Jeremy Lin: Knicks Phenom Is Slowly Becoming the King of New York

The ascension of New York Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin is growing bigger and bigger in many ways.

Lin, who went undrafted in the 2010 NBA Draft, capped off an unforgettable week.

In five games--all wins--Lin averaged a team-high 26.8 points and eight assists a contest, as the Knicks surpassed the Milwaukee Bucks for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Friday night against the Los Angeles Lakers, Lin put on a clinic, scoring 38 points in New York's 92-85 win at Madison Square Garden.

With a nationally-televised audience watching on ESPN and the ever-present, faithful star celebrities (Spike Lee and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, to name a few) sitting courtside, Lin had arguably one of the greatest performances by any player this season.

The 38 points against the Lakers was the most points scored by any Knicks' player this season, and it was also the most given up by the L.A. defense.

Do not be dismayed by Lin's 38-point performance.

It was not a hyperbole, folks.

We are talking about the famous L.A. Lakers--you know, the team that has 16 NBA titles and the game's best player in Kobe Bryant.

Although Bryant did his best impression to keep Los Angeles in the game with 34 points, it was Lin who stole the show. Bryant, who scored a Madison Square Garden-best of 61 points against the Knicks in 2009, guarded Lin at times, but struggled.

Lin hit four of his first five attempts as New York raced out to a 49-41 halftime lead, hitting an array of shots: three-pointers, driving layups and even a dunk.  

He continued his onslaught in the second half. The Lakers, known for being a good defensive team, had trouble staying in front of Lin. According to hoopdata.com, Lin converted on 5-of-7 attempts at the rim, went 4-of-6 from 16-to-23 feet and shot 2-of-4 from 3-point range, despite not being that great of an outside shooter.

In the fourth quarter, Lin hit a 23-foot jumper over the out-stretched arms of Los Angeles 7-footer Pau Gasol that left everyone watching aghast. With under a minute remaining, he made two free throws to the tune of "MVP! MVP!", as the Knicks finally snapped a nine-game losing streak to the Lakers.

New York was 8-15 and fans were calling for the firing of head coach Mike D'Antoni.

With star forwards Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire both currently out, D'Antoni increased Lin's minutes.

Lin is an undrafted player out of Harvard, who had been cut twice in the preseason (Golden State and Houston), was sent down to the D-League and brought back to the Knicks.

Lin scored a game-high 25 points in 36 minutes off the bench in the Knicks' 99-92 win over the New Jersey Nets on Feb. 4. The following game, he was inserted as a starter against the Utah Jazz; scoring 28 points and had eight assists in a 99-88 win.

That performance was followed with a 23-point, 10-assist effort in a 107-93 victory over the Washington Wizards. A day after the Lakers game, Lin ended the week with a 20-point, eight assist display against the Toronto Raptors.

Although Lin has breathed life back into the Knicks, questions are now mounting: Can Lin and Anthony coexist when Carmelo returns from his injury?

What happens to Lin when Baron Davis--who was brought in to start at point guard--returns from the injured reserve list?

Will D'Antoni change the offense or stay with the current system?

Anthony, who is day-to-day with a groin injury, is a player who can only dominate when he has the ball in his hands. Lin is also becoming that same type of player.

First of all, New York's inept offense was one of the NBA's worst for the first month and a half before the recent play of Lin.

Second, fans throughout New York are now catching a fever of "Linsanity." Lin's No. 17 jersey is a current best-seller and has become a hit with social media. On Facebook, his number of ever-growing friends has reached over 280,000 followers.

The rise from obscurity to becoming an overnight sensation for Lin is remarkable. He has gone from being unwanted to evolving into a pop icon. Fans abroad, the media, and basketball insiders alike are wondering about Lin's quick meteoric rise.

What better place to shine than in New York City.

New York has not won an NBA title since the 1973 season, and their fans have been clamoring for a championship. The Patrick Ewing-led Knicks played in two finals in the '90s but failed to win. This season, the Knicks were hoping to rebuild from their playoff appearance of a year ago, but the dismal start killed any title hopes.

Now, with their recent surge, Knicks' fans are hoping for a playoff berth.

If Lin guides New York to the postseason, his game and persona will become even larger.

Known actor Christopher Walken, was dubbed "The King of New York" in the 1990 fictitious film of the same name.

However, if Lin guides the Knicks to the championship, he will become The King of New York.