Some moments are more symbolism than substance, enticing in their imagery, but lacking in heft. In his brief time in the National Basketball Association (NBA) spotlight, Jeremy Lin (林書豪) has skillfully fused it all, delivering meaningful plays with maximum effect.
Lin’s fourth-quarter pull-up three-pointer over Dirk Nowitzki was not the most important shot during their game on Sunday afternoon, but it made the greatest impression, and it said everything about Lin’s professional growth spurt, his instant stardom and his uncanny comfort under pressure.
In a game nationally televised in the US, against the defending NBA champions, Lin rose ever higher, leading the New York Knicks to a thrilling 104-97 victory over the Dallas Mavericks at Madison Square Garden.
Photo: Reuters
Lin scored 28 points and set another career high in assists, with 14, as the Knicks (16-16) secured their most significant win of the season. They did it against a Mavericks defense that ranks among the NBA’s best, one that deployed every means imaginable to stop Lin, the league’s newest star.
Dallas (20-12) sent double teams and traps, attacked Lin at midcourt and in the fourth quarter shadowed him with Shawn Marion and his pterodactyl wingspan. Lin made 11 of 20 shots, shook off his seven turnovers and delivered two huge three-pointers down the stretch.
“The game that he had, that’s ridiculous,” coach Mike D’Antoni said. “It just seems like the harder the moment, the better he shoots the ball and makes big plays.”
The Knicks have won eight of their past nine games, all since Lin became their primary point guard, and most of them without Carmelo Anthony, who injured his groin two weeks ago.
J.R. Smith, making his Knicks debut, scored 15 points off the bench and spent critical turns guarding Nowitzki (34 points) and Jason Terry (13 points). Steve Novak scored 14 points, all in the fourth quarter, when he made all four of his three-pointers — three on assists from Lin. Tyson Chandler, who helped Dallas win the title last season, had 14 points and 10 rebounds.
Then there was Lin, at the arc, measuring up Nowitzki — the Most Valuable Player of the NBA Finals — then drilling a shot over him for a 90-81 lead that doubled the decibel level with 6 minutes, 51 seconds to play.
“I think in the moment, I don’t really think too much about it,” Lin said with a slight grin. “But looking back, it’s like, I was watching them win the championship last year. And that’s obviously where this team wants to go.”
After the Mavericks closed the gap to 95-93, Lin hit another three, this time over Marion, with 2 minutes, 57 seconds remaining. He closed the afternoon by stealing the ball from Nowitzki and sending a deep pass to Chandler for a game-clinching breakaway dunk.
The Knicks lost a 12-point lead in the first half and erased a 12-point deficit in the second half, then held the lead for the final 8 minutes, 36 seconds.
Lin scored eight points in a 14-3 run to close the third quarter, capped by a driving dunk.
The Knicks are living Lin’s dream. And through two weeks and nine games, it seems only to get better.
SECURITY: As China is ‘reshaping’ Hong Kong’s population, Taiwan must raise the eligibility threshold for applications from Hong Kongers, Chiu Chui-cheng said When Hong Kong and Macau citizens apply for residency in Taiwan, it would be under a new category that includes a “national security observation period,” Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said yesterday. President William Lai (賴清德) on March 13 announced 17 strategies to counter China’s aggression toward Taiwan, including incorporating national security considerations into the review process for residency applications from Hong Kong and Macau citizens. The situation in Hong Kong is constantly changing, Chiu said to media yesterday on the sidelines of the Taipei Technology Run hosted by the Taipei Neihu Technology Park Development Association. With
CARROT AND STICK: While unrelenting in its military threats, China attracted nearly 40,000 Taiwanese to over 400 business events last year Nearly 40,000 Taiwanese last year joined industry events in China, such as conferences and trade fairs, supported by the Chinese government, a study showed yesterday, as Beijing ramps up a charm offensive toward Taipei alongside military pressure. China has long taken a carrot-and-stick approach to Taiwan, threatening it with the prospect of military action while reaching out to those it believes are amenable to Beijing’s point of view. Taiwanese security officials are wary of what they see as Beijing’s influence campaigns to sway public opinion after Taipei and Beijing gradually resumed travel links halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the scale of
A US Marine Corps regiment equipped with Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) is set to participate in the upcoming Balikatan 25 exercise in the Luzon Strait, marking the system’s first-ever deployment in the Philippines. US and Philippine officials have separately confirmed that the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) — the mobile launch platform for the Naval Strike Missile — would take part in the joint exercise. The missiles are being deployed to “a strategic first island chain chokepoint” in the waters between Taiwan proper and the Philippines, US-based Naval News reported. “The Luzon Strait and Bashi Channel represent a critical access
Pope Francis is be laid to rest on Saturday after lying in state for three days in St Peter’s Basilica, where the faithful are expected to flock to pay their respects to history’s first Latin American pontiff. The cardinals met yesterday in the Vatican’s synod hall to chart the next steps before a conclave begins to choose Francis’ successor, as condolences poured in from around the world. According to current norms, the conclave must begin between May 5 and 10. The cardinals set the funeral for Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square, to be celebrated by the dean of the College
RSS