Jeremy Lin: How Knicks' Iman Shumpert Is Benefiting from Linsanity's Emergence
Several New York Knicks have benefited from the recent surge Harvard sensation Jeremy Lin has given to the team over the past six games.
The production from Landry Fields, Tyson Chandler and even a guy like Steve Novak, has all increased since Lin was first put into the starting lineup five games ago.
However, no Knicks player has benefited more from the emergence of Lin than rookie Iman Shumpert.
Shumpert struggled trying to fill the void at point guard after he returned from injury, but Lin has allowed Shumpert to return to being an off-the-bench player, where he's been very effective.
The spark Shumpert has given the Knicks was much-needed, since New York typically hasn't had much production from its second unit—with the exception of the sudden spark from Novak.
The rookie has brought energy off the bench the past five game and has allowed the Knicks to breathe a little bit with Lin on the bench. Since they know they aren't going to get much from the likes of Mike Bibby, Jared Jefferies and the rest of the second unit, Shumpert's production has been crucial to the Knicks' recent success.
In the five games since he's returned to a backup role, Shumpert has averaged 13 points per night, including three straight games of 17, 12 and 20 points against Washington, the Los Angeles Lakers and Minnesota.
Where he's made the biggest impact though, is on the defensive end of the floor, where coach Mike D'Antoni has shown the confidence in the rookie to use him as a stopper.
Shumpert's defensive ability has allowed D'Antoni to use Lin off the ball. It keeps Lin out of foul trouble and keeps him as fresh as possible at the offensive end of the floor.
In return, Shumpert has averaged 3.2 steals per game over the last five New York wins.
The emergence of Lin has allowed Shumpert to find a role in which he can excel. The Knicks need bench production to win and Shumpert has become the catalyst and the leader of the second unit.
Continued production off the bench will go a long way towards being a successful team.
