Since converting our URL to Linthamist.com almost two weeks ago, we've found that sometimes there's just too much good Jeremy Lin news than can be fit into one day. Thus, we're proud to bring you our end-of-the-day Lin wrap-up linkstravaganza:
Chemistry Test Passed: Coming into today's afternoon game against the defending NBA champion Dallas Mavericks, sportswriters bit their fingernails and fretted about what would happen to the Knicks' chemistry once all their injured players, including Carmelo Anthony and Baron Davis, came back. They were particularly nervous about how new acquisition J.R. Smith would fit in—but those doubts about Smith seemed to have been immediately appeased with the Knicks' rousing 104-97 win over Dallas.
Smith finished with 15 points (including 3 three pointers), and five other Knicks also ended up scoring in double-digits. But as has been the story over the last two weeks, the team was led by Jeremy Lin, who finished with 28 points and 14 assists, and was electric as the game wore on: "Um, Knicks just beat the defending NBA champs with 28 pts/13 assists from a dude who was playing for the Erie Bayhawks in late January," tweeted WSJ's Jason Gay. Despite seven turnovers, there was no "chink" in his armor this afternoon.
Mark Zuckerberg Likes Lin: Following in the footsteps of presidents, religious leaders, and Tea Party fanatics, Facebook billionaire Mark Zuckerberg was spotted sitting directly behind the Knicks’ bench during the game. Harvard men stick together, after all.
Linning Leads To Sinning?: Lin has made no secret of his religious devotion, but he also hasn't turned it into a substitute for a personality: “He’s very quiet and grounded...He talks about it. But it’s not all in your face,” Toney Douglas said about Lin's faith. But Lin's pastor of the past decade, Rev. Stephen Chen, seems a bit more wary of the spotlight: “It would be foolish to say that I’m not concerned with the temptations that are out there,” Chen told The Post. “The scripture talks about the devil lying in wait like a lion waiting to devour. All Christians would be foolish to underestimate the devil.”
Chen has been happy to see Lin finally become successful in the NBA, but he believes Lin will be careful to keep his faith at the forefront of his life: “If you were to ask him if he were a basketball player, he’d say yes,” Chen told the Daily News. “But in all those things, Jeremy understands that those things do not define him. He would say that he’s a Christian Chinese person, or a Christian basketball player. That defines him.”
Next Up: The Knicks play the NJ Nets tomorrow night at the Garden—and reports indicate that Anthony should finally return to the lineup after missing the last several games due to a groin injury.