Jeremy Lin: Lakers vs. Knicks Performance Adds to Underdog's Riveting Story

For a four-game stretch, Jeremy Lin has been the best player in the NBA.

Who knows how this journey will end, but what Lin has done in a short period of time has been remarkable.

Headed into Friday's game against Kobe Bryant's Los Angeles Lakers, Lin had combined for 76 points and 25 assists during the New York Knicks' three-game winning streak.

On Friday, he showed that this may not be a fluke at all, but a sign of things to come for the undrafted second-year pro.

With Bryant doing his best to squash Lin's hype with the nation watching, all Lin did on Friday was erupt for 38 points, dish out seven assists and grab four rebounds, while leading the suddenly-invigorated Knicks to a 92-85 victory.

Lin was dynamic from the start, scoring 18 points and adding five assists in the first half alone as the Knicks got off to a 49-41 halftime lead.

While the Lakers were out of rhythm, Lin made the Knicks look like the better team, if only for one game. The ball movement was devastating, the defense was unlike anything we'd seen from the Knicks and Lin was there every step of the way, driving, spinning and dropping shots from downtown.

It's not that Lin just had an incredible individual performance. He made his teammates better. Keep in mind, this was a Knicks team that was without Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire and had gone 8-15 before Lin came out of nowhere to shock the world.

It's no wonder that Lin came out of Harvard. Beyond his play on the floor, he's unquestionably a very smart basketball player. He capitalizes on opportunities and understands how to work with what the defense gives him. Heck, he even said at halftime on ESPN that he was going to watch game film of the first half.

The questions about Lin were answered, at least for one game, on Friday. First of all, the Knicks' last three wins had come against the New Jersey Nets, Utah Jazz and Washington Wizards. There was an argument to be made that he didn't face very talented defenses and his play was aided by his opponents. Plus, c'mon, it was just three games.

Lin dominated a Lakers team on Friday that was holding opponents to an NBA-best 41.8 percent from the field. The Lakers had just held the Boston Celtics to 87 points despite the game going into overtime.

There were also questions about Lin's range shooting the ball. Those were answered.

I'll admit that I was skeptical of Lin before Friday's game. I'd seen plenty of NBA players go on runs only to eventually level out and become mediocre players.

However, Lin doesn't have the look of a guy who's going to fade away. He's answered every challenge these last four games and has done so despite playing in New York City, a place that has a way of making confidence crumble under the pressure.

Bryant said before Friday's game at Madison Square Garden that he hadn't heard of what Lin had done.

Bryant knows what Lin can do now and you can bet he won't doubt Lin's potential ever again.