Friday, March 16th, 2012 at 9:00 am  |  185 responses

The End of Linsanity in New York


by Marcel Mutoni / @marcel_mutoni

I suppose that one could make the argument that the Linsanity phenomenon ended when Carmelo Anthony rejoined the New York Knicks’ lineup earlier this month, but now that Mike Woodson has replaced Mike D’Antoni on the bench, Jeremy Lin’s days of being the team’s offensive catalyst are a thing of the past.

Woodson announced the death knell of Linsanity in comments to reporters about the new system he will put in place, one that will see Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire getting the lion’s share of touches and shots.

From SLAM contributor Jake Appleman, writing for the NY Times:

Woodson ran his first practice and began to make it clear to his players that this is now his team, at least for the rest of the season, and not Mike D’Antoni’s. That almost certainly means it will be a Knicks team that will slow things down on offense and run an isolation-heavy system more suited to Carmelo Anthony’s ball-dominating inclinations. “It’s everybody’s ball club,” Woodson said after practice Thursday, when he was asked if the Knicks were once again Anthony’s team, as they were before Jeremy Lin briefly took over. “I want everybody to feel comfortable. When I put a guy in the game, if he’s got a shot, I want him to feel comfortable about making that shot.”

But then he spoke more bluntly, saying that he wanted everybody to know that when “I’ve got to get a big shot, I’m going to go to Melo and Amar’e and guys that have done it,” a reference to Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire. “A lot of these guys are young,” Woodson said in reference to their teammates. “They’re still trying to figure it out.”

Jeremy Lin momentarily appeared to have saved the Knicks’ season, leading them at one point to seven straight electrifying wins. But then Carmelo Anthony returned from injury, and it all went to hell during a nightmarish six-game losing streak, leading to the resignation of Mike D’Antoni.

Sad as this may be not just for Knicks fans, but for anyone who had fallen in love with the unbelievable-yet-true Jeremy Lin story, this is the way things were always supposed to be in New York. Team owner James Dolan didn’t gut the roster to acquire ‘Melo and STAT just to have them play second-fiddle to anyone else.

The Knicks will only go as far as Amar’e, Carmelo and Mike Woodson take them — frightening a thought as that may be for their fans.

Linsanity is dead; long live Linsanity.

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  • http://Slamonline.com nbk

    The offense went successfully through Melo because he finally did what he was supposed to in their offense, he didn’t float to the middle and clog the teams spacing. It was still The same offense, it just featured 2 happy star players.
    .
    D’Antoni decided to step down Wednesday, shocking his bosses and players. But the Knicks delivered a powerful performance and a good imitation of his offense in their first game under interim coach Mike Woodson, getting 23 points from J.R. Smith, 20 from Steve Novak, and making a season-high 19 3-pointers, one off the franchise record.

    - that’s ESPN’s summary of the game.
    .
    And if you have ever played competitive basketball in your life you know a team doesnt change their offense without practicing the new sets.
    .
    I’m done responding to you today, if people want to believe the Knicks changed their offense in one day fine, choose to be dumb.

  • IAMORANGE4EVER

    Paul H sure is doing his best to bait me today. I have no idea who he or she is though. Hopefully it’s not someone using alternate IDs with the intention of creating problems. Trolling includes, but isn’t limited to, baiting people to flame at you, encouraging people to leave the site. Wow! lol :)

  • http://nyill.wordpress.com/ O

    @nbk, Man, I love Orange (pause) cause he’s that Knicks fan that’s been missing since Ewing got traded. Just always trying to be positive even if it made him seem like a Knicks cult leader. Orange is my dude. I’m a Knicks fan that when we sucked under Don Nelson, Brown, Wilkens and Thomas, I always said we sucked, but i’d watch every single game cause that’s my team. But i’ll be the first to say, the Knicks are a box of chocolates, Dolan is Forrest Gump, Isiah Thomas is Jenny and Mike D’Antoni is Lt. Dan with his legs cut off…

  • smoove

    @justin G..linsanity stop working loooong time ago..he has a scouting report on him now, defenses are hip..hence the reason he looks like the kid from harvard again…

  • bull22

    @orange, i hear ya on the alternate id’s. i find it hilarious and amusing as to how some those weird losers come out of no where to attack you or another regular on this site whose opinion is not in agreement with theirs, LOL.
    makes me laugh everytime, but seriously your knicks going no where this year.
    lin was you chance at least to make it to 6th seed and avoid chicago or miami.

  • IAMORANGE4EVER

    Dear O, I’m not some ultra positive fan! This is just “our” year man! ;)

  • IAMORANGE4EVER

    @bull22 I agree with you right up to the point you start discussing hoops. I hope we (Knicks) get to face off against you (Bulls) in round one or two. Yes we’ll be in the second round silly.

  • http://nyill.wordpress.com/ O

    LOL. Aight, Orange. I’ll ride with you, b…

  • Paul H

    @Orange I have aimed two comments to highlight the immature and irrational nature of your comments 80% of the time. Which I am sure many on the site would agree with. I understand you are a massive Knicks fan but the constant stream of idiotic and baseless attacks on those with opposing points of view Is tiresome.

  • IAMORANGE4EVER

    Paul H, you do realize, you’re being a troll right now right? lol

  • IAMORANGE4EVER

    “aimed two comments” LMAO at that.

  • http://nyill.wordpress.com/ O

    Man, i’m not big on social media terms and some chick called me a troll the other day. I was like, “b*tch look in the mirror! You look like Bret The Hitman Hart.”

  • Paul H

    I have posted two comments aimed at you, and SEVERAL others on this article and others about BASKETBALL you moron.

  • Lydia H.

    As a Spurs fan, there are many aspects to Lin’s game that I really love(particularly his competitiveness and selflessness, plus he’s cute;). I see him as having a lot a lot of potential, particularly due to his willingness to learn and work hard. He’s just one of those players that may take him a couple of years to fully develop (not that he will be like TP, but it did take TP a few years to develop). I just don’t think his talent can be maximized under the Knicks organization. He needs a more stable organization.

    Also, watching the Knicks these past two weeks has reminded me why I LOVE the whole Spurs organization: Holt, Popovich, Duncan, Manu, and Tony. Their discipline and professionalism are bar none.

  • http://hibachi20.blogspot.com Moose

    Definitely not the Paul H I thought you were. Sorry man haha

  • http://www.reverbnation.com/tray24 T-Ray

    Moose did you think he was Paul Heyman?

  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    Remember when people used to think Melo might be better than LeBron.

  • Jono

    I lost all interest in the Knicks. Let’s go Nuggets!!!

  • Paul H

    @Moose I’m from Ireland mate so unless you know a Paul H from that neck of the woods!

  • IAMORANGE4EVER

    Allenp how many rings does LeBron have right now?

  • http://slamonline.com LakeShow

    Melo use to be better than Bron offensively. He isn’t anymore. Bron use to not be a great defender. He is now. Sooo… Yeah they had a point. Now they don’t.

  • http://idunkonthem.blogspot.com albie1kenobi

    irrational fans are the best and worst thing about sports

  • http://Slamonline.com nbk

    They are the best thing for stadiums. The worst thing for discussions.

  • http://Slamonline.com nbk

    Melo has never been a better NBA player then LeBron. He was a better scorer, that’s it though

  • bull22

    @lydia, yep lin will never be to develop under this knick mess. especially after what woodson,amare and carmelo said about it being about those who have been doing it forever like amare and melo (not winning a title for starters)
    i guess an 8-2 record and monster games against the mavs and lakers don’t
    count. knick brass is a bunch of idiots.

  • jimmer

    Carmelo will settle up nicely next to Tmac in about 4 or 5 years, averaging 6 points a game and talking about his hall of fame career. Except he is nowhere near the athlete so he hasn’t even been fun to watch. He’s just not gonna be a guy that leaves much to talk about when he’s gone. Other than this mess. And the forhead slapping ‘yeah, him and Lebron, we had them level coming in. Really?? Am I remembering that right??’

  • http://idunkonthem.blogspot.com albie1kenobi

    i’m a big Lin fan, but people need to understand he was the CATALYST of the win streak and NOT the sole reason. he was instrumental in directing the offense, but i think just as importantly, he inspired the rest of the team to play as a very cohesive unit, especially on defense.
    my point is, Lin isn’t a star player to run the offense through for the team; it really should be melo and amare. however, basketball is a team game, so it shouldn’t be either melo or lin. it only makes sense when a team work together to achieve success.

  • Jerome

    23 games left Orange. Knicks will win 8-10 max.

  • Jerome

    Woodson is going with Lin, but it won’t make much difference … sticking with the 8-10 wins call. Melo makes those around him worse.

  • Iggie87

    What makes melo now different from Paul Pierce of 2005? Why is ok for Linsanity to beat a bunch of sub 500 teams but when a Melo lead Knicks Yeam win big people say oh it just Portland? Almost every star player in the league play iso ball. It smart you force teams to double you then you swing it to the open man. I can think of 2 star players who really move with out the ball. Thats Ray allen and Rip Hamilton. Everyone else (kobe bron wade dirk KD) all play iso ball. Dantoni system did not work in PHX cause they could not even get to the finals. This is a good thing.

  • http://www.tampax.com DYWM

    Coach and the GM are not happy with winning when it happens organically in an exciting way that serves the game and showcases the greatest things about basketball. They don’t care about the Cinderella stories and amazing underdog runs that are possible in this game in a way like no other. They have a business to run – they have to win in a way that suits the marketing development plan. Winning as a team is not enough apparently. Melo has lost me as a fan. And not because of him as a person. I like winners, and he took a winning team and made them lose. Simple as that. I’m not sure I love this game as much today as I did a few weeks ago when Lin and the Knicks were and scrapping it out for wins. Mike Woodson should create a playbook around the game of basketball, not around the game of Carmelo Anthony.

  • guahan

    i remember woodson offense with hawks it was iso joe….it didn’t work against the better teams…hope woodson has adapted.

  • http://www.nba.com JB

    okay coach woodson, I will give you a chance. game 1 went well and hoping for a good run in the playoffs. this is a job interview for you coach, you fail and you are looking for work, win and you will most likely have a job for next year. Bottom line….don’t lose in NY. We don’t like that!

  • Devils_advocate

    Maybe this isen’t about utilizing the best player(s) as much as keeping
    competitors from utilizing them in the long run.

  • riggs

    30 point lead heading into the 4th against the pacers….wtf is going on?

  • furiousfunkfanatic

    Stephon Marbury, Carmelo Anthony… highly talented players that are so stupid, that they destroy their teams. I miss Starks and Ewing, feels like 100 yeary ago…

  • ogog

    so with lin they were winning, and with melo they r losing
    and your gonna keep it that way just so you can say your using your superstar???
    woodson your a dumb F*CKING C*NT!!!!!!!

  • IAMORANGE4EVER

    Knicks 115 Pacers 100…Knicks were up by 30, 88-58, entering 4th quarter. Melo in his limited playing time of 22 minutes and 43 seconds led the Knicks in assist (5) and rebounds (7). He’s one of the best in the game when he wants to be.

  • Pingback: Jeremy Lin Ready to Accept a Reduced Role on the Knicks | Jeremy Lin Rookie Card

  • Matt Park

    Lin played well tonight. In particular, I like how he denied Collison penetration. I would say the stats for this game were misleading, considering Lin fed his teammates numerous bunnies and they just missed them. ‘Melo showed how height and good court vision lead to good passes out of traffic. Lin is still very much a work-in-progress and I think that the bench is a good look for him. 20-25 (whether or not BD is playing well) minutes sounds good to me.

  • CP31

    what?….

  • buschfire

    only one i feel sorry for is amare….everyone else could care less.

  • Justin G.

    @Orange…Lebron has as many rings as Carmelo and Amare do combined. The better question is who is closer to getting one between those two and Lebron?

  • http://slamonline.com Jones

    Yeah, cos the pre-Linsanity Knicks were so good… Looks like the Knicks will have to settle for playing the lottery this year cos Ellis with the Bucks look much more likely to get that 8th spot.

  • dan

    i cant see any problem with woodsons coaching so far. also amare and melo looked unselfish during the first two woodson games. its a sure thing that they wont keep crushing teams for the rest of the season but with this tallented roster actually caring about defense and winning nobody should be too suprised if the knicks make it to the playoffs for a deep run

  • IAMORANGE4EVER

    @Jones 3/26 Big Monday baby. I’m sure the Knicks have that day circled on the calendar. I know I can’t wait. :)

  • IamYOU

    I agree with Teddy at the top..The Knicks would have been better without melo. Yeah I said it.

  • http://www.kb24.com The Seed

    Knicks need Melo to win anything. I stated up here, even when Lin crap was at the highest level he is a back up. Flip Murray did this same thing and went back to himself afterward. Lin has a spot on an NBA team right now, but anybody who thinks a Lin led offense from Dntoni was going to do anything in the playoffs are just plain stupid. Lin is an average player at most, its a reason he was cut from two teams. Baron should start and Lin should could come off bench with backup squad. Melo is the truth and should be the center of his team’s offense.

  • Milez Long

    3 straight! Lin is playing well and the defense is suffocating. Now the haters are quiet!

  • http://thetroyblog.com Teddy-the-Bear

    I’m not gonna say much right now, but Jeremy Lin is still leading this team from the PG spot with Mike Woodson in charge. The Knicks seem to be thriving on a more balanced attack–no one is putting up gaudy stats but they’re all contributing, while Lin is getting better each day. Melo is also exercising a lot more restraint and efficiency with Woodson at the helm, putting up better percentages with fewer attempts.
    Maybe it wasn’t so much Mike d’Antoni’s system or philosophy so much as it was… just him. Not that I blame him but the players clearly didn’t respond to him after a while, and it goes both ways.

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