Jeremy Lin has made a strong start to life in Brooklyn. He has started the season of extremely well for his new team until the dreaded hamstring injury stopped him in his traps. He was playing with a bundle of confidence and was looking the part being the leader of his team. Each game Lin was finding out more and building chemistry with his teammates whilst playing consistently at a high level. Unfortunately, against the Detroit Pistons, Lin picked up a hamstring injury, the diagnosis was a strained hamstring and he will be out for at least 2 weeks.
Lin was quickly building momentum, he was picking up ahead of steam and was thriving being one of the main guys for the Brooklyn Nets. Lin was averaging 15ppg, 6.2apg, 3.8rpg, 1.4stlpg in 26.8minutes before his injury. These stats may not blow you away but he has been such an influential player for the Nets. Without Lin on the floor there is a huge hole to fill. Lin is one of the players the Nets could not afford to miss, they’ll need players to step up. However, the return of Randy Foye will ease the pressure at the point guard position.
Lin’s a massive loss
With Lin out injured the Nets are missing one of their leaders, a key player who can facilitate and take the pressure of his teammates when it is tough going. The Nets are missing someone who they can turn to when it’s not all plain sailing, Lin is never one to shy away from challenges, he thrives on the big occasions. When a big play is needed he can deliver but now it is up to the likes of Kilpatrick who has been playing magnificently to fill the void and Randy Foye along with rookie point guard Isaiah Whitehead to play meaningful minutes.
Strong start to the season
From the 5 games Lin has played this season, it is obvious to see how much his game has developed over the past few years. His game has matured and of the back of this his decision making is now excellent, he doesn’t try to force things and become reckless, he plays within the flow of the game and is now much more patient when it comes to creating an opportunity for his teammates, probing the lane and keeping his dribble alive, almost Steve Nash-esq. When he was the starter for the Rockets his game was still raw, his coaches wouldn’t allow him to play through his mistakes. Now he is with a coach who is relying heavily on Lin to produce the goods and orchestrate for his team. This is the challenge Lin thrives on.
3-point percentage to increase
Even though his 3-point percentage this season is only at 32%, this doesn’t tell the whole story. Out of the 5 games he has only shot poorly in one game which was against the Milwaukee Bucks where he struggled, only shooting 4-16 from the field and 1-7 behind the arc. That poor shooting night has made a massive dent to his percentages. Other than that Lin has shot well from the field, making 45% of his attempts. Encouraging signs for Lin is that his shooting stroke has looked mighty smooth; he has carried this good form on from the preseason which is great to see and this bodes well for the future. I’m confident his 3-point percentage will increase substantially this season compared to last year where he only shot 34%.
I can only see Lin playing better as the season goes on as long as he stays injury free. The pick and roll with Brook Lopez hasn’t even taken off yet and Lin is playing great. I can only imagine when the pick and roll gets going with Lopez, they’ll be force to be reckon with.
Lin coaching from the bench
Even when Lin is injured he is doing his best to help his team by offering advice and guidance to his teammates. It is like he is an addition of the coaching staff but will a cooler hairstyle. The first game he missed through injury against his previous team the Charlotte Hornets, Lin had a clipboard with him on the bench going through plays with Kilpatrick and Whitehead. I’m not sure how many players have done this before but Lin has taken it to another level.
The Nets players have the utmost respect for Lin and you can see how much they’re taking in the advice Lin is offering them. Needless to say, Lin has really come in and made his mark. The players have seen the character, work ethic and what a genuinely nice guy Lin is. The leadership role and Lin goes hand in hand, they complement each other considerably due to the qualities Lin possess.
Hamstring injuries are something you can’t play around with. I’m sure Lin won’t be back until his hamstring strain is fully healed. The Nets have an excellent set of staff and professionals; they really have improved all the important things behind the scenes. From what I have gathered, the Nets have taken a more cautious approach for their players regarding rest and injuries. An example of this was that Brook Lopez didn’t travel with the team on a back to back and they were only into the 2 games into the season.
This injury is a setback and came at the wrong time. You never can predict how Lin will play when he comes back. He may be rusty and struggle to find his rhythm from not playing in a while. Expectations of Lin will have to be lower once he returns in his first few games. I’m sure the Nets will keep a close eye on him and will most likely ease him back into the fold.