Knicks-Wizards Preview

By NOEY KUPCHAN
Posted Feb 07 2012 8:41PM

Thanks to tremendous back-to-back efforts, relatively unknown Jeremy Lin has come out of nowhere to make quite a name for himself around the NBA.

With Carmelo Anthony sidelined due to injury and the unfortunate circumstances surrounding Amar'e Stoudemire, the New York Knicks are counting on Lin to lead the way for the time being.

Looking to post three straight victories for the first time in almost a month, visiting New York tries to extend its winning streak over the Washington Wizards to eight Wednesday night.

After seeing limited minutes in nine of the first 23 games, Lin made the most of his first significant opportunity - scoring what was then a career-high 25 points in leading New York (10-15) to Saturday's 99-92 win over New Jersey.

"I was afraid to do anything, we're already in a little bit of a crisis and I just can't be, you know, pulling straws, just trying something, a whim," coach Mike D'Antoni said.

"Other players would be looking at me like 'You crazy?' if it didn't work. Now he just kept showing stuff a little bit, a little bit. When he got one opportunity, he took advantage of it."

The Harvard product came out with an even more impressive performance in his first career start, recording 28 points and eight assists during Monday's 99-88 win over Utah.

"The excitement he has caused in the Garden, man, I hadn't seen that in a long time," Hall of Famer Magic Johnson said. "The way he can penetrate, and can get in that lane, and either shoot it or dish it, has really made them a better basketball team.

"When you get a spark a like this, especially in a season like this, this could carry them for a long time because they needed something to happen positive."

While the hype surrounding Lin - the first American-born NBA player of Chinese or Taiwanese descent - continues to grow, keeping things going could prove difficult without Anthony and Stoudemire.

Leading New York with 22.3 points per game, Anthony suffered a strained right groin versus the Jazz and is expected to sit out for at least a week. Stoudemire will miss at least a second straight game as he continues to mourn the death of his brother.

The Knicks have taken 11 of 13 meetings with the Wizards (5-20), including seven in a row by an average of 10.5 points. New York won 99-96 in the nation's capital Jan. 6 behind 37 points from Anthony and 23 from Stoudemire.

Washington also carries a bit of momentum into this matchup after snapping a four-game skid with Monday's 111-108 overtime win over Toronto. The Wizards blew an 18-point lead with 3:02 to play in the third quarter but regrouped in OT, holding the Raptors to three points.

"I'm not disappointed - not for this team," coach Randy Wittman said. "If this is another team, and we're 20-5, we should be. We're taking steps here. I'm not disappointed. I can't be disappointed. We got a win. This team needed a win - both mentally and physically.

"These young kids have to learn to play in the fourth quarter when it becomes hectic."

In addition to a combined 60 points from John Wall and Nick Young, power forward Trevor Booker also came up big, scoring a season-high 19 while adding three blocks and three steals.

Averaging 85.8 points during a four-game road skid, New York hasn't won three in a row since a season-best four-game run Jan. 6-11.

Washington last won back-to-back games April 9-11.

Lin, Chandler lead Knicks over Wizards 107-93

Posted Feb 09 2012 12:20AM

WASHINGTON (AP) What a week it has been for Jeremy Lin.

With three breakout games, the Harvard graduate has become the NBA's newest playmaking sensation. He's a fan favorite - home and away - and has earned more than 60,000 Twitter followers in just five days.

Now, he also has his first NBA dunk.

Lin had 23 points - two on that slam - and a career-high 10 assists in the New York Knicks' 107-93 win over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night.

Late in the third quarter with the Knicks up by four, Lin drove past three Wizards players and suddenly was alone in front of the hoop. He slammed it through with his right hand.

"Just one of those in-a-moment things," Lin said. "I think they messed up on their coverage, so I was able to get free."

In his previous two games, Lin had 25 points against New Jersey and 28 more against Utah in his first start - both wins. Now, he had to go on the road, and instead of facing a hostile crowd, Lin found an adoring one.

The fans cheered louder for Lin than for any other player in introductions, waving Taiwanese flags and signs -including one that read: "Linning and Grinning."

By the time the game ended, the crowd was chanting for him as he walked off the floor.

"Like I said after the last game, I wouldn't have imagined this," said Lin, who was undrafted in 2010 and played his rookie season in Golden State.

"Thanks to them for coming out and they came out strong for the Knicks tonight," he added. "We had a lot of energy that came from them."

When the Knicks last played here on Jan. 6, Lin didn't play at all. With their two leading scorers missing - Carmelo Anthony gone for a week or two with a strained right groin and Amare Stoudemire mourning the loss of his brother - New York desperately needed Lin's scoring this time around.

He didn't single-handedly make up for the 40 points that Anthony and Stoudemire provide, but sure energized this decidedly pro-New York crowd.

"He just does everything easy and the rest of the guys around him are playing the way we want to play," New York coach Mike D'Antoni said.

Tyson Chandler had 25 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Knicks, who won for the third straight time. Chandler, a 10-year NBA veteran, finished two points short of his career high, but it was again Lin's night.

This season has been a rough one for D'Antoni, who's facing questions about his job, but for now, he has a most unexpected asset - Lin.

"I think it's for real," D'Antoni said. "The things that are real are his vision, which won't change; his speed, which won't change; his knowledge of the game, which won't change. I think it can only get better."

Steve Novak added 19 points for New York, which won its eighth straight over Washington and earned its second three-game winning streak this season.

Wizards coach Randy Wittman knew about Lin from a close relative. His son played against Lin in college. Ryan Wittman, who played for Cornell, sent his father a sarcastic message during the game.

"He told me that they did a much better job guarding him than we did tonight," Wittman said. "I already had that text message before the game was over. Makes Dad feel good."

Washington dropped to 5-21, and failed again to get its first two-game winning streak of the season. John Wall led the Wizards with 29 points, but he was easily outdone by Lin.

The Knicks shot just 25 percent in the first quarter and trailed 23-17. Lin missed all three shots he attempted, and moments after the third, he was called for his second foul - a block against Wall - and sustained a gash and left the game with 4:06 to play.

The second quarter was much better for New York as it outscored Washington 35-23 to take a 52-46 halftime lead. Novak hit four 3-pointers.

Lin returned about two minutes into the second quarter and scored eight points - on three layups and a pretty 17-foot bank shot just before halftime. He found Novak for all four of his 3s.

Lin scored on a bank shot to start the third quarter, and after Washington scored the next 10 points for a 56-54 lead, he hit four free throws, another layup and a right-handed dunk with 2:59 left to give the Knicks a 72-66 lead. He made another layup to end the quarter with 12 points - and a 77-68 New York advantage.

The Wizards narrowed the deficit to 79-72, but Lin and Iman Shumpert, who had 11 of his 17 points in the quarter helped give New York a 103-85 lead with 3:22 to play.

Notes: Five of the seven Knicks who scored were in double figures. ... New York G Baron Davis, who hasn't played this season due to a herniated disk in his back, will return to practice on Thursday, D'Antoni said. He's not sure when Davis will be ready to play. ... Stoudemire will return next Monday. He's scheduled to miss four games. ... Washington F Rashard Lewis missed his second straight game with a sore left knee. ... Trevor Booker had 17 points for the Wizards.

Notebook: Knicks 107, Wizards 93

Posted Wednesday February 8, 2012 11:42PM

By Rich Dubroff, for NBA.com

THE FACTS: Tyson Chandler had 25 points and 11 rebounds and rookie sensation Jeremy Lin had 23 and 10 assists to lead the New York Knicks over the Washington Wizards 107-93 on Wednesday night.

Lin, starting his third game, continued his strong play as the Knicks won their third straight. They're playing without Carmelo Anthony, who'll be out a week or two with a strained right groin and Amar'e Stoudemire, away from the team until next Monday after the death of his brother.

It was the eighth straight time New York beat the Wizards. Washington's record drops to 5-21. John Wall led the Wizards with 29 points. Trevor Booker added 17.

QUOTABLE: "I didn't know he could dunk. When he's going in for the dunk I'm like 'no Jeremy, just lay the ball up.' And all of a sudden he dunks it and I was probably just as excited as the crowd was."
-- Tyson Chandler on Jeremy Lin's third-quarter dunk, the first of his career.

THE STAT: Chandler's 25 points were two short of his career high, a shocking stat, considering that the accomplished NBA veteran has played for 10 seasons.

TURNING POINT: Lin hit two free throws with 5:08 to play in the third quarter that gave the Knicks the lead for good. Lin was scoreless in the first quarter, had eight points in the second and 12 in the third.

QUOTABLE II: "He told me that they did a much better job guarding him than we did tonight. I already had that text message before the game was over. Makes dad feel good."
-- Washington coach Randy Wittman, whose son Ryan played for Cornell and faced Lin when he was at Harvard.

HOT: Steve Novak tied a season-high with 19 points for New York. Novak was 5-for-9 from 3-point range.

NOT: Wizards guard Nick Young followed his season-high 29-point performance on Monday with a horrid 3-for-11 night. He finished with seven points.

GOOD MOVE: Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni trusted Lin, and he's enjoying watching him grow."I think it's for real. The things that are real are his vision, which won't change. His speed, which won't change, his knowledge of the game, which won't change. I think it can only get better," D'Antoni said.

BAD MOVE: Three Washington defenders watched Lin as he drove to the basket with 3:30 remaining in the third quarter and slammed the ball for a dunk.

NOTABLE: Seven Knicks scored, and five of them had at least 16 points. Iman Shumpert had 17, and Landry Fields had 16.

IN THE ARENA: Thousands of chanting and cheering Lin fans. There are many Harvard graduates in the Washington, D.C. area, and thousands of Taiwanese-Americans. They turned out to see the first American-born child of either Taiwanese or Chinese-born parents playing in the NBA.

UP NEXT: For the Knicks, Friday vs. L.A. Lakers, Saturday @ Minnesota, Tuesday @ Toronto. For the Wizards, Friday vs. Miami, Sunday @ Detroit, Tuesday @ Portland.

• Knicks: Davis, Harrellson
• Wizards: Turiaf

• Knicks: --
• Wizards: --

• Lead Changes: 11
• Times Tied: 9

• Arena: Verizon Center, Washington, DC
• Officials: #49 Tom Washington, #30 John Goble, #69 Ben Taylor
• Attendance: 17376
• Duration: 2:14