Jeremy Lin: How Stellar Debut Affects Return of Baron Davis

Can anyone believe the impact young Jeremy Lin is having for the New York Knicks?

The 6'3", 200-pound point guard made his first career start yesterday after pouring in 25 points and seven assists two days before against the New Jersey Nets.

He responded by scoring 28 points and adding eight assists, bettering his numbers against a better Utah Jazz team, and helped the Knicks win back-to-back games for the first time since they won four straight in early January.

Lin's masterful two-game performance accounts for 20 percent of the Knicks' total wins so far this season. That isn't saying much considering the Knicks have won only 10 games, but it is vast improvement from the way they were playing for the previous month.

The lack of solid point guard play has been a huge problem for this basketball team and although they won't need Lin to drop 25 to 28 points per night—that's what Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire are for—they would love it if he continued to make the most of his opportunity.

If—and it is a big "if," but if—Lin can hold it together while in a starting role, it will allow the Knicks time to let Baron Davis fully recover before taking the court again. If and when Davis is healthy, they can then ease him into the lineup without risking a re-aggravation of the injury.

The Knicks' woes have caused many to lean on Davis as the club's potential saving grace. When on his game, Davis is one of the best point guards in the league. The best chance the Knicks have of seeing that version of B-Diddy comes from a fully healthy, fully motivated player.

The way Lin is playing, the Knicks can afford to make that happen slowly.

Again, it has only been two games, but if Lin can maintain some of this production for a little while longer it would be a huge boost to this ballclub both on the court and for the future.