Enough with the Linsanity: 7 Point Guards Better Than Jeremy Lin

Linsanity. We've all heard about it. It's what clogs up the airwaves, fills cyberspace, and dominates headlines.

Is all of the hype justified though?

Jeremy Lin's numbers throughout his first six games have been spectacular. He's scored more points in his first six games than any other player in NBA history—more than guys named Jordan, Iverson, and Shaq.

Sports fans are always trying to jump on the next trend, and while I understand that, some of this hype seems to have gone too far. I'm willing to give the guy time to develop, but calling him elite right off the bat feels premature to me.

Just the other day, an ESPN.com poll asked, "Who's the NBA's best point guard?" Among the available responses were names you would expect, like Derrick Rose, Rajon Rondo and Chris Paul.

However, of the five possible responses one was Jeremy Lin, who at the time had played just five games. The last response was "someone else." The poll completely omitted players like Russell Westbrook and former league MVP, Steve Nash.

Lin finished in third place behind only Rose and Paul. If people truly think that Jeremy Lin is a better point guard than Rajon Rondo, especially after just a small sampling of five games, then they are mistaken.

Derrick Rose

This one's simple. In a league that has a wealth of talent at point guard, Derrick Rose is the definition of backcourt savvy.

He's the league's reigning MVP, and is arguably the most exciting player in basketball. He's averaging a solid 22 points per game, but more impressive are the 8 assists that he dishes out each night. Rose is the epitome of a complete point guard, and he's turning the ball over fewer than 3 times per game, down from 3.5 a year ago.

Rose plays a far more complete game than Lin, contributing on the defensive end as much as he does on offense. His ability to attack the rim at will strikes fear into opponents, and honestly Jeremy Lin doesn't have the quickness or athleticism to attack the rim like Rose does on a nightly basis.

As we saw against the Timberwolves, when Lin was forced to attack the basket with his left hand things didn't go as smoothly and he ended up shooting a meager 8 of 24 from the field.

Chris Paul

Without Chris Paul, the Clippers would be out of the playoff picture and out of our minds.

Paul has made the Clippers into a serious contender in the Western Conference, providing a steady hand and a brilliant basketball IQ on both ends of the floor. Paul is nearly averaging a double-double, (18.5 points and 9 assists) and he's shooting a career high 50.5 percent from the field, 3 full percentage points higher than his career average. 

In addition, Paul is shooting a career best 43.5 percent from three point range. He's also coming up big in the clutch. Just ask Andre Iguodala.

Russell Westbrook

Westbrook may not have it all on the defensive end, but he absolutely tortures opposing defenses with his athleticism and top-flight speed.

While he's known around the league as a gunner who thinks of himself in the most elite company, he's shooting the ball fairly well this year.

For his career Westbrook is a 42.7 percent shooter, but he's proven to be more reliable this year, knocking down shots at a 47 percent clip. Averaging nearly 19 field goal attempts per game, Westbrook is doing a solid job cutting down on his misses and settling for a few more realistic looks as opposed to rangy three pointers, which he shoots at a measly 27 percent.

We haven't seen much from Lin on the defensive end, and we haven't seen a whole lot from Westbrook there either. Westbrook swipes about 2 steals per game, but other than that he tends to get lazy, not showing the tenacity of a Rose or a Paul.

However, I would contend that although his bad habits tend to get the best of him at times, Westbrook is a more dynamic and explosive player than Lin. Westbrook hasn't come close to reaching the pinnacle of his game yet, but he'll have plenty of time to do so after signing a 5 year, $80 million deal in January.

Rajon Rondo

The fact that voters in ESPN's SportsNation poll believed Lin was a better point guard than Rajon Rondo shows how shortsighted sports fans can be.

People like to believe that what they're seeing in front of them is all that matters. Guess what? History sometimes matters too, folks.

While many love to hammer Rondo as a a poor shooter, which he is, there's so much more to his game than a weak jump shot.

People need to look outside of the box score momentarily and remember what made critics gush over Rondo's diverse skill set, slashing through defenses and creating opportunities for his teammates.

The media is praising Jeremy Lin for being a consummate professional who plays within his role, and that's exactly what Rondo has been doing for years. 

When the Celtics won the 2008 NBA Finals, Rondo's surprising play had NBA minds buzzing.

So let's forget that he's not the world's greatest shooter. The guy is still one of the most unique talents in the league, and in case you forgot how good he is, his 32 points, 15 assists, and 10 rebounds in a win over the Bulls last weekend should be a strong reminder.

Steve Nash

It's unfortunate that the only time Steve Nash's name is brought up anymore is in trade rumors. Ever since Amar'e Stoudemire bolted for New York, Nash has received relatively little attention.

Yes, he's 38 years old on a mediocre Suns team, but that doesn't mean his resumé isn't impressive. An 8 time all star and 2 time league MVP, Nash fits every team's mold for a point guard.

Out west, Nash is quietly averaging 14.3 points and 10.5 assists per game while shooting just under 50 percent from the field.

Let's just put it this way: If Jeremy Lin can post those numbers consistently, as Nash has done seven times in his career, then this hype will be justified.

It's a shame that at a time when we're seeing one of the most skilled players of a generation approaching the end of his career, no one seems to care.

Deron Williams

A dynamic scoring threat, Deron Wiliams has proven why he's going to be one of the hottest commodities on the free agent market in the summer of 2012.

Williams drives to the net with ease, extremely capable of finishing around the basket or fading away and converting tough jump shots.

Williams and Lin are both similar in stature, standing 6'3'' and weighing in around 200 pounds.

Williams has the tools that would make him an elite shooting guard, but his height doesn't allow him to play the position. Instead he works with what he's given, playing as a combo guard who's primary goal is to shoot first.

Williams' aggression with the ball is what makes him one of the most feared guards in the league, and Lin would be wise to take a page from Williams and begin utilizing his height and weight to his advantage.

Tony Parker

It feels like Tony Parker has been around forever, but he will only be 30 years old by the time this season is over.

Alongside Manu Ginoibil, the 2007 NBA Finals MVP remains part of one of the league's most feared backcourt duos.

Parker plays with the European influence that has made him such a nightmare for opposing defenses. He's shifty in the lane, a quick decision maker, and he's a confident scorer.

If I could compare Lin to anyone on this list, it would probably be Parker. Parker is a career 49 percent shooter, and that's the clip that Lin is scoring at right now.

In addition, Parker hasn't historically averaged double-doubles, and Lin appears to be more of a shoot-first point guard.

Lin doesn't possess the craftiness that Parker does, but they are very similar players. They're both very competent decision makers, although Lin is averaging nearly 5 turnovers per game thus far.