Linsanity Continues: Lin Leads Knicks Over Wizards 107-93

By Gautham Nagesh

WASHINGTON–No Carmelo Anthony, no Amare Stoudemire, no Baron Davis? No problem.

The Knicks kept riding second-year point guard Jeremy Lin on Wednesday, and the Harvard man didn’t disappoint. Lin scored 23 points and handed out ten assists to lead New York over the Wizards for their third straight win since his insertion into the rotation. The absence of the Knicks’ biggest stars was barely noticed as the team continued its recent run of inspired play.

The Taiwanese-American is rapidly becoming a media sensation thanks to his sterling play steering the previously rudderless Knicks (11-15). Lin has scored over 20 points in all three games, but it’s his composure and court vision that make him tough to dismiss. The Ivy League pedigree, Asian heritage, and New York microscope would matter little if Lin couldn’t ball. Fortunately for his exploding fan base, he can.

Lin’s passing and court vision are infectious; when he’s on the floor, New York is noticeably less selfish. Lin spent most of the evening slicing up the Wizards’ defense, finishing at the hoop or setting up teammates for easy buckets. Lin motivated center Tyson Chandler to a standout performance, (25 points, 11 rebounds) by feeding him the ball early. He found Chandler rolling to the basket several times with touch passes that would make Steve Nash proud.

It’s still too soon to be certain, but Lin has flashed a talent for making his teammates better. The best evidence is the sudden emergence of marksman forward Steve Novak, who has barely made a ripple in the NBA, aside from one decent season with the Clippers in 2008-09. Novak nailed five of his nine three-point attempts on his way to scoring 19 against the Wizards. The forward from Marquette benefited from a number of wide-open looks courtesy of Lin. When Lin leaves the court, the Knicks quickly lose focus and their offense stagnates.

Aside from his high IQ, passing, and ability to see the court, Lin possesses a number of gifts that should help him last in the NBA. At 6-3, 200 lbs. he’s long for a point guard, which helps him disrupt passing lanes and create steals. He’s a capable, if not explosive ball handler, though it was clear toward the end of the game that Washington was hoping to force him left. Lin also has sneaky athleticism, as demonstrated by a one-handed dunk in the third quarter that thrilled his many fans in Washington.

Still, Lin remains far from a finished product. While he can finish in traffic, he is also prone to turnovers and sometimes leaves his feet without a plan. He relies more on stopping and starting to penetrate than outright quickness, which leads to him taking a beating from opposing defenses. And he was torched on the defensive end by Washington point guard John Wall to the tune of 29 points.

If Lin wants to stay in the starting lineup, more attention on defense will be needed. The physical punishment from other teams will also only get worse as his profile continues to rise.

If there’s anything that gives one pause about completely buying into Linsanity, it’s the lack of range on Jeremy’s jumper. Perhaps Wednesday was an off night, but Lin’s shot looked suspect at best. He missed all three attempts from downtown on Wednesday, which makes him 1-for-8 as a Knick. Worse, his shot lacks confidence; the arc is unnecessarily high, as if he’s worried about it being sent back in his face.

If defenses decide to sag off and challenge Lin to shoot, it’s not clear he’ll be able to step in and make them pay. As a point guard, that’s a problem, particularly on a range-challenged squad like the Knicks. Once Anthony and Stoudemire return there won’t be enough shots to go around, but only Novak and Bibby are true deep threats. Lin also lacks the explosive athleticism that allows Rajon Rondo compensate for his shooting woes.

Of course, shooting is the skill most likely to improve with practice, and Lin won’t lack for opportunities if he sticks with the Knicks. Rookie point guard Iman Shumpert showed plenty of physical talent, but his decision-making is not on par with Lin. Davis would likely get the starting nod if he can ever remain healthy, but that is a huge “if”. Mike Bibby didn’t look great while going scoreless over 15 minutes tonight and Toney Douglas didn’t even see the court.

So in the short-term it looks like Lin will man the point for the Knicks, getting every opportunity to entrench himself in the lineup and hearts of New York hoops fans. On a good team Lin would probably come off the bench, but a trial by fire with the Knicks could give him a chance to shine ahead of schedule. There is no better test of someone’s capacity for the big stage than a headlining gig at Madison Square Garden.

At the very least Lin provides New York with a steady presence at the point, who can distribute the ball and keep his teammates involved. That already places him ahead of half the starting point guards in the league. How good he can be is impossible to know. But after going undrafted and spending last year on Golden State’s bench, he has a chance with the Knicks to go as far as his talent can take him. And that’s really all anyone can ask for.