NYC LINjected With Hope: Lin Legend Lives For Another Day
By, Philip J. Victor, CBSNewYork.com Editor
Once upon a time, there was a New York Knicks team that LINitially came into the season with high expectations. However, as the season started, the team began stumbLIN and bumbLIN and found themselves with an abysmal record.
Dejected fans starting started asking themselves 'how long will such LINeptitude on both ends of the floor LINger?
Then on one Saturday night against the lowly New Jersey Nets, Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni decided to LINsert Jeremy Lin into the lineup. Was it a stroke of LINtelligence? Perhaps LINtuition? No matter what prompted the beginning of LINsanity, the undrafted point guard made quite the LINpact.
Lin would score 25 points and dish out 7 assists that Feb. 4 night, leading the Knicks to a win. Then came win after win after win. The victories led by Lin just kept pushing the storyline, until the Knicks eventually stopped becoming the punch line.
Even after three straight stellar performances against the Nets, Jazz and Wizards, the critics weren't convinced – 'LINpossible' they said. They didn't believe Jeremy was the answer, instead, they felt it was all a bit of charming LINfatuation.
However, he has proved his doubters wrong and seven straights wins later he can justifiably tell those critics LIN your face!
The nation has certainly become captivated by the LINderella story. The unsung hero has now become the face of the team, playing in what could be called Jeremy's Garden and almost overnight he has LINSpired a city and LINvigorated a team left for dead.
How has he been able to take his game to LINfinity and beyond? The answer, which some might find LINtriguing, is actually quite simple. The unheralded point guard has been able to take charge of D'Antoni's LINovative offense and give the Knicks just the shot of LINsulin they needed to get back on track. The Hero from Harvard brings plenty of LINtangibles to the table, though his biggest attribute has been his ability to get his teammates LINvolved.
The Knicks new star is LINisitent that it's about the team and about winning – not him as a LINdividual.
The results have been LINdescribable – not only in the form of wins, but in plenty of other areas as well. LIN fact, Knicks tickets are high LIN demand and his play has created a LINsatiable appetite for the New York media, who can't get enough of the humble hoopster.
LINevitably, it has also inspired the underdog across the world to believe that all things are possible if you only just LINsist on putting forth your best every night.
Say what you will about Jeremy Lin, no one is LINsinuating that he is Chris Paul, Derrick Rose or even Rajon Rondo. But the man has LINjected a city with hope and all he does is Lin, Lin, Lin and so the legend lives for another day.
