Thursday Links: Can Jeremy Lin Thrive Without A Go-To Option?

Kevin McHale's offense is predicated on a steady diet of pick-and-rolls. Jeremy Lin works best in the pick-and-roll. McHale's wife loves California rolls. On paper, the combination is a match made in heaven. Unfortunately, there's that darn fly in the ointment that there has to be to be a "picker" and "roller" for the standard pick-and-roll to be successful. It's pretty elementary stuff, but who on this roster can step into that role?

Who's that big tall guy we just got? The really athletic one? Oh ya, Omer Asik. In theory, Asik's bruising body would free up Lin to penetrate the lane and then dish to him as he cuts to the basket, but that ignores the fact that Asik has to catch the ball, something that is more than a simple task for Asik.

Patrick Patterson? Donatas Motiejunas? They both have their flaws limiting their pick-and-roll potential, most notably an inability to finish through contact at the rim.

In New York, Lin had All-Star center and pick-and-roll extraordinaire Tyson Chandler to run the offense with. The threat of a lob pass to Chandler every time down the floor opened up space for Lin to operate. If Lin doesn't find a go-to guy on the pick-and-roll he could be in danger of having his lanes shut down and getting trapped in the paint. For a man who has struggled with his handle at times, that could be a disaster.

Perhaps Patterson will get his mojo back and make this all a moot point, but the lack of pick-and-roll options has to be one of the biggest worries going into the season.

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