Jeremy Lin: Realistic Expections for New Houston Rockets Point Guard in 2012-13

Even though he's not going to be in the spotlight of New York City during the 2012-13 NBA season, Jeremy Lin is still going to face high expectations with the Houston Rockets this season.

Moving from the Knicks to the Rockets will present a few different challenges for Lin on the court, and it will be interesting to watch how he handles them each game.

He played with a lot of guys on the Knicks last year who were able to create their own shot, and as a result, Lin didn't need to create for them. Carmelo Anthony is one player who was able to create his own offense without Lin.

In Houston, Lin will need to use options like the pick-n-roll to create offense for his teammates. Other than veteran shooting guard Kevin Martin, the Rockets don't have a lot of players that can create their own shot off the dribble.

The team is full of rookies who don't yet know how much quicker and more physical players are on defense in the NBA than they are in college basketball. It's going to be an adjustment for them.

This could result in Lin taking on a larger role in the Rockets offense than he had in the Knicks' system. The expectation for Lin will be to score at least 18 points per game.

There is a lot of room for growth in Lin's offensive game, especially from a scoring standpoint, so it will be exciting to see him improve in this part of his game this season.

Lin's defensive improvement will be a crucial part of his success. The Western Conference has a lot of star point guards that Lin will have to defend well if Houston is to consistently win games.

Expectations will be high this year, but Lin's experience in New York will definitely help him handle the pressure he will face in Houston.

2012-13 Expectations of Lin

GP - 80

PPG - 18

APG - 7.5

RPG - 3.5

SPG - 1.75