Baron Davis: Jeremy Lin's Knicks 'Linsanity' Created Tension with Carmelo Anthony
'Linsanity' proved to be a thrilling stretch for the New York Knicks during the 2011-12 NBA season, but it apparently didn't sit well with everyone.
In an appearance on the Bootleg Kev Podcast, former NBA All-Star Baron Davis spoke about the historic run the previously-obscure Jeremy Lin had for the New York Knicks and how it sparked some tension with the team's star, Carmelo Anthony.
"It was some weird s--t going on," Davis said. "Obviously, we ridin' the wave, the Linsanity wave, and Melo was out. We went like five, six in a row, Melo come back. But, when Melo come back, Jeremy Lin is the biggest star in the world. F--k New York, the world! He has literally went from nobody to the face of the NBA."
Anthony was injured during some of Lin's stretch of dominance, and Davis said he struggled with not being the main attraction for the team.
"Man, when that thing happened… Melo came back, and Jeremy Lin was so big, he was bigger than Melo, media-wise," Davis said. "So it did create a little 'This s--t is not real.' It started to create tension in the way we play because it's still Melo's team; Melo is still the dawg. Melo was still our go-to guy,"
Lin averaged 22.5 points and 8.7 assists over a 12-game, 9-3 run before the All-Star game that catapulted the Knicks toward contention.
They would qualify for the playoffs, but Lin was not available after he tore his meniscus.
He left the team for the Houston Rockets during free agency and averaged 11.6 points, 4.3 assists and 2.8 rebounds during his nine-year career.
