The NBA season has been unpleasant and disappointing thus far for us Knicks fans. Yes, it’s still early and yes, the Knicks do play in the weak Eastern Conference. However, with a front court that includes superstars Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudamire, and newly-signed Tyson Chandler, a 9-15 record is not what we expected at all.
It’s been a tough road for the past few years as a Knicks fan. As a kid growing up, the Knicks had one of the most dominant teams in the league led by Patrick Ewing, which is how I got into basketball and became a Knicks fan. Ever since 2002, the Knicks have been lousy and extremely frustrating to watch (see Isiah Thomas era).
Last season, for the first time since 2003, the Knicks finished with a winning record and a spot in the playoffs (HALLELUJAH)!!!! This season the Knicks were supposed to become a force in the East, and become a dominant team…which hasn’t. So instead, us Knicks fans have to continue to wait…and wait…and wait.
A spark was needed for the season, and it just might have happened. In comes Jeremy Lin, the undrafted rookie last year out of Harvard University.
In the last game against the New Jersey Nets, Lin came off the bench to score 25 points and register 7 assists. By the end of the game, the Madison Square Garden crowd was chanting his first name (that’s enough chills for a lifetime, there), the PA was blasting Pearl Jam’s “Jeremy,” and a starting point guard– if not star — was born. By Monday morning he was dominating the team’s official website.
Who knows, this could be a fluke, but why not continue to give this guy a chance? It’s a start, as Lin will start Monday night against the Utah Jazz.
Another funny thing to add is that his teammate is Stanford product Landry Fields in the Knicks backcourt. With that, the Knicks will lead the NBA in perimeter-based combined SAT scores.
Once again, it’s early in the season. With all that star talent on the roster, the Knicks should be able to turn it around soon.
I am a big fan of this guy, I actually just picked him up for my fantasy team and he has had three great games in a row. I don’t know if he can stay quite this hot, but he is going to be a major boost for this team. It will be interesting to see what happens when Baron Davis is healthy.
Lin is an incredible story in terms of his journey to now. I’m still skeptical about his long-term consistency, but I agree, for now fans should enjoy the ride. This also might keep the Knicks from spending money on Baron Davis which will save them luxury tax money since the salary cap does not apply to them. The other big question is, how will Lin, Melo, and Amare coexist when the latter two return?