Move over Tim Tebow - Jeremy Lin, latest sports feel-good sensation

[Louis]

He scored 38 pts tonight as the risen-from-the-dead Knicks beat the Lakers and won their fourth in a row.

NYT Story (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/11/sports/basketball/lins-legend-grows-with-38-point-night-as-the-knicks-continue-to-roll.html)

[akelman]

risen-from-the-dead

I see what you did there.

[Louis]

I see what you did there.

Can't get anything by you, can I? ;)

[junkfood]

Definitely fun watch. Hopefully he can keep the teams energy up when their stars return.

Jake

[akelman]

Anyway, I watched Lin play a bit when he was still at Harvard. He was great, but I'm stunned to see him doing this well in the league. I suppose he's thriving as a poor man's Steve Nash in D'Antoni's system. We'll see if it lasts. I'm guessing it won't, particularly because he can't defend and other guards will figure out his go-to moves and take them away.

[Louis]

Anyway, I watched Lin play a bit when he was still at Harvard. He was great, but I'm stunned to see him doing this well in the league.

It makes you wonder how many other great athletes, whether from the Ivy League, or elsewhere, disappeared without a trace because they just never got the chance. In his case it was really a fluke that he finally got the playing time in the right place and was able to show his stuff. He could easily have languished on the bench in Houston or Golden State and ended his career without anyone ever hearing of him again.

[pdmtong]

Local Chinese kid in the NBA?

This is a long way from when my grandmother came over here by herself at age 15 on a boat in the early part of the century. Hey, the new generation is taller than 5'6" and good at more than just math. :)

PS. I can drive very well, too, thank you!

[Earl Gray]

He is doing great but it's nothing that Carmelo Anthony can't suck the life out of with his return.

[alpsantos]

I had the opportunity to photograph Jeremy Lin and the Knicks this past Wednesday against the Wizards. I love the energy he brought to the game. He is a tremendous team player unlike Carmelo and so much fun to photograph.

http://terpconnect.umd.edu/~asantos/Sports/20120208_Knicks_vs_Wizards05.jpg

[Louis]

I had the opportunity to photograph Jeremy Lin and the Knicks this past Wednesday against the Wizards.

Nice portfolio, Alan.

[tele]

He is doing great but it's nothing that Carmelo Anthony can't suck the life out of with his return.
exactly. welcome to the real NBA

[Birddog]

PS. I can drive very well, too, thank you!
That got me laughing aloud. No DWA for you eh?

[Climb01742]

the part i love is, bet he's the only NBA player living on his brother's sofa.

[wc1934]

Local Chinese kid in the NBA?

This is a long way from when my grandmother came over here by herself at age 15 on a boat in the early part of the century. Hey, the new generation is taller than 5'6" and good at more than just math. :)

PS. I can drive very well, too, thank you!

new generation is taller..... got that right - he is 6'3'' and 200 lbs.
humble as well - post game interview was great -

[victoryfactory]

Without a strong trusted ball distributing guard to run
the show the Knicks have been frustrating to watch.
I hope Lin can be that guy who can allow their superstars
to play like a team instead of having to create their own
shots.
These last 4 games have been a revelation. It shows how
important teamwork is.
He better eat his Wheaties though, how can he do that
every game without breaking down especially with this
season's intense schedule?
We'll see

[Bob Ross]

he can't defend

I've only seen Lin play in two games (which is what, only two fewer than everybody else in the world?) but in both games I recall the commentators mentioning how good his defense was. Were they just making small talk? or hoping that by saying so they might make it so?

I do know that charge he took late in last night's Laker game was textbook perfect, beutifully set up.

[Uncle Jam's Army]

I'm glad my Lakers were able to oblige in giving up a career best for Lin. :o

[beercan]

sure other guards will make adjustments to his linn's style but then he will make adjustments as well, the knicks are playing like a team and can only improve as well as linn but u guys are right, once carmelo is back, i might have to stop watching, i really dislike dolan and the crap him and isiah thomas did for years, hope it gets better from here.

[junkfood]

The Knicks do not need Lin to continue to average 28 points a game, that is an unrealistic expectation. If he could average half that they would be getting one of the best bargains in the league still. The Knicks just need someone to add continuity and movement to a stagnant offense that has been slowed since the arrival of Anthony. Hopefully Stoudemire can get something going with Lin in the lineup and Anthony still out with the groin injury. The Knicks have lacked at the pg spot this season and if Lin can keep the ball moving and make good decisions it will not matter if the defense catches onto his offensive scoring abilities. He does need to take care of the ball better, but that is expected with any young pg.

Jake

[Climb01742]

in d'antoni's system, defense is optional.

[wc1934]

in d'antoni's system, defense is optional.

got that right - but they are still not as bad as the Nets

[1centaur]

Good shooting motion and a quick release; not the greatest passing judgment yet. Potential to be Rondo with a better shot, which would make him valuable to a lot of teams.

[pdmtong]

That got me laughing aloud. No DWA for you eh?

This is funny. It wasnt until college when I finally figured out what people were talking about when they said "DWA" or at a stop light yelling "chinese fire drill".

FFWD many years and my greek neighbor says that when they couldn't understand something at home they would say "it's all chinese to me"

There are plenty of Asian hoops leagues...the main issue in years past is most of the players are <5'8" and dont have 42" vertical leaps. the new generation has more height. Yao Ming? well take a billion people and there will be one 7' guy who is sent to camp at age 5.

BTW, jeremy went to palo alto high, which is across the street from the stanford football stadium. he's been a known entity around here for a long time. Nice for him to have his moment in the sun, especially around chinese new year.

My generation there was no time for sports. go to school, study, work. no play. a lot on the line if your family is still getting situated coming off a boat. 70 years ago my parents are wearing buttons during the war saying "we are not japanese". 50 years ago my dad can't buy a house in some cities because no one will sell to him. My 12yo daughter now has a more balanced life. every generation more and different opportunities than the previous. as it should be.

Yea, go Jeremy! It feels good wheter you are chinese or not.

[Climb01742]

success is the intersection of talent and opportunity. this opportunity came about due to injuries. a stroke of luck? makes you ponder how many other players have there been, buried on the bench, or in the D-league, who might have blossomed if playing time had somehow found them.

what isn't conjecture, though, is that lin is making the most of his chance. he was ready and he's seizing it. bravo.

[Earl Gray]

in d'antoni's system, defense is optional.


That's why we call him Mike 'Antoni. He's got no "D"

[Climb01742]

That's why we call him Mike 'Antoni. He's got no "D"

:D

[veloduffer]

That's why we call him Mike 'Antoni. He's got no "D"

But the Knicks are playing good defense. They're getting steals and have actually caused a few 24-second violations. And they're holding their defensive boards well.

Lin is playing like a classic point guard, in the John Stockton mode. Some nights he'll score 10 pts, and others more - it whatever the defense gives him. He's difficult to defend because he has a low dribble and can't really decipher if he is going left/right or in/out. Very quick first step and strong finisher to the basket (reminiscent of Isiah Thomas in this regard).

And he works the pick & roll well, which is basically indefensible.

I think he has the talent to stay in the league - mostly due to his court vision and ability to set the tempo in both the half court and transition game. He probably needs to bulk up a bit to offset the more physical play of the NBA vs college.

I haven't really watched the NBA in years, but Lin has me looking up the Knicks schedule. :banana: :beer:

[echappist]

This is funny. It wasnt until college when I finally figured out what people were talking about when they said "DWA" or at a stop light yelling "chinese fire drill".

better question is: do you DWA on a bike? Actually it's more appropriate to call it "biking while Schleck." personally I scoff at riders who can't be bothered with cornering or descending, and I try my damnedest to getter better at both.


There are plenty of Asian hoops leagues...the main issue in years past is most of the players are <5'8" and dont have 42" vertical leaps. the new generation has more height. Yao Ming? well take a billion people and there will be one 7' guy who is sent to camp at age 5.

possibly the most important factor why China can't field a competitive basketball or soccer team, as most kids grew up barely getting any meat-based proteins. Of course the sport schools have better diets, but most enter after elementary schools.

One of the effects of the Westernization of Japan post WWII was that more meat and diary were introduced into the diet of the youth, and kids ended up over a foot taller than their grand parents.

Yea, go Jeremy! It feels good wheter you are chinese or not.
just be careful that you don't say that when you are surrounded by his fans clad in green-colored clothing. Good thing that this touchy issue hasn't been brought up. :fight:

Out of all my friends who follow basketball or are of ethnic Chinese descent, i'm the only one (strictly in the latter group as I couldn't care less about basketball) who couldn't give a damn even though my inbox is getting flooded. Oh, and that he went to Hahvahd and we don't like those types where I went to undergrad ;) .

Instead I write retorts like: Am I the only person you know who's nonplussed about the whole thing? Or things like, nothing feels as good as when i set a personal best on my bike. No need to live vicariously through some professional sportsman when you can beat a bunch of amateur bike racers.

[FlashUNC]

Derek Fisher couldn't guard a lamp post at this point in his career.

[junkfood]

Derek Fisher couldn't guard a lamp post at this point in his career.

Fisher has seen better days, but Lin was going up against a strong frontline. He has the size and strength to finish in the lane. Something many teams do not have the luxury of at the 1. The lakers are old and have problems against quick guards so Lin still has much to prove. NY is tough place to play, if you do not meet expectations they let you know.

Jake

[djg]

It makes you wonder how many other great athletes, whether from the Ivy League, or elsewhere, disappeared without a trace because they just never got the chance. In his case it was really a fluke that he finally got the playing time in the right place and was able to show his stuff. He could easily have languished on the bench in Houston or Golden State and ended his career without anyone ever hearing of him again.

Louis, I've no idea how many truly great athletes never get the chance, but if you look around the world and consider the various circumstances it has to offer, I'll guess that it's a non-trivial number. But even if we stick closer to home, it's pretty obvious that there many kids with a good amount of talent who don't develop as they might for any of a thousand reasons. Junior high, high school, college . . . it's just really common to see things misfire as kids develop, whether it's bad coaching (or bad coaching for the kid), or poor fit with a program or team, or something going on in the family, or this, or that, or whatever. Land wrong once. Or get hit here instead of there. Or the shoulder starts to go in college, or in triple A, instead of in the 3d or 8th year of the majors. That's not to diminish the talent and hard work of folks who make it -- just saying that there are many points along the way where things can go wrong, and many ways to come up short.

I dunno -- I think the kid is terrific, and a little lucky, and I hope he continues to shine

[pdmtong]

If Drew Bledsoe stays healthy, there is no Tom Brady

[Louis]

That's not to diminish the talent and hard work of folks who make it -- just saying that there are many points along the way where things can go wrong, and many ways to come up short.

There's b-ball, and then there's the game of life...

[echappist]

If Drew Bledsoe stays healthy, there is no Tom Brady
Mo Lewis for Patriots MVP ;)

[tuxbailey]

Are you guys following the Min/NY game score now? 80+ pts per team before the 4 qtr. Crazy.

[cat6]

I lived in the Bay when Lin played for H, and the Warriors. Thought nothing more than "homer". A hometown favorite with avg talent.

Seeing him out of context, do what he's doing....I've got nothing but respect.

I wish him the best and feel like a d*ckhead for ever "hating" on him. Whether or not he's long-term or a flash-in-the-pan, good for him.

[93legendti]

Wally Pipp, anyone?

[Climb01742]

wally pip indeed. destiny is a funny thing.

another destiny moment, but maybe in reverse: guess who was on deck when bobby thompson hit the shot heard round the world in '51? a nervous rookie named willie mays who was only batting .274 that year. i'd like to think willie could have risen to the occasion but perhaps destiny saved willie that day.

[93legendti]

http://www.forbes.com/sites/ericjackson/2012/02/11/9-lessons-jeremy-lin-can-teach-us-before-we-go-to-work-monday-morning/

[gaozilla]

http://www.forbes.com/sites/ericjackson/2012/02/11/9-lessons-jeremy-lin-can-teach-us-before-we-go-to-work-monday-morning/

good read

[tannhauser]

Good shooting motion and a quick release; not the greatest passing judgment yet. Potential to be Rondo with a better shot, which would make him valuable to a lot of teams.

Rondo, when healthy, is right up there with CP3 & Nash in decision making chops. Difference is JLin doesn't have the motor those guys do.

Cut out the In-and-Out and Wing Stop, Y Mamba.

Putting your foot on the gas 100% of the time is going to wear him down.

[beercan]

i think he has a way to go ofcourse but a good prospect in the end for the knicks who need some kind of fire under their asses. Lin will eventually get his lungs and be able to keep up with the rigors of some of the best point guards in the nba, he just starting playing 30 plus minutes from playing 2 minutes a week if that.

[bobswire]

Then there is this...... http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-400_162-57377304/floyd-mayweather-takes-swipe-at-jeremy-lin/

Too bad Floyd opines, sometimes it's best to do what you do best and leave it at that cause he really is a great boxer but no one will notice with all his chatter.

[tannhauser]

Someone put a garbage can over Floyd's head when he was young, ran over it with an ice cream truck, and this is the result.

[SEABREEZE]

His J is smooth as silk !!! He can penatrate also.

He's got game, if defence adjusts, he will to...

A new name to watch, I enjoy watching certain players, as opposed to teams, for there game.

[tannhauser]

He's gotta learn how to take care of the ball better against super speedy defenses like the Sixers.

Four turnovers 1st qtr. vs. Toronto.

[junkfood]

He is racking up the turnovers tonight, but still 9pts 6ast with a steal is a good halftime stat. He is bringing it consistently, but make mistakes like a young player does.
Turnovers come with the territory of having a young point guard. Especially one that is having to take a large load of the scoring and play making.

Jake

[tannhauser]

How smart is this kid - doesn't get the call on the drive. Next play, right down the throat selling the hit. Gets to the line, two points.

Nice.

[junkfood]

WOW!!
NO one is going to care about the 8 turnovers 27 and 11 with most likely the game winning shot!!!!!

[tannhauser]

Oh. My. Gawd.

Legend.

[beercan]

got home just in time to watch the 4th, that was fun to watch!!! whhooo!

[veloduffer]

The kid did it again!! :beer: Iman Shumpert, though, deserves most of the credit by shutting down Calderone and allowing the Knicks to get back into the game. The Knicks were inconsistent on both halves of the court, but showing some grit and tenacity!

[beercan]

The kid did it again!! :beer: Iman Shumpert, though, deserves most of the credit by shutting down Calderone and allowing the Knicks to get back into the game. The Knicks were inconsistent on both halves of the court, but showing some grit and tenacity!


honestly that's all i ever ask for from the knicks, grit and tenacity, hussle and effort is always more fun to watch and will always have the fans cheering for you no matter the outcome, I cant wait to see melo come in and they lose and they boo him off.

[tannhauser]

Shumpert did a good job on Calderone, also spelled Lin on that end. It was apparent he wasn't gassed as in the last 5 games, even attacking as much as he did.

"Emotional contagion" is what Lin has brought, bringing out the best team ball. Knicks have a reason to fight on D now, as there's movement on the other end of the floor.

Amazing how sports sometimes finds one guy that is the magic lubricant piece that makes the whole machine hum.

Melo can't really run off screens and is kind of slow w/o the ball, but I'm sure they'll figure it out.

[veloduffer]

Melo can't really run off screens and is kind of slow w/o the ball, but I'm sure they'll figure it out.

The problem will be spacing - Stoudemaire and Melo play within the same proximity to the basket. Melo isn't very good from deep, so if he became more of a slasher that would help with spacing. He's never going to be a Bill Bradley/Reggie Miller type running around off screens all night.

[tannhauser]

The problem will be spacing - Stoudemaire and Melo play within the same proximity to the basket. Melo isn't very good from deep, so if he became more of a slasher that would help with spacing. He's never going to be a Bill Bradley/Reggie Miller type running around off screens all night.

From the vids I saw him slashing was kind of laborious. No way he Ray Allens it, unless he got an IF like Ray and changed his bod. This is a joke.

[leooooo]

The kid did it again!! :beer: Iman Shumpert, though, deserves most of the credit by shutting down Calderone and allowing the Knicks to get back into the game. The Knicks were inconsistent on both halves of the court, but showing some grit and tenacity!

Love how level headed he is. Post game interviews, he consistently points out that Shumpert with the steal was play of the game.

[ClutchCargo]

I'd love to see this streak continue and am stoked for the kid, but in addition to all the question marks regarding 'Melo's return, this streak has been accomplished against some pretty bad teams. Sacramento is horrid; same with the Bobcats. I'll be watching that Mavs game, though!

[crownjewelwl]

I'd love to see this streak continue and am stoked for the kid, but in addition to all the question marks regarding 'Melo's return, this streak has been accomplished against some pretty bad teams. Sacramento is horrid; same with the Bobcats. I'll be watching that Mavs game, though!

i was at the game last nite...a different energy in msg altogether...i think this kid is the real deal...i hope he is

[veloduffer]

I'd love to see this streak continue and am stoked for the kid, but in addition to all the question marks regarding 'Melo's return, this streak has been accomplished against some pretty bad teams. Sacramento is horrid; same with the Bobcats. I'll be watching that Mavs game, though!

True enough but the Lakers are no slouches. Lin's driving is what's creating the opportunities for all the Knicks. When he's resting, the Knicks become a perimeter, static team and that's when Melo tries to do it all on his own.

I think the Knicks need to develop some set plays with screens (double and staggered) off the ball to free up Melo/Novak and the slashers (Fields, Jefferies, Shumpert). They're running too many plays off the high pick.

[bobswire]

i was at the game last nite...a different energy in msg altogether...i think this kid is the real deal...i hope he is

So do I, though I'm a Warriors fan Lin would never have had a opportunity with Curry and Ellis. The thing about Lin is he makes his teammates better, Ellis a great scorer but doesn't make the team better ( reminds me of Iverson).
I think had the Warriors traded Ellis for a decent center or draft prospect and kept Lin on the backcourt with Curry their fortunes would have been much better.
I'm now a closet fan of the Knicks,it has been a long time coming for them as a team.

[fiamme red]

True enough but the Lakers are no slouches.But it was pretty clear that the Lakers were playing without much energy. I think they had five games scheduled the preceding week.

I'm curious to see how Lin will do against better teams.

[jr59]

The kid has some game. He fell into a spot where some of his game could bloom!

Good for him. As to how many players slip thru the cracks. A lot. Trouble is you never hear of them.

[veloduffer]

But it was pretty clear that the Lakers were playing without much energy. I think they had five games scheduled the preceding week.

I'm curious to see how Lin will do against better teams.

The compacted schedule is tough for all the teams. Basketball at a high level is really exhausting. I've was never more drained than from my Sunday pickup games in which most of everyone was Div 1 or 2 players and there was a lot of height (3 or more over 6'5").

[tannhauser]

True enough but the Lakers are no slouches. Lin's driving is what's creating the opportunities for all the Knicks. When he's resting, the Knicks become a perimeter, static team and that's when Melo tries to do it all on his own.

I think the Knicks need to develop some set plays with screens (double and staggered) off the ball to free up Melo/Novak and the slashers (Fields, Jefferies, Shumpert). They're running too many plays off the high pick.

They had a ton of motion last night, some set up by double picks. At one point Cousins was standing around, as usual, and Jeremy was running off a couple of picks. One of the Knicks then picked/hockey checked Cousins with Chandler rolling down the lane for the easy alley oop.

I'm incredulous how many sets and different plays they've not only run, but learned with different personnel in the last two games. Lin's got telepathy going on already with Fields and Chandler, Amare's looking more comfortable.

I predicted they'll go past the first round, but very well may go deep into the playoffs, depending on how they're seeded and who they're matched up against.

[tannhauser]

So do I, though I'm a Warriors fan Lin would never have had a opportunity with Curry and Ellis. The thing about Lin is he makes his teammates better, Ellis a great scorer but doesn't make the team better ( reminds me of Iverson).
I think had the Warriors traded Ellis for a decent center or draft prospect and kept Lin on the backcourt with Curry their fortunes would have been much better.
I'm now a closet fan of the Knicks,it has been a long time coming for them as a team.

Monta's a baller on a team with screwed up pieces. You put Lin in place of Ellis on the Dubs and again you have two many ones. You put Lin in place of Curry and maybe it works with the right offensive scheme.

People, not you, need to let go of this Lin would have been the Warriors' savior crap.

Biedrins is a limited minutes bench player at best. They're playing much better as of late, despite last night and Monta's illness.

[vqdriver]

i understand he's making minimum wage right now. anyone know when the knicks have to commit or release him?

[torquer]

The way Jeremy Lin’s been playing, it figures the Knicks will want to keep him beyond this year. And while Lin will become a restricted free agent after the season, the Knicks have the wherewithal to bring him back, CBSSports.com reports.

Under terms of the new collective-bargaining agreement, Lin will likely be eligible for a maximum qualifying offer of around $2.7 million, but based on his performance, he can expect several multi-year offers, according to CBS Sports. Competing teams that are not in luxury-tax territory will be able to offer Lin a mid-level exception of $5 million, with a 4.5 percent raise in year two. Thereafter, Lin’s salary can increase up to 25 percent of the salary cap.

The Knicks, however, can match those offers, thanks to what’s known as the Gilbert Arenas rule, which was passed as part of the 2005 CBA and designed to help teams retain free agents with two or fewer years in the league, the website notes. Should New York use its $5 million full mid-level exception to do that, they would not be able to exceed the cap to sign any new free agents.

Lin, by the way, is making around $613,000 this season (his $762,195 contract is prorated because of the shortened season).

Bottom line: Lin has a big payday on his horizon, and he’ll probably be in New York for the foreseeable future.



Read more: http://aol.sportingnews.com/nba/story/2012-02-15/jeremy-lin-contract-details-linsanity-jeremy-lin-free-agent-knicks#ixzz1mflqrgoc

I have no idea of how that salary cap/mid-level exemption/Gilbert Arenas rule stuff works, but I think it's safe to say he doesn't need to be sleeping on this brother's LES couch any more.

[tuxbailey]

I have no idea of how that salary cap/mid-level exemption/Gilbert Arenas rule stuff works, but I think it's safe to say he doesn't need to be sleeping on this brother's LES couch any more.

Well, I think he has already moved to a new place closer to the team's practice facility. And I think he can probably eat and drink free in NYC now.

[tannhauser]

J.R. Smith just added. Knicks management, despite their free-spending ways, have lucked/drafted into some cheap, quality pieces. This team is looking stronger and stronger by the day.

Lin's subletting former Knick current Warrior David Lee's condo in White Plains.

[echappist]

where is this White Plains of which you speak? Is it some place Upstate that is 5 hours away ;) ?

[tannhauser]

Correction: Asian Plains.

[echappist]

haha, well played.

i was just referring to the fact that everyone in nyc thinks the Bronx is even "up-state"

[tuxbailey]

Well there isn't a never ending party in the world....

Might as well get the first loss out of the way so they can be more relaxed for Sunday.

[Louis]

Well there isn't a never ending party in the world....

Might as well get the first loss out of the way so they can be more relaxed for Sunday.

I don't think even Spike Lee could have expected them to win every single "Lin era" game.

[wc1934]

In more ways than one

http://www.patheos.com/Resources/Additional-Resources/Faith-and-Fate-of-Jeremy-Lin.html?print=1

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/17/opinion/brooks-the-jeremy-lin-problem.html?src=rechp

[Dekonick]

Without a strong trusted ball distributing guard to run
the show the Knicks have been frustrating to watch.
I hope Lin can be that guy who can allow their superstars
to play like a team instead of having to create their own
shots.
These last 4 games have been a revelation. It shows how
important teamwork is.
He better eat his Wheaties though, how can he do that
every game without breaking down especially with this
season's intense schedule?
We'll see


EXACTLY! It shows how important teamwork is.

Hoosiers...