Jeremy Lin: Dynamic Young Point Guard Makes Rockets NBA's Must-See Team

Considering the surrounding talent, Jeremy Lin doesn't make the Houston Rockets a playoff team. He does make them the most exciting. 

To give that argument any sort of legs, it's important to first decipher what exactly makes a team "exciting."

In the NBA, it's pretty simple. Teams that are young, teams that are willing to get in transition for the entire 48 minutes and teams that display excellent passing ability and quick ball rotations are going to move to the top of most people's list.

The Rockets have all of that, and Lin is a large reason why. 

For proof that the 24-year-old has the "must-see" factor, one only needs to remember how he took the NBA—and the world—by storm over the second half of the 2011 season.

Anyone who can give you chills over watching a basketball game is pretty much the definition of "must-see."

Yes, the 18.2 points and 7.7 assists per game as a starter were borderline unbelievable. And yes, the 117 turnovers in 25 games (4.68 per contest) were just as terrible to watch. But there's so much more to the former Harvard star than stats. 

It's how he accumulates those stats. It's his propensity to show up in big games and predisposition to hit the clutch three (sorry, Raptors. Sorry, Dirk. Sorry, Lakers). It's his grittiness and fearlessness when it comes to driving the lane. It's his awareness. His ability to keep his dribble when trapped in the corner, something 99 percent of NBA players don't do, wait for the defender to lose focus, and find a way to the hoop. It's his spin moves. It's his beautiful play off pick-and-rolls that almost always result in buckets for his teammates at the hoop.

Lin isn't just an international sensation or someone who "beat the odds." Those are the things that make him popular, sure, but his unique approach to the game should be the real reason you watch. 

But that's just one piece, or maybe more appropriately, the glue, to the must-see puzzle. 

GM Daryl Morey's endless Dwight Howard pursuit resulted in a—excuse my French—crapload of young potential studs who he must have intended to trade at some point. The plan fell through in the end, but it makes for a fascinating roster. 

Four rookies—yes, four—enter the mix, and they are all capable of carving out a significant role. Terrence Jones and Royce White are easily the two best point forwards from the draft and provide plenty of versatility.

Donatas Motiejunas, the 2011 top pick from Lithuania, proved during the Summer League his game is very Pau Gasol-like with potentially more athleticism. Jeremy Lamb can literally score from anywhere on the court.

Combine those youngsters with Kevin Martin, Chandler Parsons, Omer Asik, Carlos Delfino and yes, even more role players, and the opportunities for this team are endless. 

Lin running the pick-and-roll with Motiejunas. Lin driving the lane and finding any one of Lamb, Martin, Parsons, Delfino or Motiejunas spotting up for the open jumper. Endless fast breaks led by an endless amount of ball-handlers, such as White, who constantly showcases his uncanny passing ability for a forward. 

The sheer amount of youth, positional diversity, deadly shooters and to be honest, inexperience, all led by Jeremy Lin, easily one of the most exciting up-and-coming youngsters in the NBA, make for pure entertainment.

Again, it might not make for a lot of wins right out of the gate, but this Houston Rockets team is one that you won't be able to peel your eyes from. 

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