By now, we've all heard the story of Jeremy Lin, the sports world's latest unsung hero. Undrafted guard out of Harvard. Only Asian−American ever to play in the league. Aspiring priest. Savior of the New York Knicks.
But what about Jeremy Lin, the basketball player?
In a matter of five games, the six−foot−three, 200−pound point guard has managed to bring the Knicks back into the playoff picture against decent competition, reenergize a franchise desperate for success and generate discussion about how his superstar teammates, Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire, will fit in once they get back into the lineup.
Go ahead — draw Tim Tebow comparisons, and make as many name puns as you want. For now, though, let's break down Lin's game and look at how he fits in to the future of the Knicks.
Lin's main asset is his strength. He is a little larger than most point guards, and he uses a combination of muscle and ball screens to get into the paint. Once in the lane, Lin is very adept at dissecting the defense. He has had at least seven assists in all five of his games with extended minutes, and that includes one game where he came off the bench. His ability to create for others has led to the offensive emergence of Steve Novak and Jared Jeffries, two players whose production not so long ago was minimal at best.
Lin's fearlessness serves to complement his strength. Every time he comes off the dribble, he attacks his defender to create a passing lane or a shot for himself. His ability to bully his way into the paint, create off the dribble, and shoot at an effective rate makes him comparable to Nets guard Deron Williams.
But where does he fit in with the Knicks? Lin gives coach Mike D'Antoni the true point guard he needs to run his system, and he is already making those around him better. How the team's role players will perform once the star players return remains to be seen, but one player who has thrived with Lin running the point is Tyson Chandler. Chandler is establishing himself as a legitimate threat to score every time he runs the pick and roll, as evidenced by his league−leading .694 shooting percentage. This likely makes D'Antoni giddy — giving Lin more minutes helps fix the Knicks' point guard and big man problems.
D'Antoni's offensive system depends on having a distributing point guard who can create positional mismatches. What made Amar'e Stoudemire so effective in Phoenix was that, even though he is listed at 6'10" and his height would suit him better as a power forward, his athleticism and ability to play above the rim make him the perfect positional mismatch at the center position. But with the Knicks' addition of Chandler in the offseason, Stoudemire had to move back to power forward since Chandler is a more natural center. Lately, Chandler has been occupying the lane instead of Stoudemire, and because of Chandler's lack of an offensive game, teams have been committing an extra defender in the paint to limit Stoudemire's effectiveness.
That's where Lin comes in. Because Lin does a wonderful job of putting Chandler in favorable offensive positions, he forces teams to be honest when defending in the paint. This will open the lane up for an explosive Stoudemire to return to his ways of old.
And then there's the ‘Melo predicament. When the superstar returns, Lin will have ball−handling priority over Anthony, something that suits D'Antoni's offense well. Needless to say, Anthony will have the most adjusting to do, but if he commits to the system, wins will follow. With the ball in Lin's hands, Anthony will be well−served to move without the ball and be a more willing screener. Ultimately, the team will benefit if he allows others to create space for him instead of fighting to create his own shots. He has never played with a pure point guard before, and before coming to New York, the offense always ran through him. But if he truly cares about winning more than stats, Anthony will round out his game and take advantage of Lin's abilities, taking the Knicks to the next level.
With Jeremy Lin serving as the catalyst, the Knicks are in a position to make the playoffs — something that looked to be in serious doubt less than two weeks ago. If D'Antoni can use him effectively, Lin and the Knicks will have a lot of success not only this season, but also in the future, without having to overhaul the roster.
Now, about that Knicks defense...
