Lin's Star Turn Demands Learning in the Spotlight - New York Times

The next inevitable phase of the Jeremy Lin story is under way, in which reasonable doubts and manufactured controversy replace the initial burst of elation. This is where the mythology fades and the fundamental work for the Knicks begins.

This is the point at which Lin must make the most critical adjustment: from instant celebrity to enduring basketball star.

Since the Lin-fueled seven-game winning streak that saved the season, the Knicks have lost four of seven games, and Lin has struggled to adapt to new teammates, new realities and the demands of overnight stardom. Defenses are focusing on him. Fans and commentators are scrutinizing every blemish: his turnovers, his weak left hand, his jump shot.

Every defeat amplifies the concerns.

“He’s a marked man right now, no doubt about it,” Coach Mike D’Antoni said Monday, a day after the Knicks’ heartbreaking overtime loss in Boston. “He should be. And that’s good. He’ll learn quicker this way.”

Lin will continue learning as the Knicks’ undisputed starter, despite the return of Baron Davis and vain attempts to stoke a point-guard controversy. D’Antoni reaffirmed that commitment as Lin prepared for a rematch Tuesday with the defending champion Dallas Mavericks, whom he took down two weeks ago at the height of his sensational run.

“Jeremy, I’ve got complete confidence,” D’Antoni said, adding: “He’s got a learning curve. Sometimes, you have great games, some not too good. But the one thing I do know about him: he’s a tough-minded kid and he will find a way to win.”

That was evident in Boston when D’Antoni stuck with Lin late in the game despite a rough first half. Lin repaid his faith by scoring 6 straight points in a critical stretch of the fourth quarter (although he was 1 for 7 in overtime).

By riding out the bumps, D’Antoni is giving Lin the confidence to keep attacking and learning, without fear or self-doubt. This is an investment in the future, both Lin’s and the Knicks’, whose long-term prospects may depend on Lin as much as any player. (Davis, who turns 33 next month, was never more than a stopgap, and his durability remains a question.)

Lost in the haze of news media hype is that Lin is just 23 and essentially a rookie — in experience, though not by definition.

He has been an everyday player for only 14 games, the equivalent of one month on the N.B.A. calendar. Growing pains are natural. No one expected Lin to sustain a 25-point, 9-assist pace for the rest of his career, or even the next two months.

The better defensive teams, including Miami and Boston, have made stopping Lin an obvious priority, and it has had an effect. His production is down over the last five games: to 15.8 points and 7.8 assists (from 25 points and 9.2 assists in his previous nine games). Yet those more modest averages would still place Lin among the top 10 point guards in the league.

Lin has actually reduced his turnover rate, to 4.4 over his last five games from 5.9 in his previous nine. More alarming is Lin’s shooting percentage, which plummeted to 38.2 percent over the last five games, from 50.9 percent in the first nine.

Defenses are making it tougher for Lin to get to the rim and tougher to convert if he gets there. But his recent struggles are also a product of a Knicks team that is, once again, in transition. Lin became a star when he was the sole engine of the Knicks’ offense, both their leading scorer and ball-handler. The seven-game winning streak came without Carmelo Anthony, without Davis and J. R. Smith and largely without Amar’e Stoudemire.

The Knicks are 3-3 since Smith joined the fray (with a .375 shooting percentage) and 2-3 since Davis and Anthony returned. The rotation is now 10 deep, with fewer minutes and shots for everyone. Lin’s responsibilities have changed.

“It’s a lot easier to shoot the ball when you’re the main option,” D’Antoni said. “When you have other elements you’ve got to incorporate and you’re not getting all the looks you had before, it’s a little bit harder. But he has to learn that. That’s why the point guard position is hard.”

This, more than anything, is Lin’s challenge for the final 29 regular-season games. His penetration, passing and court vision are ultimately more important to the team than his shooting, which the Knicks have in abundance. They will be stronger offensively with Lin setting up Anthony, Stoudemire, Smith and Tyson Chandler for easy shots.

Lin understands that better than anyone.

“As a point guard, I don’t want to be shooting the numbers I was before,” he said, adding, “I think it’s easier on my body just to be able to take lesser minutes and take less of a pounding, in terms of attacking the basket, but letting other people go ahead and do their thing, too.”

He may be a virtual rookie, but Lin speaks with the wisdom of a 10-year veteran, understanding that he need not be a superstar or a global icon — just a very good point guard on a talent-rich team.

Wright By:kevin,Tags:ed hardyed hardy clothingChristian Audigier