Jeremy Lin: Mike D'Antoni Must Adjust in Order to Help Knicks Point Guard

Jeremy Lin looked lost against the Miami Heat in the first half of the Knicks' final game before the NBA All-Star break. Miami's double-team came fast and furious, throwing off not only Lin, but the flow of the Knicks offense as well.

If coach Mike D'Antoni wants to return to the early success of Linsanity, he must make adjustments and evolve to the new style of defense that Lin will undoubtedly see the rest of the way.

So what are the Knicks adjusting to?

Teams now know one simple fact: Slowing down Linsanity means slowing down New York's deadly offense with all its explosive scorers.

The newest approach to stopping Linsanity is to double him as soon as he crosses the half-court line. In doing this, teams force Lin to give up the ball before he wants, which in turn disrupts the Knicks offense. If Lin can't penetrate, New York's offense simply doesn't run the same.

D'Antoni has to figure out a way around this.

The simplest solution would be to make the opposing team pay for leaving a guy open in order to double-team Lin. Finding the open man with regularity and success will make teams more hesitant to bring the double.

Another solution could be to have another player next to Lin who can penetrate and dish with some success. Landry Fields has done a great job being aggressive and penetrating into the paint, but his passing needs to improve.

Carmelo Anthony is also a candidate to be second in command, but he has to remember to actually pass the ball, otherwise the Knicks offense will become stagnant, much like it was before Lin's arrival.

One way or the other, New York can't continue to be so predictable every time down the floor. It's time for coach D'Antoni to get creative and throw a few curveballs at the opposing defenses coming up on the second half of the season.

The Knicks can't afford to be predictable against teams the NBA's elite. If they want to be on that next level, D'Antoni must help take some of the defensive pressure off Lin.