow up your project/Then take all your assets” Wu-Tang Clan, Protect Ya Neck, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
Not only on the offensive end, Lin’s surge is helping the defensive side of thing too. Before, Iman Shumpert had to take a bigger offensive load than he was ready too. Now, Iman the Fearless can focus on his defense. As an example, Iman’s defense on Calderón changed the pace of the game and the Knicks won.
I can’t wait to see Lin, Melo, Amar’e, Chandler, Iman, Fields, Baron (yeah, he’s coming back people!) figuring out how to run this offense. And, next season, maybe they can have a real coach…
“Can I say this one? can I say this one?
Right now, right now, we still, we still
Feel like we ain’t get what we want yet
When we get, when we get, when we get a little props
And really really get the way we gotta go?
That’s when you know it’s on?
You know what I’m sayin
Cuz right about now, I ain’t braggin or nothin
But yo the Wu, the Wu got somethin that I know that everybody
Wanna hear?
Cuz I know I’ve been waitin to hear
You know what I’m sayin?
But straight up and down, till we get the goal
We gon keep goin” – Wu-Tang Clan – Can it Be All So Simple – Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
- Player Efficiency Rating ↩
