Insert Lin Pun Here

The most exciting thing going in sports right now comes from probably the most predictable professional sports league in terms of storylines.

That’s right, I’m talking about Jeremy Lin, the undrafted New York Knicks dynamo. The kid is a baller, plain and simple.

Amazing nickname potential aside, Lin has got a lot of heart to go with his smarts. He hasn’t backed down, and has made a lot of big plays over the course of these past 7 games when he first got his chance. That said, his turnovers are really high, but hey, they’re winning games. The most important thing he’s doing for the Knicks won’t show up in the box score.

He’s giving them a sense of unity.

Before, the Knicks would run iso after iso after iso, what with 2 perennial all-star forwards in Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire. Against teams that clogged the path to the hoop, they’d have to count on shooters, which they don’t exactly have in spades. It was probably the worst kind of nightmare for coach Mike D’Antoni, whose patented offensive system relies on movement, screens and lots of passing.

Lin has brought that for the time being, and here’s hoping he keeps doing it. For D’Antoni’s sake, and the Knicks sake of being relevant. I didn’t buy it at first, but now I think Lin is for real. I don’t think he can keep up 27 points and 8 assists a game — especially once Carmelo Anthony gets back — but he will be a difference maker for them if he plays even 2/3’s as well as he is right now.

For the first time in a long time, there is a chance for New York to make a decent dent in the playoffs. And it’s all thanks to  a classic sports movie-like Cinderella story. If you love sports, you’re hoping for a happily ever after for the guy who went from sleeping on his brother’s couch 2 weeks ago to having a fanbase in essentially every opposing arena.

I know I am.

– Mike