WSMV Channel 4 NBA fans go ‘Lin-sane’

(RNN) – Lin-sanity has struck. It's all over the Lin-ternet. It's catching on like Lin-fluenza. People are Lin-trigued. They're bal-Lin. Sales of Lin-tel soup have skyrocketed (that's probably not true).

Jeremy Lin's rise from an unknown to the stratosphere of NBA superstars has been rocket-fueled. The New York Knicks point guard went from his brother's couch to a worldwide sensation in less than a week.

And since he began seeing real minutes on the court, the team has not lost.

During the six-game win streak, the 6'3" 200 pound Lin has averaged 26.8 points, a 50.4 field goal percentage, 8.5 assists and 1.8 steals. He scored 136 points in his first five starts, more than any player since the ABA-NBA merger.

Not bad for a guy picked up off waivers (the NBA's unemployment line) two days after the season started.

Before he became New York's tabloid cover boy, he became extremely close with the end of the Knicks' bench. He topped seven minutes only once in his previous 22 games and didn't even play 13 times.

Five games after his first career NBA start, he has the No. 1 sel-Lin jersey online and has Lin-spired his own word generator. The league also named him the Eastern Conference Player of the Week.

His improbable run – and his faith – began drawing parallels to Tim Tebow's as quarterback of the NFL's Denver Broncos. But Tebow received plenty of attention in college while leading the Florida Gators and entered the professional ranks as a first-round pick with plenty of fanfare.

Lin took a much quieter route.

In 2006, he led his Palo Alto (CA) High School team to the state championship. The San Francisco Chronicle named him the Metro Player of the Year.

But no scholarship offers came for Lin, even though he sent highlight tapes and information to multiple schools. He decided on Harvard University because he got a guaranteed spot on the basketball team.

At Harvard, he received his degree in economics and finished his senior year with per game averages of 16.4 points, 50 percent field goal rate, 4.4 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.4 steals.

He earned a spot on the All-Ivy League First Team and was consideration for multiple awards. However, he was not drafted by any NBA team.

He signed with his hometown team, the Golden State Warriors, but played sparingly throughout his first season. He also got sent to the NBA Developmental League several times.

He signed on briefly with the Houston Rockets before the 2011-2012 season but got cut before the season started. Think Rockets and Warriors management might be kicking themselves right about now?

For NBA viewers, Lin's game would be attractive without the underdog story.

He plays hard and with emotion. He drives fearlessly to the basket. He gets his teammates the ball. He gets better in the fourth quarter.

On Tuesday, he very calmly stepped up to the 3-point line and drilled a basket with 0.5 seconds left in a game tied at 87-87. His teams threw up their arms in joy.

As with any story, there have been negative aspects to emerge. As the first American of Taiwanese or Chinese descent in the league, some wonder whether perceptions about race held him back.

Boxer Floyd Mayweather, Jr. said Lin received all the attention because he was an Asian-American. Fox Sports columnist Jason Whitlock upset many people with a crass and immature comment aimed at the Knicks breakout star.

A few grouches aside, basketball fans agree this is an exciting time. Whether Lin is a shooting star flashing across the sky for a moment or a newly discovered planet in the NBA universe, it should be a lot of fun to watch it unfold.

Lucky for everyone, the Knicks have a nationally-televised game this week.

And they will be led by the modern day Cinderella Man. Or if you prefer, Lin-derella Man.

Dallas Mavericks at New York Knicks, 1 p.m. EST Sunday:

It is the NBA's biggest story against the reigning World Champs on the biggest stage – Madison Square Garden. What more could you need?

Dirk Nowitzki appears to have finally found his game. He spent the first few weeks of the lockout-shortened season working off the rust, but the 33-year-old has averaged more than 23 points per game this month.

If he and the rest of the old (by NBA standards) Mavs want to repeat this year, they will have to find chances to rest their legs when they can.

There is a chance All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony could return for the game after missing most of the Knicks' win streak. If he and Lin can coexist, they could become one of the more dynamic and dangerous teams in the East.

Orlando Magic at Miami Heat, 3:30 p.m. EST Sunday:

This game will feature some of the biggest stars in the league: Dwight Howard, Dwyane Wade and LeBron James.

The Magic have a dark cloud lingering over them, with Howard publicly requesting a trade to another team. He is looking for a bigger market, better teammates or both.

Orlando has managed a respectable 18-11 record to this point even with the uncertainty. And Howard continues to dominate as the best center in the game.

Year two of the Super Team Experiment in Miami looks like it is right on track. LeBron, D-Wade and Chris Bosh have been dominant against some excellent competition, most recently in a 105-90 (and it wasn't that close) game against playoff-contending Indiana Pacers.

At season's end, Orlando should be in the playoffs too, but Miami has the talent to make it to the NBA Finals again and complete what they could not last year.

Copyright 2012 Raycom News Network. All rights reserved.