Jeremy Lin might have been taking notes as Chris Paul tore up the East in the 2013 All-Star Game and took home the MVP honors. So what exactly does this mean about Lin's game in the near future? It has to improve greatly.
Two things could have happened after Paul was voted in as the starter for the game, either more fans will reach out and vote for Lin in 2014 or Paul's performance proved he's the best point guard in the game today. Lin was only 45,000 votes short of surpassing Paul in the All-Star ballot, which proves that letting fans vote for the game's starters can become a simple popularity contest.
Let's not focus solely on what Paul did during the All-Star game, he's been tearing up the competition all season long. Winning the All-Star game MVP could just be a sign of bigger things to come for the 27-year-old point guard. He's amazing on defense and if he chose to score, Paul could take over games, but with Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan, passing the ball becomes the smarter option.
I took a lot of heat for saying Lin wasn't a superstar before the beginning of the season, but his performance and other point guard's performances around the league this year are proving my point.
Lin is skilled, there isn't any doubt about it. However, he's no longer in the spotlight of the NBA. It's James Harden's team and he was the sole representative for the Houston Rockets as the team hosted the All-Star Weekend festivities.
Little by little, Lin is proving he's an average guy. He went from the driver's seat in New York, to the passenger seat in Houston and quickly, Paul's performance could put Lin in the backseat.
The advantage Lin has, however, is that he's only 24 years old. On the other hand, with Russell Westbrook also being a dominant point guard in the league and Tony Parker refusing to age despite showing deficiencies on defense, Lin has these other guys to worry about.
In the 2013 All-Star ballot, Lin received more votes than Westbrook and Parker combined, but his skill sets don't compare to theirs just yet. Westbrook is a great finisher at the basket and is simply more explosive off the dribble. Parker is a better scorer than Lin too and has been consistent year after year.
Lin has hopes of starting in an NBA All-Star game, but he will have to sharpen up his game greatly. He will have to become a bigger part in the team's winning efforts game after game.
If anything, Lin could be a steady participant at the Skills Challenge, but he has to put a little more flavor and pep on his step.
Feel free to voice your thoughts. Do you see Lin as an All-Star starter any time soon? Follow me on Twitter @Frankie_SWR.