Posted: Tuesday, February 14, 2012, 12:08 AM | 7 comments |
 

Lin vs. Iverson: First Four Starts
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Iverson in his first NBA start ( Jerry Lodriguss / Inquirer )

Knicks wonderkind Jeremy Lin scored more points (109) in his first four NBA starts than any player since the NBA-ABA merger in 1976. That eclipsed the total set by the Sixers' Allen Iverson (101) in his first four starts in 1996.

Lin came off the bench for 39 games in his first year-and-a-half before breaking into the starting lineup. Iverson, on the other hand, started from the get-go.

Here are each players' stats in their first four NBA starts:

ALLEN IVERSON (Sixers)
Date Opponent Dec. Min. FG 3FG FT Reb. Ast. Stl. Pts.
Nov. 1, 1996 Bucks L 37 12-19 2-  4 4-  6 2 6 1 30
Nov. 2, 1996 at Bulls L 26 4-13 2-  3 5-  8 4 2 2 15
Nov. 5, 1996 Pistons L 38 9-18 3-  6 3-  7 7 2 3 24
Nov. 8, 1996 at Celtics W 42 9-19 0-  3 14-22 6 4 2 32
   Totals   1-3 143 34-69 7-16 26-43 19 14 8 101
(49.3%) (43.8%) (60.5%)        
 
JEREMY LIN (Knicks)
Date Opponent Dec. Min. FG 3FG FT Reb. Ast. Stl. Pts.
Feb. 6, 2012 Jazz W 45 10-17 1-  3 7-  9 2 8 2 28
Feb. 8, 2012 at Wizards W 36 9-14 0-  3 5-  6 4 10 1 23
Feb. 10, 2012 Lakers W 39 13-23 2-  4 10-13 4 7 2 38
Feb. 11, 2012 at T'wolves W 39 8-24 0-  3 4-  7 6 8 3 20
   Totals 4-0 159 40-78 3-13 26-35 16 33 8 109
(51.3%) (23.1%) (74.3%)        
Posted by Bob Vetrone Jr. @ 12:08 AM  Permalink | 7 comments
7
Comments   
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:50 AM, 02/14/2012
    An absolutely stupid idiotic comparison - IVERSON (during his reign) WAS 100% UNSTOPPABLE. Lin will be figured out and shut down and a 6th or 7th man by next year, at the latest. YES - Lin hits the completely open shot - he does. But he is athletically unspectacular - without a shadow of a doubt. Its a situation akin to a new hitter or pitcher in the major leagues where the opposition has no 'book' on the athlete - the next year, everyone is prepared and the performances are not headline worthy any longer. Lin will be very fortunate just to get 12-14 minutes a game come next season.
    — zen
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:40 AM, 02/14/2012
    You have obviously not watched Lin play.

    Oh, and the most important stats -- Lin went 4-0 (with bad teammates) and had 33 assists. AI went 1-3 (with equally bad teammates) and had only 14 assists. Story of his career...
    — itstooeasy
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:00 PM, 02/14/2012
    Iverson was the #1 pick because the Sixers were the worst team in the league. It was 1996 and they played the Bucks, Bulls, Pistons, and Celtics.
    You are comparing that to the Jazz, Wizards, and TWolves?
    And it's not even his first 4 games, it's games 40-43 for Lin in his 2nd season vs Iverson's 1st 4 games ever.

    Seriously, after 4 games I'm defending Allen Iverson vs. Jeremy Lin? How did you even get on a computer?

    Remember that awesome 5 game series Tyronn Lue had in the Finals that he turned into a big payday? How'd that work out?
    — smfree31
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 1:20 PM, 02/15/2012
    Itstooeasy is clearly new to basketball. Lin has not played against anyone. 6 games in and it just shows you how some people believe whatever skip bayless says on espn. AI face MJ,Pippen and Rodman as a rookie. Jermey Lin is 24 and he is not a rookie. Know your facts homeboy!
    — 1TCannon
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:54 AM, 02/14/2012
    AI is a hall of famer. The jury is still out on Jeremy Lin. I love a good under-dog story, but let's not forget that once upon a time a young man nick-named "White Chocolate" got a lot of hype before flaming out......I agree with zen
    — MrBigDizzle
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:09 AM, 02/14/2012
    Zen's conclusion may well be correct, but his analysis stinks. Lin can and has created his own shots AND facilitated others. He's no Jodie Meeks. The "athletically unspectacular" code words apply to plenty of HOF'ers (Larry Bird, anyone) so that too is bogus.

    However, to be fair, there will be a book on him and the pressure will increase exponentially with his notoriety. He cannot continue his current spectacular play indefinitely. The only question is will he settle at good NBA player or strong sub? Those who enjoy underdog stories, humility, and team play certainly hope for the former...
    — itstooeasy
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 1:09 PM, 02/15/2012
    Jermey Lin is like new bootie to knick fans at first it's the bomb until you had it a while and you realize its nothing special.Lin can not hold AI jock strap. AI played against MJ,PIPPEN and RODMAN as a rookie. Lin a 24 year old jorney man hasn't played against anyone. Fisher is 60 years old that does not count. Anyone that thinks Lin is better than AI needs to put a grenade in there mouth and pull the pin.
    — 1TCannon


7 comments
About Bob Vetrone Jr.

Boop – who goes by Bob Vetrone Jr. when he is undercover or paying bills – has been at the Daily News since 1982, after working for five years at the Philadelphia Bulletin up to its closing. Along with helping to build the sports scoreboards most nights, he has had great input into the papers’ special sports pullouts – March Madness, Broad Street Run, Record Breakers, Greatest Moments – as well as its day-to-day, award-winning event coverage.

A 1980 graduate of North Catholic, he took some evening college courses. Those lasted right up until the first conflict with a Big 5 doubleheader.

His favorite books growing up were the NBA Guide and the Baseball Encyclopedia, which was, for all intents and purposes, the Internet before there was an Internet.

He has been immersed in sports statistics since the early 70s, when his father (long-time sports writer, broadcaster and the Daily News’ Buck The Bartender), would take him into the Bulletin newsroom overnight in the summer and let him update the Phillies statistics in a little, black spiral notebook. But things have changed tremendously in the decades since … He now uses a big, black spiral notebook. Email him at vetronb@phillynews.com.


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