Jeremy Lin Saves Knicks, Despite Demotion By Team
Jeremy Lin, New York Knicks point guard, was in the D-league two weeks ago and today he has saved the team from defeat.
Prior to joining the Knicks this season, two NBA teams decided to pass on their chances with Lin, which led him to the D-League Eerie Bayhawks team. Lin's first official NBA start took place Monday night against the Utah Jazz, where the point guard averaged a career high of 28 points with eight assists to secure a 99-88 win.
For weeks, the Knicks have been rotating various players around in the point-guard spot, which has resulted in a losing record. The team had hoped that veteran guard Baron Davis would turn the team's offense around, however his return from a back injury was prolonged with an elbow infection.
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It appeared that no one had considered Lin just a few short weeks ago, when the young guard was sent to the D-League on Jan. 17 after playing only 16 minutes over five games. The Knicks seemed to demote Lin after only one month of picking up the undrafted guard from Harvard University.
After scoring a triple double in a game with the Bayhawks, the Knicks seemed to welcome Lin back onto the team. With injuries and issues in the point guard position, Lin was given his first opportunity to prove his worth in a win against the New Jersey Nets on Saturday.
Carmelo Anthony, the Knicks' leading scorer, acknowledged that Lin and his 25 points were the reasons behind the team's win.
"He won the game for us,'' Anthony said after the game. "He picked us up offensively. We fed off his energy. Down the stretch, we put the ball in his hands. He won the game for us."
However, Lin said he is still in disbelief that he is starting for the Knicks.
"I definitely couldn't have imagined this," he said. "God works in mysterious and miraculous ways."
