Who is Jeremy Lin, you ask? He’s the brand new sensation that has swept and won the hearts and minds of recent York Knicks fans in a brand new York minute. A Taiwanese American, born and raised in California, who was largely ignored by the massive California schools, UCLA, Cal, and Stanford, and who came to Harvard and shaped a incredible career on the Massachusetts-based university.
Lin then went undrafted in 2010 and bounced round the League from Dallas to Golden State after which, finally, the brand new York Knickerbockers. Nobody knew what to anticipate from Lin as recently as last week! He was picked up by the Knicks two days after Christmas and was called up after Amare Stoudemire went down with an injury. Then, Carmelo Anthony went down with an injury in Monday’s game against the Jazz, and remainder even now could be writing itself.
Lin has taken an underachieving basketball team and given them hope. He has gifted them not just the purpose guard they desperately needed, but, apparently, the leader they needed to boot. Lin’s heroics were on full display the past three games, leading the Knicks in scoring in victories over the Nets, Jazz and Wizards.
Then came the confrontation Friday night against the l. a. Lakers led by superstar Kobe Bryant. If Lin and the Knicks shrank under the pressure, nobody would was that surprised; it was the most important stage this team were on all season.
But, the child didn’t disappoint; if truth be told, he led. Lin’s 10 points within the opening quarter to spark the Knicks to a fast 13-4 lead proved to be the large difference for the night. After Lin’s fast start, the Knicks never trailed again during this contest.
When the Knicks needed Lin to make a tremendous play, he was there, whether it was his spin drive under the ring and dish under the basket to increase the Knicks lead, or answering Kobe Bryant on multiple occasions, together with his deadly three-pointer within the corner to offer the Knicks an 84-76 lead. Lin was there.
And it wasn’t only Lin making big plays for brand new York. After Bryant connected on a layup and two free throws, and Jason Kapano nailed a 3 pointer to bring the Lakers to within three points, 70-67, it was Iman Shumpert who came to the Knicks rescue. Shumpert connected on a 21 foot jumper and scored on a drive during the lane to extend the Knicks lead back to seven.
Then the sport became a battle royal between Bryant and Lin. Whenever Bryant scored, Lin answered. First Bryant hit a basket to chop the Knicks result in eight, 79-71. Lin answered with a 23 foot jump shot to extend it back to 10; minutes later, Lin brought the home down with that killer three pointer. Box score.
Lin played the sport of his young lifetime. He scored 38 points and carried the Knicks to victory over one of many NBA’s best teams. Sure the Lakers struggled offensively; they just shot 37 percent from the ground, however the effort this kid displayed on the Garden on a Friday night when all the attention was on his 23-year old shoulders, was incredible. He delivered big time.
Lin added four more points down the stretch to provide Ny a 90-82 lead with 0:52 to play.
Something needs to be said about this kid’s leadership because since he has arrived, the Knicks have played far better defense, going after the basketball like a mad pack of wolves; there’s a fresh sense of comradeship that was not at the Knicks earlier this year.
Lin has even displayed the power to orchestrate this offense. He’s not afraid to dish it out to the likes of Landry Fields, Shumpert, Tyson Chandler and Bill Walker. Consequently, everyone was contributing on a high level for the Knicks.
It shall be very interesting to work out how a lot better Lin gets when Stoudemire and Anthony return to the lineup, and if that duo allows Lin to guide the offense the way in which he has the past four games.
Fact is, the Knicks are better today with Lin, then once they were without him only a week ago.
Jeremy Lin mania is alive and well in Ny city.
