Mike D’Antoni was there for the start of Linsanity, Kobe Bryant on the wrong end of its greatest highlight.
Neither imagined next season opening without Jeremy Lin on the New York Knicks.
“No. Not when the kicker was they can match. I’m thinking, for sure,” former Knicks coach D’Antoni said on Wednesday before the US Olympic team practiced. “Even when I was there, well at least we got him, we don’t have to worry about him blowing up and us not being able to afford it.”
However, the Knicks ultimately decided they could not or would not.
Lin became a Houston Rocket on Tuesday night when the Knicks refused to match a three-year deal worth about US$25 million, ending a brief, but amazing, run as New York’s point guard.
The Knicks had repeatedly said they planned to keep the restricted free agent, and Olympians Carmelo Anthony and Tyson Chandler both believed they would.
“I know the Knicks organization wanted him back, I know his teammates wanted him back, I felt like Jeremy wanted to come back, but can’t pass up what Houston threw out there,” Chandler said.
D’Antoni, who gave Lin a chance to play in February, resigned a month and a half later when the Knicks were struggling. He remains a firm believer in the undrafted point guard from Harvard. Bryant had no choice, but to become one after Lin scored a career-high 38 points, outplaying one of the NBA’s biggest stars during a nationally televised victory over the Lakers.
“The plays that he was making, it didn’t seem like he had too much of a difficulty making them. He seemed like he was pretty comfortable in making those plays and he was pretty consistent afterwards,” Bryant said. “His numbers weren’t 30 and 15 assists or whatever, but they were more than solid numbers. He can play, he’s a very good player.”
How good is impossible to predict, because Lin made just 25 starts before his season ended because of surgery to repair torn cartilage in his knee. His numbers were already falling by then, a combination of fatigue and a lesser role in the offense once Mike Woodson replaced D’Antoni, who is now an assistant coach on the US Olympic team.
“I mean, I don’t think nobody really has an idea what his ceiling is,” Anthony said. “What he was able to do for that little stretch that he played before he got hurt, he was at the all-time high, from a game standpoint doing what he was able to do, averaging 20 something-plus points, almost 10 assists. I’m ready to see what’s next.”
He would have seen it in New York, but the third year of the contract, worth nearly US$15 million, could have cost the Knicks more than double that in luxury tax payments.
“Houston threw something in the game that was kind of crazy,” Anthony said.
Tennis great and New Yorker John McEnroe has gone to so many Knicks games in his life he long ago lost count. He was at Madison Square Garden with his 12-year-old daughter for that Lakers game.
“It had to be one of the top five of all time as far as the excitement,” said McEnroe, who was in Times Square on Wednesday, talking about playing tennis at the Garden in November in the PowerShares Series. “My daughter was like: ‘I love Lin,’ and she doesn’t really follow the team. It was so amazing to be there; the noise decibel was just deafening.”
“He sort of saved things, it seemed like. There was such an energy. I don’t understand it,” he added.
It Is possible Lin may never live up to the deal, but D’Antoni refuses to rule it out, and he will not accept the idea that Lin was only a creation of his high-scoring offensive system.
“First of all, I think that’s not fair to anybody, I think especially not to Jeremy,” he said. “For 20 games, he was one of the best in the league and he was dominating from the headlines to even on the basketball court. So you can’t discount that he’ll never be able to do it, because not only did he do it, he did it at the highest level possible.”
“So I’m happy for him, I think it’s a great contract for him and Houston could find themselves a very, very, very good basketball player. At least he’s going to be a good player. The guy’s got quickness and determination, so he’s going to be good. Now it depends on what level, nobody knows that, but I wouldn’t bet against him,” D’Antoni said.
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Former US Masters champion Zach Johnson was left embarrassed after a foul-mouthed response to ironic cheers from spectators after a triple bogey at Augusta National on Friday. Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, missed the cut after his three-over-par round of 75 left him on seven-over 151 for 36 holes, his six on the par-three 12th playing a big role in his downfall. Television footage showed Johnson reacting to sarcastic cheers and applause when he tapped in for the triple bogey by yelling: “Oh fuck off.” Such a response would be considered bad form in any golf tournament, but is particularly out of keeping
The sacred flame for the Paris Olympics was lit yesterday in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the ancient Games, in a ceremony inspired by antiquity and marked by messages of hope amid multiple global crises. “In ancient times, the Olympic Games brought together the Greek city states, even — and in particular — during times of war and conflict,” International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said. “Today, the Olympic Games are the only event that brings the entire world together in peaceful competition. Then as now, the Olympic athletes are sending this powerful message — yes, it is possible to compete fiercely