The Toronto Raptors hook up with the New York Knicks for a Valentine's Day tilt at the Air Canada Centre. With that in mind, I'd like to welcome you to the Linsanity — or linfengkuang — edition of the Lunchbox Links!
If you've been living under a rock for the past week or so, you've missed out on one of the biggest stories of the lockout-shortened NBA season. New York Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin went from the verge of being cut for a third time to overnight sensation thanks to an unprecedented scoring binge in the absence of ball-hogging teammates Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony. Adding to the mystique are the facts that he's Asian, a Harvard grad, went undrafted, and sleeps on his brother's couch.
Lin's story has been compared to Notre Dame's Rudy Ruettiger.
ESPN's John Hollinger asks why didn't we all see this coming? Some advanced stats guys claim to have done just that.
The Wages of Wins Journal questions whether Mike D'Antoni should get credit for Lin's success... even if he only started giving Lin minutes at the suggestion of Anthony.
How crazy were the last few days for Lin?
- Named Player of the Week
- Helped propel MSG shares to record high
- Boosted TV ratings
- Seriously increased his marketability
- Drew praise from Steve Nash and teammate Anthony
- Became Grantland's latest Person of Interest
And then we have this. I'm at a loss for words.
But not everyone is feeling the Linsanity. Unbeaten boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. posted a swipe at the New York Knicks' point guard sensation on Twitter. And The Score's Dennis Velasco refuses to go all-Lin from a fantasy perspective.
Hardwood Paroxysm's round table offers some lingering thoughts on Lin and the Knicks.
More links (I promise to get to some actual Raptors news) after the jump...
Is DeMar DeRozan the poster child for biggest losers in the NBA?
In the latest edition of Statophile, Tom Liston of Raptors Republic has more on the "no easy baskets" philosophy.
Forget "Il Mago": Andrea Bargnani has a new nickname.
Basketball Prospectus lists franchise "wins above average" leaders. For the Raptors, Chris Bosh and Vince Carter lead the rest of the pack by a wide margin.
After helping set the All-Star ballot, Grantland's Bill Simmons reveals who should have made the cut.
Speaking of All-Stars, the Inside the NBA crew stages an intervention for LeBron James' hairline.
Michael Jordan and the Charlotte Bobcats are taking ineptness to new lows.
Plans are forming for a new NBA/NHL arena in Seattle.
Spanish team cut former University of Memphis guard Roburt Sallie for taking penis enlargement pills.
And, finally, I'd like to pass along some friendly advice from the folks at Deadspin: 10 hideous sports-themed gifts you shouldn't get your girlfriend for Valentine's Day.