New York Knicks 2011-2012 Season Wrap-up / Fan Reactions

     That's all she wrote ladies and gentlemen!  The New York Knicks were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Miami Heat. The Knicks lost by 12 points with the final score being 106-94. Fans were taken on a roller coaster ride during the Knicks constant up and down experiences. Despite finishing the season with a 36-30 record, which placed the Knicks in the seventh seed of the playoffs, this season was not necessarily a successful one.
     The team would constantly go through these loosing streaks which were derived from struggles within coaching and team chemistry. The coaching problem was taken care of once Mike D'Antoni resigned and replaced by interim coach, Mike Woodson. Tyson Chandler and rookie guard, Iman Shumpert were positive defensive additions for the Knicks. Unfortunately, the lack of team chemistry was never solved. Throughout the season, fans saw the difficulty of Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony co-existing together. Last year Stoudemire was the main star on the Knicks.
      At one point during last years season he had a streak of constant 30 point and over performances. Once Anthony was acquired to the team, he became the center of the offense, which made Stoudemire a second option offensively. The main question is if Stoudemire will be traded next season for a player who can possibly fit in with the offense revolving around Anthony. Once of the only hypes of this season came from the spectacular and surprising performance of the young point guard Jeremy Lin. Lin led the team to a seven game winning streak and livened up playoff hopes for Knicks fans.
     Unfortunately, the Knicks post season was ended in game five, thanks to the Miami Heat. Fans, brace yourselves, because their may be many changes and moves within the team next year. On move may be the trading of Stoudemire and the other may be a new coach taking control of the Knicks.

 THE PODCAST BELOW IS A REACTION TO THE NEW YORK KNICKS 2011-2012 SEASON AND POSSIBLE MOVES WITHIN THE TEAM FOR THE NEXT SEASON.

 INTERVIEW WITH NEW YORK KNICKS FAN, MICHAEL KOHLIOS.

INTERVIEW WITH NEW YORK KNICKS FAN, ERIC TSIOLAS.

INTERVIEW WITH NEW YORK KNICKS FAN, STEVE PANAGIOULAKIS.

Do The Knicks Still Have A Chance?

     Just when fans had their brooms ready for the series sweep, the New York Knicks won game four against the Miami Heat.The game was finished with the score of 89-87 leaving the Knicks alive for another game against the Heat. Carmelo Anthony had an impressive 41 points and 6 rebounds. Amar'e Stoudemire, who returned from hand surgery, contributed a strong 20 points and 10 rebounds.
     Despite the excitement fans felt at Madison Square Garden last night, an important question stands. Can the Knicks upset the Miami Heat? As a Knicks fan, and many other Knicks fans may give the game answer, I would say no. First off, the next game will be in Miami, which gives the Heat home court advantage. Second, the Knicks would need to consistently limit the talented offense and surpass the defense of the Heat. That is difficult to accomplish while playing a team with high caliber players like Lebron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh. Knicks fans must not forget that we are lacking two of our better point guards (Baron Davis and Jeremy Lin) and the defensive spark of Iman Shumpert because of injury.
     Then again you never know what can happen. Anthony may have similar performances in the next 3 games to win the Knicks the series. The Knicks did win their first playoff game since 2001 so maybe they will be the first team in NBA history to comeback from a 3-0 deficit to win the series. The chances of this upset are very unlikely.

Lin May Be Back Sooner Than We Thought!

     There is hope of more Linsanity for the New York Knicks after the news of Jeremy Lin's torn meniscus which will require surgery. This injury was supposed to leave Lin to miss the rest of the season and also the first round of the playoffs, if they make it that far. According to a New York Post journalist, Marc Berman, an orthopedic surgeon named Dr. Wellington Hsu thinks that Lin can return in two to four weeks, if all goes well with the surgery. This is probably the best news for a Knicks fan today. Of course we have Baron Davis to carry the team at the point throughout Lin's injury, but who will be a consistent back-up? Obviously not Toney Douglas; he plays too much like a shooting guard which the Knicks have enough of on their roster for now. Lin has a dynamic style of play where at times he is able to take over a game which relieves a great amount of pressure from Carmelo Anthony as well. Then again, this dynamic and aggressive style of play is what led him to this injury.

     At least in the past few games, the Knicks have been able to progress without Lin and Amar'e Stoudemire in the line-up. Thanks to players like Anthony, Iman Shumpert, J.R. Smith, and Tyson Chandler, the Knicks have been making a slow push for the playoffs. Even though they lost against the Atlanta Hawks on Friday, Anthony had a solid 39 points and 9 rebounds. Shumpert finished the game with 25 points and Chandler with 9 rebounds. In the Knicks ten point win against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday, Anthony had 19 points and J.R. Smith finished the game with 20 points and 9 rebounds. Chandler showed his strong defensive presence with 14 points and 12 rebounds.
     If the Knicks continue to run an effective offense and also continue to play solid defense, with the leadership of Chandler, they should be able to make the final spot for the playoffs. Let's see if the Knicks can move closer to the playoffs with a win against the Indiana Pacers tomorrow night.

Knicks Making a Playoff Push.

     After a strong win against the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night, the Knicks blew out the Orlando Magic with a score of 108-86 on Wednesday. Analysts doubted this win for the Knicks mainly because of the presence of Dwight Howard in the paint. The Knicks have a tendency to play lazy defense, which was not the case against the Magic and Bucks. Tyson Chandler was able to keep Howard to only 12 points and 5 rebounds. Chandler, who finished the game with 9 points and 9 rebounds should consider himself an accomplished player after his defensive performance. Players in the NBA who end up guarding Howard struggle to keep him out of the post and end up excessively fouling him, putting them in foul trouble for the game. Fortunately for the Knicks, Chandler did not have any of these problems, which should show fans and analysts that he deserves to be placed as one of the top five centers in the NBA. 

     Despite the success of Chandler against the Magic, Carmelo Anthony has been a crucial player for the Knicks in their past few wins. Anthony has been playing up to his superstar standards under the coaching of Mike Woodson. Anthony finished the game against the Bucks with 28 points and 12 rebounds. He also had a strong game against the Magic with 25 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists. After watching these past two games, their is one positive change we have seen from Anthony, and that is defense. Finally, Anthony realized that consistent and effective defense is what completes a superstar. Yes, he has always been a consistent scorer, but how much does that count if he is going to ignore playing defense and stopping the opposing team from scoring? It is a good sign for the Knicks that Anthony is making an effort to play defense. It is shown that it is a part of his game which he has been working on.

     The New York Knicks hope to extend their winning streak with a win tomorrow against the Atlanta Hawks in Atlanta. What we have been seeing these past few games are good signs for the Knicks making the final playoff seed. Even with Amar'e Stoudemire, who will be out for 2 to 4 weeks because of a bulging disk in his back, and Jeremy Lin out because of injury, the Knicks have still been managing to pull out strong wins. This is because of the consistent performance from bench players like Steve Novak, J.R. Smith, and the rookie guard Iman Shumpert. Hopefully we will all be impressed with another win tomorrow night against the Hawks and a step closer to the playoffs.

 

Knicks Looking To Extend Winning Streak.

     Looks like the New York Knicks have been playing better under coaching scheme of Mike Woodson. Ever since Mike D'Antoni resigned from the head coaching position, the Knicks have won 5 games in a row. In my recent podcast post a few days ago, I discussed how Carmelo Anthony and D'Antoni's relationship was a little shaky which impacted Anthony's playing. Once D'Antoni resigned, it is almost as if the team clicked together and started playing like a playoff caliber team. Now lets go to the highlights of the Knicks most recent win against the Philadelphia 76ers.

     This game revolved around the outstanding performance of both Jeremy Lin and Amar'e Stoudemire. These two players are able to execute the pick and roll on a high level. With Lin's court vision and Stoudemire's skilled foot work and quick cuts to the basket, it is hard for defenders to stop this pick and roll offense. Lin finished the game with 18 points and 3 assists. Stoudemire led the Knicks with 21 points and 9 rebounds and shot an impressive 8 for 14 from the field. Another aspect seen in the last 5 games is the improved defensive of Anthony. Despite his 10 point performance in the win against the 76ers, he managed to impress fan with his improved swarming defense.
     Interim coach Mike Woodson seems to be handling the Knicks really well by trying to lead the team to a spot in the playoffs. Lets see if the Knicks can even out their record to 24-24 with a win against the Toronto Raptors, in Toronto. Keep checking out my blog for more recaps and thoughts on upcoming games!

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No More D'Antoni; No Problem!

It is said that Carmelo Anthony is the reason why Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni resigned. Despite the denial of this by Anthony, it does seems somewhat true. It is possible that the new system by interim coach Mike Woodson could be best for the Knicks team.

Knicks Win Two Straight After the Resignation of D'Antoni.

Fans and analysts have been saying how Carmelo Anthony is the main reason for the Knicks struggles. That claim was proven wrong after the resignation of coach Mike D'Antoni. The Knicks dismantled the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night with the score of 121-79. That blowout was followed by a 115-100 win against the Indiana Pacers last night. After watching these two games I came to an agreement with the claims that D'Antoni's offensive style of coaching did not fit with the players on the Knicks. This especially pertains to superstars like Anthony who need to have the ball for a majority of the game. The Knicks are now being coach by the assistant coach Mike Woodson. Woodson stated that his offense was going to primarily revolve around Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire. Many analysts think that now, Anthony will be making most of the decisions for the team. Constant ball movement is also a major part in Woodson's offense. After Wednesday's and last night's game, it was proven that Woodson's offense was a great fit for the Knicks. Each play showed an unselfish mentality of each player as the assists piled on. Against the Blazers, the Knicks produced 35 assists total, and 17 assists against the Pacers. The improved ball movement was seen mostly from fast breaks. On a number of the fast breaks, there were at least three passes made before the ball was shot into the basket. It is highly possible that this change in coaching and offensive scheme was what the Knicks needed. After the resignation of D'Antoni, there was a drastic change in the teams style of play as well as team work and ball movement. It is also possible that interim coach Woodson's style of coaching is what the Knicks needed. It may also give Anthony the leadership that he was never given by D'Antoni. Woodson also believes in veteran players filling the starting line-up which will eventually terminate the starting role for Jeremy Lin. Hopefully this new style of play by the Knicks will keep up, allowing them to make a push for the playoffs.

Knicks Extend Losing Streak to Six.

The Knicks have added another loss to their losing streak, courtesy of the Chicago Bulls. The Knicks, who have been struggling lately against mediocre and elite teams, ended the game with a score of 104-99. The game was close until the final minutes of the fourth quarter. The Knicks were on a run leaving them behind 95-90 with 2:07 left on the clock. This run came to an end when Joakim Noah tipped the ball away from Amare Stoudemire, during a jump ball, which gave Derrick Rose the opportunity for an easy layup. After this play, the Bulls were able to outplay the Knicks on offense and pull away with the win. In this game, turnovers were actually not a huge factor. The loss was mostly contributed by poor defense, which allowed Rose to finish the game with 32 points and 7 assists. Unfortunately the Knicks did not have any dynamic scoring from any of their players which made it much harder for them to keep up with the Bulls elite offense. The recent weapon for the Knicks, Jeremy Lin, has failed to provide a "jaw-dropping" performance once again. In his first few starts, Lin led his team to an impressive winning streak without Carmelo Anthony or Stoudemire. He would provide over 20 points and 10 assists a night which excited fans in New York, giving him the title "Lin-Sanity." Lately, the young point guard has been unable to live up to this title. In the past few games he has not been playing to his "star-point guard" standards. It seems as if the super star run, by Lin, has come to an end. Now many teams have learned how to defend him, resulting in his court vision and offense being negatively affected. At first, Lin saved coach Mike D'Antoni's job with the number of wins he added to the Knicks record. But now with this consistent poor performance, D'Antoni is hanging on to his coaching position by a thread.

Add Another Loss to the Knicks Losing Streak.

     The New York Knick's 3 game losing streak started with the "messy" performance against the Celtics, then carried on with a loss to the Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs. Lately the Knicks have been having some defensive struggles which makes their chance of defeating elite teams, such as the Spurs, minimal. Against the Mavericks, the Knicks were unable to stop the high arched fade away jump shooting of power forward Dirk Nowitzki. He led the Mavericks to a 95-85 win with 28 points and 3 rebounds. Tonight, the Spur's veteran point guard Tony Parker had fun tearing apart the Knicks. Parker led the Spurs to a 118-105 win, leading his team with 32 points and 6 assists.

     Critics cannot blame Carmelo Anthony for the Knicks loss this time. After a disappointing 6 point performance against the Mavericks, Anthony was able to bounce back tonight with 27 points and shooting 12 for 24 from the field. Jeremy Lin also finished the game with 20 points, 4 assists, 3 steals, and only 1 turnover. All together, the Knicks only had 10 turnovers against the Spurs, which was actually not bad compared to the amount of turnovers they usually have a night. Now the main question is; what was the reason for the Knicks loss tonight? First off, they were missing one of the most important pieces to their lineup; Tyson Chandler. Chandler sat out of tonight's game with an injured hamstring and his injury is said to be day-to-day. Chandler is one of the only Knicks players who provides constant defense for the team. With him out of the lineup it makes it easier for other teams to gain penetration. The second, and biggest, reason for the Knicks loss tonight was due to the fact that they were playing one of the top defensive teams in the league. The Spurs are especially talented at transition defense and stopping opposing fast breaks. Coach D'Antoni mainly shapes his teams offense around speed and creating fast break opportunities in transition. Unfortunately for him and the Knicks, their offensive plan was shut down by a solid defensive team.

     It seems that, once the Knicks fast break opportunity is cut off by the opposing defense, they struggle to set up an offense. When they do attempt to set up an offense, the ball movement tends to be sloppy resulting in a large number of turnovers. The Knicks will travel to Milwaukee on Friday for a match-up against the Bucks. The best preparation for this game would be to practice ball movement and a set offense rather than constantly relying on fast break points. 

Excessive Turnovers May Be the Reason for the Knicks Struggles.

     The saying, "Win some, lose some," does not suffice after the New York Knicks lost in overtime to their rival, the Boston Celtics with the score being 115-111. This was a game that Knicks fans were most interested in, especially because the Knicks defeated the Celtics in the season opener after the 2010-2011 playoff sweep by the Celtics. This time, the atmosphere for the Knicks was different than the season opener as they played last nights game in Boston.

     Unfortunately, last night Jeremy Lin was not able to produce another jaw dropping performance to lead the Knicks to another win. He had 14 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds, and also contributed 6 of the 22 Knicks turnovers in the loss. Turnovers were one of the most crucial factors in last nights loss. Imagine at least half of those 22 turnovers were actually a productive play. That would have possibly lead the Knicks to defeating the Celtics. Taking care of the ball has been one of the biggest problems for the Knicks this season. It seems as if they are too careless with the ball throughout their offense. In basketball the key to success is defense and making the most out of each possession; two problems which the team has been experiencing this season. The Knicks have to start treating each possession as if it is the final play of the game and try to execute an effective offense.
     Carmelo Anthony tried to set a spark to his offense, but unfortunately it was not enough. He finished the game 25 points, leading his team in scoring. Amare Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler both finished the game with double-doubles, but the defense was not enough to stop the red-hot Celtics. The Knicks struggled to stop Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo, as both players tore apart the Knick's defense at many points throughout the game. Pierce finished the game with a season high 34 points. Of course, this win was a team effort, which is shown by the spread of points of the Celtics players, but the point guard, Rondo, deserves a majority of the credit. Rondo lead his team to a win with an amazing 18 points, 20 assists, and 17 rebounds, which recorded his fifth triple-double of the season. These statistics just show how much of a well-rounded player Rondo has become. He was able to effectively contribute as a great facilitator, scorer, and defender as well.
     Hopefully this game acts as a wake up call for the Knicks to work on minimizing turnovers and running a more effective offense. They travel to Dallas on Tuesday for a match-up against Chandler's previous team, the Mavericks. This will not be an easy game for New York, but if they look back on all the msitakes they made against the Celtics, they should be able to come out with a win.

Lin and Knicks Bury the Cavaliers.

     After the long All-Star break, the New York Knicks came back tonight in a thrilling 120-103 win against the Cleveland Cavaliers, at Madison Square Garden. At halftime, the Knicks trailed the Cavaliers with the score of 61-49. They came out of the locker room as a new team with extreme motivation to take over and win the game. This was quite possibly the most well-rounded team performance seen from the Knicks ever since superstar Carmelo Anthony returned. There were six Knicks players with double digit scores, including double-doubles by both Jeremy Lin and Tyson Chandler.

     Chandler finished the game with an impressive 15 rebounds,13 points and 4 blocks, and Steve Novak shot the lights out from beyond the arch, going 5-8 with three pointers giving him 17 points to help lead the Knicks to a win. Carmelo Anthony even had an impressive game after a weak start coming back from injury. Anthony, being the highest scorer for his team tonight, left his mark with 22 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists.

     Once again, one of the biggest sensations of the night was Jeremy Lin. Despite his weak performance against the Miami Heat, he brought back Linsanity to Knicks fans by contributing 19 points and 13 assists, giving him a double-double. Now wait; how many turnovers did he have for the night? Only 1 turnover! WOW that is a big improvement since turnovers have been his greatest flaw. Many analysts on sports center and different sports articles were predicting the downfall of Lin since the Heat game. Coaches would want to imitate the swarming defense that the Heat played on Lin, but it did not work tonight against the young New York star. Through this game against the Cavaliers, it is shown that Jeremy Lin is not finished displaying his explosive and impressive playing to fans and critics. THE LINSANITY CONTINUES IN NEW YORK!!!

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Is It All Over for Jeremy Lin?

     After all the hype for the Knicks vs. Heat game, New York fans were left with disappointment. Jeremy Lin and the Knicks fell to Lebron James and the Heat by the score of 102-88. The Knicks were able to overcome many challenging teams, such as the Los Angeles Lakers, but they were not able to prove themselves against the Heat. The key to success for Miami was taking away the Knicks current most valuable player, Jeremy Lin.

     The swarming defense of the Heat was able to keep Lin to only 8 steals, 3 assists, and forced him to commit 8 turnovers. Well, those numbers were clearly the opposite of his outstanding average of 23.9 points and 9 assists in his first 11 starts. This was the worst start for the young point guard as a starter for the Knicks. What this game exposed to other teams and curious fans in the NBA, is a way to stop Lin from picking apart opposing defenses. The Heat came out with a smart strategic way to play defense on Lin and the Knicks. Of course, at this point the main threat on the Knicks is Jeremy Lin rather than Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire. The Heat came into the game playing a man to man defense, but Lin was picked up by his defender instantly at half court. This forced instant and constant pressure which he has not experienced in previous games. By picking up Lin at half court it also took away any chance he had of setting up an organized offense. His court vision was interfered with by the superb defense which forced the 8 turnovers by Lin. Most of the defensive credit goes to Heat point guards Mario Chalmers and Norris Cole.

     To all Knicks fans out there, this may be a problem. The Heat discovered how to pressure Lin and force him into poor performance. It is obvious that other teams will want to use the same game-plan the Heat used. Then again, this may have just been an "off game" by Lin, which will show in their next game. There will also need to be more effectiveness from Anthony and Stoudemire to help the team improve. Luckily, the Knicks have a somewhat easy game ahead of them as they prepare to host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday evening.  Let's see if the Knicks can redeem themselves and make their way closer to a playoff spot.

The Test

  
     With the return of New York Knicks superstar Carmelo Anthony and veteran point guard Baron Davis, the team suffered a 100-92 loss to the New Jersey Nets. Many analysts were unsure as to how Anthony would fit in with the new structure of the team revolving around Jeremy Lin. After watching that game, fans saw the effective ball movement within the team, but still a lot of questioning on whether Anthony will fit in the new lineup. Despite this performance, the Knicks had no answer for the hot hand of Deron Williams, as he finished the game with 38 points and went 8-14 with three pointers.

     The Knicks showed that they are a playoff contending team by their performance against teams like the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks. Now the real test approaches Lin and the Knicks, and that is the matchup against Lebron James and the Miami Heat tomorrow night. Can the Knicks keep up with athleticism of the big three? Lately, the Heat have been playing well with a record of 26 wins and 7 losses. Also, the chemistry between Wade, James, and Bosh has been nothing but a problem for other teams. It is a struggle to keep up with such talent being on the court at the same time. Despite that, it is very possible that Lin, Anthony, Stoudemire, and the Knicks can defeat the Heat and make a statement that they are contenders with superstar teams.

Victory at Madison Square Gard-LIN!

     Just as the New Orleans Hornets ended the Knick's outstanding winning streak, New York was able to redeem themselves this afternoon. This time the Knicks also had the help of the deadly 3 point shooter, J.R. Smith. He was signed to New York after playing for a professional team in China. Despite Friday nights loss, the Knicks were able to beat the Dallas Mavericks with a 104-97 victory this afternoon. Of course, the main hype of the game, the newest star of the New York Knicks, JEREMY LIN.

     Lin finished the game against the Mavericks with an amazing 28 points and new career high, 14 assists. It is unbelievable to watch this young point guard improve as his success continues. He brings a great amount of excitement to his teammates and fans with his game play and outstanding leadership. Many sports analysts continue to question if this "All Star" style of play will become consistent for Lin, and so far he has been keeping it up.

     Tyson Chandler has been a beneficiary of the LIN-SANITY, by receiving a number of open looks from Lin, giving him 14 points. He also grabbed 10 rebounds giving him another double-double. J.R. Smith had 15 points and went 3 for 9 with three pointers in his debut as a New York Knicks player. It is amazing though how Jeremy Lin has continued to shock fans with his skill to lead the Knicks to another win. This young man, alone, re-energized fans after being upset with a number of losses before his starting role. Let's see if this win today will start another winning streak for the Knicks.

The Linning Streak Continues!

     Make that seven games won in a row for the red hot New York Knicks. Jeremy Lin and the Knicks defeated the young and undersized Sacramento Kings, with the score being 100-85, still without Carmelo Anthony. This game evened out the Knick's record with 15 wins and 15 losses. Once again, Lin left all the fans in amazement by his outstanding performance.

     In tonight's game Lin did not light up the court with amazing three point shots or attacking the basket, but he acted more as a distributor for the team. Lin had a double-double, earning 10 points and 13 assists to lead the Knicks to their seventh straight win. The Knick's shooting guard, Landry Fields contributed a helpful 15 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists.  Unfortunately, I hear a lot of people saying how this streak of Linsanity will come to end, but do not give up Knick's fans.

     If you actually follow each game and focus on his style of play, you can see how this is not just a lucky hot streak, but the result of athleticism, skill, and good decision making. The reason I say that is because of his ability to split through defenders and attack the basket as well as spreading the floor and breaking down defenses with his accurate passing ability. One of those passes being an alley oop thrown to Tyson Chandler in between two defenders in the second quarter. 

     Now, what I enjoy more than anything about this young point guard is not only his outstanding performance in the past seven games. It is more the fact that he came from being a no-name, to the hot topic of conversation in New York City. He went from being cut by the Golden State Warriors, to sleeping on his brother's couch, to  impressing Knick's fans by leading them to a seven game winning streak. With every great achievement, comes a reward; Jeremy Lin was rewarded a $762,195 contract for the 2011-2012 season and the glorious fame, in New York City, as a hero. 

LIN-SANITY

     Just as fans were at the peak of their excitement, there was more LIN-SANITY at tonight's game against the Toronto Raptors. The New York Knicks pulled a win off the Raptors, beating them 90-87. What better way to welcome back the Knick's power forward, Amar'e Stoudemire, after being inactive for five games due to the death of his brother.

     Ok, now let's get to the real reason why this was such an exciting game. Just one name can sum it up and that is, Jeremy Lin. In tonight's game, Lin had 27 points and 11 assists, giving him a double-double.In tonight's game, Lin had 27 points and 11 assists, giving him a double-double for the game. Three of those 27 points came from the most exciting play of the game. There were 14 seconds left on the clock. now I thought the play would be to get the ball to their superstar, Stoudemire, for a clutch basket, but Coach Mike D'Antoni had another play in mind. The ball was in-bounded to Lin and as the clock ran down to 3 seconds he shot a three pointer and... SWISH; the shot was good! Thanks to Jeremy Lin, the Knicks extended their winning streak to six games.

     Knicks fans, no need to wait for Baron Davis to heal from injury, because I think the missing piece to the team was found. In the past five games, Lin has averaged 27 points, along with 8 assists and 2 steals. Those are numbers basketball fans expect from players like Lebron James, Kevin Durant, and Kobe Bryant. If Lin is able to keep up this impressive outburst, we may possibly see the birth of a new and elite point guard.