The reigning defensive player of the year talks about Jeremy Lin and how Raymond Felton and Jason Kidd have brought a sense of calmness to their offensive system ….
Jeremy Lin won New York Knicks some crucial games last season and played perhaps the most important in pushing the team into the playoffs. Yet, Tyson Chandler seems to think that during the time Lin was the floor general, he did
not run the offense properly.
“Jeremy was a young point guard who was inexperienced, who brought a great light to the organization. But as far as being able to run the offense and putting players in the right position he just wasn’t there.”
Not mentioning the fact, that it was Chandler who was going gaga about the Linsanity phenomena while the man was in the Big Apple, the player does have a point.
It is true that Lin had a major impact, but that was because of his offensive abilities. As a point guard, he basically relied on high ratios of pick and rolls and fed off from a well knit defensive system. And then there was Steve
Novak raining three’s and stretching the court for him. His main job of finding Chandler, Amare’ Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony in comfort zones was done no doubt, but only occasionally.
Lin also played at a time when Melo and Stoudemire were nursing injuries and the Knicks, having limited offensive options, gave the ball to him. As soon as Melo returned, Lin’s ball time reduced and all off a sudden Knicks hit
a road block. Lin had no second or third gear so to say. It was all one pace, and as soon as the teams got a hang of him, the numbers started to drop.
The present resources however intrigue the seven foot centre.
"The intensity is way up and also there's also calmness when we're coming down court, with the point guards getting things under control and making sure we get good shots every possession," Chandler said Friday.
"I think the toughest thing last year was our best players were at the 3, 4 and 5 spots with nobody really to get them the ball in the right places . . . This year, with the additions that we got at [point guard], Melo can play
his natural role and be a finisher and Amar'e can do the same thing."
The Knicks acquired Jason Kidd and Raymond Felton during the off season. While Kidd is a war hardened veteran and was one of the best in his hey days, Felton is a former Knick and had the best time of his career the last time he
was here. Four days into the training camp, the two have already started to make an impact to the offensive plays it seems, and if the team can knit well as a unit (a little unselfishness from Melo and better post up plays from Stoudemire), these guards can
really make the ball talk.
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