Jeremy Lin Boosts Knicks To 7th Straight Win, .500

I'm going to assume that anyone reading this post hasn't been under a rock for the last two weeks and is fully aware of how Knicks PG Jeremy Lin and his myriad nicknames has taken over the NBA and turned around the Knicks season. In short Lin got his first significant playing time of the season 7 games ago with SF Carmelo Anthony hurt and PF Amar'e Stoudemire away on bereavement leave. The Knicks are 7-0 since, 'nuff said.

The Knicks started the season with a pathetic 8-15 record before Linsanity began. They are now 15-15 and poised to make a run at the Atlantic Division, a division that looked like it belonged to the Philadelphia 76ers in a runaway just a couple weeks ago. Amar'e returned to the Knicks lineup earlier this week and seemed to thrive with Lin moving the ball at PG. The big question that remains is how will Carmelo adjust to having Jeremy Lin in the lineup?

I personally think this is a stupid question. Jeremy Lin is a POINT GUARD and if Carmelo can't play well with someone who can shoot, drive, score and distribute at what is proving to be an incredibly high level than in my opinion he can't play with anyone. This debate stems from the fact that since Melo arrived in NY last season the Knicks have run an isolation offense through him that saw Anthony take around 25 shots a game. This kind of play has rendered Melo with a "me first" attitude that some people might not jive with Lin's high-octane style.

I think this couldn't be farther from the case. The reason Carmelo had to run so many isolation plays is that the Knicks haven't had anything resembling a competent PG since they made the trade with Denver last year. I seem to remember coming into the season that everybody with an NBA opinion saying the Knicks were only a PG away from contending. Well now they have one and it's pretty clear that Lin makes everyone on his team better. If you want proof look no further than Wednesday's win at against the Kings: 7 different Knicks scored in double figures, the team shot over 50% from the field and Lin dropped 13 assists to go along with 10 points on 4-6 shooting. Carmelo is going to fit into this system, probably sooner rather than later. Lin isn't going to keep scoring 25 points a game with Melo and Amar'e on the court but don't be surprised to see him average 12-15 dimes during the second half of the season.

As a Sixers fan, I'm scared of what the Knicks can do in the remaining 36 games this year. Combine that with the improved play of the Boston Celtics and the Atlantic Division just heated up big time.