'Linsanity' happened coz no one knew how to guard him, but now doesn't happen anymore coz they figured him out?

"My friend said 'Linsanity' Lin happened because no one knew how to guard him, but now doesn't happen anymore because everyone figured out how to guard him..?" Someone asked on Reddit

My answer: Partly true and partly false.

Yes during Linsanity, no one knew who he was & what Lin could do. At the height of Linsanity, Jeremys strength were: quick first step acceleration, attack basket from right, jumper, reverse lay up, drawing fouls, and crazy court vision + distribution.

Eventually teams knew he couldn't go left, and was a big risk taker so they try to double team him / triple team to trap him on the right to deny him driving Lane... And force turn overs. Also Lin wasn't greatest defender either.

So it's true that teams eventually figured him out. But that was hardly the reason Linsanity ended.

the main reason for his success was that he was in the right situation playing under Dantoni who is like the Point guards dream coach. And Lin just ran pick & roll after pick & roll with Tyson Chandler who is one of the better P&R finishers in the league... And that is hard to stop even if you know his weaknesses.

Eventually Lin was not in the same situation any more after Melo returned. lin also got injured, so that didn't help.

What is false in that statement is that Linsanity not happening anymore because they know his weaknesses.

Well Lin worked on those last summer. He improved his 3, can drive left now, and made huge strides on defense. He also has lowered turn overs per game compare to Linsanity days.

The main issue last season was that Houston played Lin like a spot up shooter. The offense was most run off of Harden. Lin was often just standing in the corner waiting for the ball and shoot 3s. This basically means Lin was not being utilized anywhere half of his capabilities which are penetrating, kicking to open men, and running P&R plays. He was not the primary facilitator and he was demoted to the bench backing up the "elite" defender Patrick Beverly.

So basically until we put Jeremy in same 2010 new York Knicks situation, as the primary facilitator who has the freedom to run the offense, one can not simply claim Linsanity ended because his weaknesses were exposed.