Excellent assessment of the problem for Lin in LA:
...Without the threat of the outside shot, teams can sag and clog the lane, thereby eliminating Lin’s ability to create off the dribble.
Coach Scott essentially agreed with Lin’s statement, even throwing a subtle jab at Jeremy by mentioning his need to “develop point guard instincts.” Here’s the rest of the related quote:
I think in the system he was in — in New York, the ball was in his hand 95 percent of the time, so he was able to run pick and roll and be able to get to the basket and get shots for himself. This system you have to get other people shots as well. You have to be able to do both. There’s a fine line at times.
While Byron isn’t incorrect, he’s failing to mention a very important facet of that offensive strategy — getting other people shots also involves them actually making them. Of players who have played more than 250 minutes this season, none are shooting 34 percent or better from the 3-point line. Only Kobe Bryant (47.1 percent) is shooting better than 40 percent from 16 feet to the 3-point line. How, exactly, would those “point guard instincts” help players like Wesley Johnson make jumpers?
What’s even more confusing to me is the fact that Lin is having a very solid year, with averages of 11.8 points, 5.1 assists and 1.1 steals in 30.2 minutes per game. Considering what he’s got to work with (and the difficult task of keeping Kobe happy), how is that reason for concern?
Lin’s game is largely dependent on players who can make jump shots, because one of Jeremy’s strengths is getting to the basket and finishing. He’s currently shooting 63.8 percent inside three feet (Kobe is at 54.2 percent for some contrast), but Lin is going to be increasingly less efficient there if the defense collapses because there’s no threat of consistent perimeter makes.
While I originally thought Los Angeles was going to be a spot for Lin to shine, it’s becoming apparent that it might not be a great fit. We saw what happened when Lin was surrounded by shooters and had a green light in New York. We saw how effective he could be in Houston with shooters, but without as much freedom.
If Lin can find a team with shooters that also allows him the full freedom to create and attack the basket, he could be right back to being one of the brightest young (ok, he’s 26) stars in the game.