Jeremy Lin Doesn't Need to be Superstar to Help Knicks Shine in Second Half

There are several keys in the second half of the season for the New York Knicks to make a run up the Eastern Conference standings.

One of them is for point guard Jeremy Lin to maintain his high level of play.

But that's just not going to happen.

It doesn't need to for the Knicks to have success.

It's nearly unthinkable that Lin will be able to maintain the success he's had throughout 11 of the past 12 Knicks games.

Asking him to average the 23.9 PPG and 9.2 APG, in addition to the 2.6 steals he's averaged on the defensive end, is asking a lot out of him, and it's doubtful he can repeat that success.

For one, his minutes are going to decrease with a healthy Baron Davis now on board.

Lin's averaged 37.75 minutes the past 12 games. Ideally, that should be cut by about five to seven minutes a night to keep his legs fresh.

Then there is the fact that Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire have to get going at the same time.

That and only that is Lin's main job the rest of the way.

There's also the fact that teams are now going to start game-planning to stop him. He's going to have to start making smart decisions a lot quicker, as he's going to see much more pressure as opposing defenses are going to trap him a lot more and force the ball out of his hands.

That alone is going to bring his numbers down.

Then there is the fact that teams are going to make him knock down jump shots on a regular basis. That's definitely not Lin's strength and while he's not a horrible jump shooter by any stretch of the imagination, it's not what Mike D'Antoni wants his point guard doing on a regular basis.

But the main reason why Lin isn't going to put up superstar type numbers is because he's going to have to defer to his teammates more often now that everyone is pretty much healthy.

Once he helps get everyone going effectively, we will then see what this Knicks team is really capable of.

To make a solid climb up the Eastern Conference standings, all New York really needs from Lin is for him to be an above-average point guard with Stoudemire and Anthony carrying the load.

The Knicks are suddenly deep, and if Lin gets everyone involved on the offensive end, they will be a tough out come playoff time.

Even if Lin produces as an above-average guard, the Knicks are a much better team than they were a month ago without him.