Jeremy Lin: How Upstart PG Will Cool Mike D'Antoni's Hot Seat

Jeremy Lin's electric play as starting point guard for the New York Knicks has cooled the constant talk surrounding Mike D'Antoni's job status as head coach.

For now.

Lin has played at least 35 minutes per game over his last three, and all of those contests have resulted in wins for a Knicks team that had been desperate for them.

New York now stands at a still uninspiring 11-15 record for the season, but that looks a lot better than the 8-15 mark the team had put up before the Linsanity began.

An undrafted kid out of Harvard, the 23-year-old Lin is demonstrating the importance of a capable point guard in the Mike D'Antoni system.

It doesn't take a star at the point for it to happen, but it does take a capable player who isn't afraid to keep his dribble alive and penetrate to the rim—two strengths of Lin's game.

Neither Iman Shumpert nor Toney Douglas is a point guard, and the Knicks have finally figured that out after failed experiments with both players in the starting lineup.

Lin is averaging 25.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 8.3 assists, 1.7 steals and is shooting a ridiculous 58 percent from the floor.

No matter how one slices it, those numbers are just eye-popping.

They're highlighted even further by the fact that Lin's uprising is a unique narrative for a number of reasons, and the fact that he plays on one of the biggest stages in all of basketball as a member of the Knicks.

Although he's just 1-for-8 from distance and is also averaging 3.7 turnovers, Lin is seizing his opportunity to contribute and running the show for the Knicks.

Some antsy fans desperate for a resolution to the early-season struggles were calling for D'Antoni's head to be placed on the chopping block, but the front office has preached patience throughout the process.

Now that D'Antoni plans to ride Lin "like friggin' Secretariat," the most interesting element of the game will be whether or not his surprising play can continue when both Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire return the starting lineup.

The game will slow down when each returns. It's tough to imagine a scenario where Lin continues to average double-digit shot attempts on a consistent basis, but that doesn't mean that his effectiveness will go out the window.

Lin's game is defined by his quickness and ability to penetrate to the rim, but an isolation style of play that we had seen from both Anthony and Stoudemire will take the ball out of Lin's hands more often.

D'Antoni was never really the problem when his team was sliding early, but a stagnant style of play on the offensive end led to an ineffective flow and an inability to create the proper ball movement around the floor left players settling in their shot attempts.

Now that New York is finally finding a way to space the floor thanks to Lin, D'Antoni's job remains secure and there is more optimism surrounding the chances of the Knicks finding sustainable success.

Will Lin keep up this pace all season? No, but he doesn't have to in order for the Knicks to fulfill the lofty potential placed upon the team prior to the campaign beginning.

As long as Lin can continue to create opportunities and keep his dribble alive, New York will have a better chance at finding a better rhythm on offense.

But, as always, what will dictate D'Antoni's fate is the win-loss record compiled by his team.

In a market like New York, there is no wiggle room for an off night or an adjustment period.

The results are demanded on an immediate basis, and that's a major factor why Linsanity has swept through New York.

If the team continues to win, the Knicks will keep rolling Lin out there.

On a team with two players paid like superstars and a head coach raking in the cash, it's Lin, who makes less than $1 million this season, taking all of the pressure off of the shoulders of others.

Lin became the first player with 20-plus points and eight or more assists in his first two career starts since LeBron James in 2003.

D'Antoni is rolling with what is working, and Lin is feeling it in a big way.