It’s All Lin-Sanity Baby ! Get A Dose Of It While It’s Happening Because It Could All Disappear Before You Even Know It !
By tophatal ………….
Who’d have thought that basketball’s most lauded venue would now be in such a festive mood merely because an Asian American has set Madison Square in New York City , alight with a stellar display while leading the New York Knicks to an improbable win (92-85) over the Los Angeles Lakers . Point guard Jeremy Lin , the Ivy League educated Harvard graduate is now giving the Knicks’ fans something to actually smile about , most notably the franchise’s most famous supporter , famed director Spike Lee. Lin is off to a spectacular start in his debut with the New York Knicks and is currently averaging 29.8 ppg as the team’s point guard . The player’s displays might just have saved head coach Mike D’Antoni his job at this juncture but that will now be predicated upon the play of not just this Knicks’ team but also whether or not Jeremy Lin can still maintain that momentum and ingenuity shown .
==============================================================================
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
=============================================================================
Slide show for your perusal .
With both Amare` Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony on the sidelines during the game , it has to be said many might have felt the Lakers would set about taking down a Knicks’ team that simply has been so inconsistent for much of the season . If the New York Knicks are said to be a team in something of a flummox then the best analogy to describe Mike Brown’s Lakers would be one that is now at a fork in the road , unsure of which direction to take . In the team’s most recent games it should come as no surprise that Kobe Bryant is leading the charge while those around him are under- achieving .
The New York Knicks this season have been anything but impressive until Lin was pressed into playing the point with Baron Davis being sidelined due to an injury . And it certainly hasn’t helped that the from a defensive standpoint the team struggles to play with any degree of efficiency. And one would have thought with the addition of Tyson Chandler to this roster the thought would be with his presence there would add some tenacity to the defensive play of the team . Well , Mike D’Antoni was never known to be a defense minded coach and that was even while coaching the Phoenix Suns who were often known as an offense minded organization , more than anything else .
For Knicks’ owner James Dolan and general manager Glen Grunwald the sight of Jeremy Lin playing with so much authority and getting everyone involved in the game leads me to believe that the Knicks’ front office might well have lucked out in having Lin now play the point . Clearly , having Carmelo Anthony play the position wasn’t an insightful choice given the player’s lack productivity in playing the point . As to what this now portend as to the immediate future for the New York Knicks , well that remains to be seen .
The New York Knicks get to exhibit and showcase their recent form . Saturday night the team are the guests of Kevin Love and the Minnesota Timberwolves where they will looking to protect their four game winning streak while looking to play themselves into contention within Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference . However , with a divisional record of 12-15 the Knicks know that if they’re to play themselves into contention for a playoff berth at least then between now and the end of the season they have a great deal to prove to their fans and the naysayers amongst the NBA analysts and public in general .
A win for Jeremy Lin and his teammates would augur well for the franchise but the team’s play will have to be accentuated to the point were they can ill afford needless losses if it is their intent to win their division much less garner a playoff berth. Another season as not being part of the NBA’s postseason showcase finale , given the fact that the franchise hasn’t sniffed a postseason berth in years and the possibility of failure this season could lead to Mike DAntoni being shown the door by the front office if the team should fail to deliver.
Now while all of the hyperbole surrounding Jeremy Lin for the moment is one of an inspiring one for the fans and specifically amongst the Asian American community who since the abrupt retirement of Yao Ming haven’t really had anyone of their ethnicity to which they can truly identify with. Granted, Yi Jianlin is somewhere around the NBA plying his trade but it’s not as if the player has set his mark in the NBA igniting a spark and furor in the way that Jeremy Lin has now impacted the league with his play.
Jeremy Lin’s star having risen for the moment but while he’s in the spotlight he will be placed under a great deal of scrutiny by the press and public alike . The idiocy of this all is that the Golden State Warriors passed up on the player , and in essence as we’ve seen with that particular franchise their fortunes of late can be best described as being pitiful ! There’s little if any leadership within the organization and the apathy amongst the coaching staff is so malignant that it has me wondering if there’s really a chance for the franchise to really prove it amongst itself amongst their peers within the Pacific Division . It’s all well and good to highlight the play of Monta Ellis and Steph Curry while enthralling , it has to be said the team’s … poor play is borne out in their rather inept record 8-14 as of the 10th February , 2012 .
As eventful as the NBA season has been I truly believe that the play of the team hasn’t been as exhilarating as some believe it to be . Scoring may well be up in comparison to last season in part but to my mind the real issue has been the preponderance of the teams to show how anemic their defensive capabilities just happens to be . And it has been borne out within both conferences . That can be as such placed either squarely upon the shoulders of the coaches within the NBA and the poor quality of their talents overall .
If the fortunes of the New York Knicks are supposedly taking a turn for the better my thought is that the Miami Heat and the fact this team built around the talents of Chris Bosh , LeBron James , Dwyane Wade and its current cast of characters. Five long years since their last and sole triumph of winning the NBA title . The expectations were there last season for the Heat to prevail in their meeting with the Dallas Mavericks but alas it wasn’t to be . .
This year the Miami Heat are seen as the presumptive favorites but on face value alone theirs has been a season of highs and lows as they have sought to find some semblance of consistency that is said to befitting of a prohibitive favorite for the NBA title . However, as of now the Heat do not possess the best record in the league much less the Eastern Conference . The Chicago Bulls (22-6) have the privilege of leading their division ( Central Division) and the Eastern Conference while looking to lock up the number one seed before the culmination of the regular season .
Now while LeBron James is said to be having a tremendous season from an offensive standpoint it has to be said that if the team is to succeed then James and his cohorts , specifically Bosh and Wade will have to lead while the others will follow. Should the Miami Heat not come up short then jury might well be ready to pronounce Pat Riley’s experiment a complete bust with is young coaching protege` Erik Spoelstra will also bear a great deal of responsibility for the team’s failure .
Sunday the Miami Heat are the guests of Atlanta Hawks in a game that could play a determining factor as to the makeup of the Southeast Division within the Eastern Conference . Though a loss for the Miami Heat wouldn’t be viewed as particularly devastating it would cause something of a seismic ripple within the conference when one bears in mind the nature of their most recent defeat (102-89) against the Orlando Magic . That game spoke volumes as to one of the many reasons why the Miami Heat are a team that is so vastly overrated ! I was told by a patron as to how defensive minded the Heat are said to be. The players in that specific category are as inconsistent as anyone could possibly believe . This team plays defense only when forced into a position of doing so rather than making it a necessary part of the game and this is simply borne out statistically within the NBA .
Let’s get something straight, the makeup of the Miami Heat is predicated upon the offensive prowess of team and productivity of the roster’s three main All Stars . If the Heat are to truly have any real chance of actually winning the NBA title then their defensive intensity level has to be raised . If not, then a repeat in last year’s postseason finale might not be out of the question .
================================================================================
- (1)
- (2)
- (3)
- (4)
- (5)
- (6)
================================================================================
Picture gallery for your perusal .
Inasmuch as Jeremy Lin is said to be raising his profile and that of the New York Knicks do you believe that the team will be a major factor should they make the NBA playoffs ? Bear in mind that at present they currently sit outside a coveted spot in the makeup of the playoff picture . And do you believe that the Miami Heat are to be justifiably seen as the prohibitive favorites within the Eastern Conference and the NBA as a whole for the NBA title ? By all means leave a comment as to your thoughts on the points raised within this piece and anything pertinent as it relates to the NBA .
Picture and slide show details below .
===========================================================================================
(1) FILE – In this Feb. 10, 2012 file photo, New York Knicks’ Jeremy Lin reacts after scoring during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers, in New York. With the Knicks and Rangers on winning streaks and “Linsanity ” spreading through the sports world, shares of The Madison Square Garden Co …… reached an all-time high Monday, Feb. 13, 2012. AP Photo/Frank Franklin II ….
(2) NEW YORK, NY – FEBRUARY 10: Head coach Mike D’Antoni of the New York Knicks reaches as he coaches against the Los Angeles Lakers at Madison Square Garden on February 10, 2012 in New York City. Photo by Chris Chambers/Getty Images …..
(3) (L-R) Jeremy Lin (17) and Tyson Chandler (6) of the New York Knicks look on against the Los Angeles Lakers at Madison Square Garden on February 10, 2012 in New York City. Photo by Chris Chambers/Getty Images …..
(4) New York Knicks’ Jeremy Lin (17) passes away from Los Angeles Lakers’ Pau Gasol (16) , of Spain, during the second half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Feb. 10, 2012, in New York. The Knicks won the game 92-85 . AP Photo/Frank Franklin II ….
(5) Get the feeling that Kobe needs to know the how to say the words “I’m sorry ” in either Cantonese or Mandarin to his Chinese fans in China after his none too endearing comments about Jeremy Lin ? I bet he now knows who Jeremy Lin damn well just happens to be ? Boy were the Lakers’ schooled ” ! (L-R) Kobe Bryant (24) and Pau Gasol (16) of the Los Angeles Lakers look on against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on February 10, 2012 in New York City. Photo by Chris Chambers/Getty Images …
(6) NEW YORK, NY – FEBRUARY 10: Jeremy Lin (17) of the New York Knicks drives against Pau Gasol (16) of the Los Angeles Lakers in the fourth quarter at Madison Square Garden on February 10, 2012 in New York City. Photo by Chris Chambers/Getty Images …. …..
===========================================================================================
—————————————————————————————————————–
NBA games & results 12th February , 2012
Jeremy Lin’s salary contract details
NB: If you would like to listen to the radio highlights of the game merely click unto the link shown . Los Angeles vs New York Knicks
==========================================================================
Terrence Howard ….. “It’s Hard Out Here For A Pimp ”
Share prices in the Knicks’ parent company MSG Inc …… have risen to an all-time in the last 48 hours . Lin is worth every penny of the admission price at present ! Gotta get the money even if it ain’t for the rent ! Lin’s getting his hustle flow on and then some . Giddy up yeah !
tophatal
Alan Parkins
15 Comments
It doesn’t matter how his stats react to the return of Anthony and Stoudamire, as long as the Knicks keep on winning, everyone will be just fine in NYC.
Sam Sport’s Brief
Winning being the operative word for the Knicks because they’ll need as near to a .500 record or slightly above merely to make sure of a definite playoff berth within the conference .
Lin’s recent play may well have saved DAntoni’s job for the season .
tophatal …………
Sam Sport’s Brief
Winning is everything ! And the Knicks haven’t won anything worth a damn in ages so why not now ?
tophatal ………..
Lin won’t score as much when Melo and Amare come back, but in the end I think the only part of Lin’s game that will suffer is how many shots he takes. He’s going to make Amare MUCH better!!
chappy 81
We all know that Lin will make Stoudemire better because it sure as hell wasn't working with ‘melo playing the point ! Rumor has it that Grunwald was thinking about signing up Stevie Wonder for the gig ? What’s this bull_hit about the Lakers trying out Gilbert Arenas because of the poor productivity of the PG’s on their roster ? Is Mitch Kupchak becoming that much of an asshole and so friggin’ desperate ?
There’s a sharp decline in that Lakers’ team and they’ve no one to blame but themselves !
“Well we are now considering offering Devin Ebanks , Luke Walton and Andrew Goudelock for Khloe Kardashian because now realize how much we miss and a pi##ed off Lamar Odom . Perhaps if we can get Khloe to return then Lamar will follow ” ? Lakers’ GM Mitch Kupchak
I think Khloe would rather have sex with the entire Mavs’ roster than return to LA after the way the Lakers stiffed her husband !
.
tophatal ……………
Lin’s point may drop a little, but his assists should improve if anything. Lin runs the pick-n-roll like a seasoned vet and with Amare, a pick-n-roll nightmare, they have the chance to cause mismatches all over the floor. I think people are just making too big a deal over the fact that the Knicks won 5 straight without their two big stars.
points*
jgome
A drop off in productivity or not from Lin this has been the most excitement seen at Madison Square Gardens since the New York Rangers won the Stanley Cup . How long ago was that ? . ‘nough said on the matter I think !
tophatal …………….
Ling is good but lets see what happens. This is a nice story exceot for the idiots in the press.
Bobby Gee
Lin is good but does he have the potential to take this team to the next level ? Well that remains to be seen . But as of now you can’t fault the guy and what he’s actually done !
tophatal …………….
chappy
That’s now 5 wins and counting for the Knicks let's see where it now takes them from here ?
tophatal ………..
Lin does it again last night, Al.
Someone might want to tell Jose Calderon that with three seconds left, you might want to put a hand up on the hottest guy in the league.
Chris Humpherys (@SportsChump)
If that had been Rosie O’Donnell standing stark naked in front of Calderon last night he’d still have had problems trying to block Lin’s shot much less O’Donnell !
C’mon now Chris , we’re talking about one of the hottest teams in the league in the Knicks playing the Raptors ! When was the last time that particular organization (Raptors) relevant within the NBA ?
Kim K is said to be looking for some “Asian persuasion” and as chappy’s not interested I guess Jeremy Lin is seen as the next best thing and quite possibly “an upgrade “ ?
tophatal …….
Ouch, I just read what Whitlock Tweeted about Lin. Pretty amusing for a guy who hasn’t seen his pecker in years without the use of a mirror.
Chris Humpherys(@SportsChump)
There was a time when you could have said that Al Sharpton and Rev . Jesse Jackson were the two dumbest (ni##as) black men in America ! That’s no longer the case as Jason Whitlock and Floyd Mayweather have surpassed those elder statesmen in sheer stupidity and overall lack of fu##ing intelligence ! What’s a ####a to do in order to get some respect nowadays ? Marry a white woman and have themselves an edu-mecation ? LOL,LOL,LOL
I’ll be sending my laundry to Lin’s family business ! Whitlock … The fact that Whitlock is a Fox Sports contributor explains this idiocy to begin with ! They don’t hire journalists merely self-confessed opinionated fu##ing morons !
“I’d beat Lin’s ass if he were a boxer but he’s a tall Asian dude who thinks he’s AI . And Iverson is my ###ga yo ! You feelin’ me ? ” Mayweather
tophatal …….
One Trackback
[...] It’s All Lin-Sanity Baby ! Get A Dose Of It While It’s Happening Because It Could All Di… (tophatal.wordpress.com) Share this:EmailDiggFacebookStumbleUponTwitterLike this:LikeBe the first to like this post. [...]