Jeremy Lin? Who is he?

 

Could he be the next big thing in the Big Apple? Or better yet inside the NBA today. His name and his videos are trending world wide. He led the Knicks to 5 straight wins, including the game winning shot against Toronto Raptors. New York Knicks found hope in Lin's remarkable presence on the court. Despite losing Melo on the frontline due to injury, Lin led the team and managed to pull win after win.

In the game against the New Jersey Nets, he came off the bench to score the career-high 25 points to lead all scorers along with 7 assists and grabbed 7 rebounds in a career-best 36 minutes as the New York Knicks snapped the two-game skid with a 99-92 victory over the Nets.

"This night, it hasn't really sunk in yet to be honest. I'm still kind of in shock about everything that happened. I'm just trying to soak it all in." -Jeremy Lin.

Maybe the game plan was on Melo and Stoudemire. Melo who struggled 3-for-15 shooting and Amare played only 25 minutes due to foul trouble, but Lin abused the Nets all evening long.

"I didn't do a good job containing Jeremy Lin," said Williams, who scored just 11 of his 21 points after the first quarter. "There's so much focus on Carmelo and Amare and the other guys, and our game plan was to help off him. And he just started knocking down shots and got confidence and he was relentless taking it to the basket."

In the game against the Utah Jazz, the newly minted Knicks starting point guard Jeremy Lin, scored 13 of his career-high 28 points in the fourth quarter as the Knicks won their second straight, 99-88, over the Utah Jazz at Madison Square Garden.

Lin played a terrific basketball. With time expiring on the shot clock, Lin later hit a 3-pointer to extend the lead to 95-86, driving the Garden fans into a frenzy.

"Yeah, that's kind of crazy. The one time I don't follow through, it goes in, so I'm going to have to maybe change my form a little bit."
-- Lin on the 3-pointer.

Lin showcased his talents a lot better without having Carmelo on the floor. He made plays and made his teammates involved to pull out a win over the Jazz.

"What Jeremy is doing is incredible. Everybody is playing their natural position. The ball is moving much better, we're having a nice flow, a nice tempo."
-- Tyson Chandler on Lin.

On Lin's third game, he knew that he will be starting for the Knicks but this time, he faced an athletic and young point guard, John Wall of the Washington Wizards. Wall led the Wizards with 29 points and Trevor Booker added 17. But those numbers where not enough to break the two-game winning streak of the Knicks. It was the 8th straight time New York beat the Wizards. Washington's record dropped to 5-21.

Tyson Chandler had 25 points and 11 rebounds and rookie sensation Jeremy Lin had 23 and 10 assists to lead the New York Knicks over the Washington Wizards 107-93. Chandler's 25  points were two short of his career high, a shocking stat, considering that the accomplished NBA veteran has played for 10 seasons.

"I didn't know he could dunk. When he's going in for the dunk I'm like 'no Jeremy, just lay the ball up.' And all of a sudden he dunks it and I was probably just as excited as the crowd was."
-- Tyson Chandler on Jeremy Lin's third-quarter dunk, the first of his career.

Linsanity may have hit New York City and the rest of the NBA, but Kobe Bryant has never heard of it. When asked about the Lakers’ showdown with the Knicks tonight, Kobe claimed to not be at all aware of the exploits of NYC’s new Harvard-bred point guard sensation Jeremy Lin. Jimmy Toscano of the New York Post  has the story: "What? No idea," Bryant said last night after the Lakers’ 88-87 overtime win over the Celtics. ‘I know who he is but I don’t really know what’s going on too much with them.’ Pressed further, Bryant said, ‘I don’t even know what he’s done. Like, I have no idea what you guys are talking about. I’ll take a look at [the tape] tonight though.’ … All Bryant could do was laugh when asked if he would cover Lin if need be—’I appreciate the question, though,’ he said before walking off to the shower.”

On Lin's fourth game, the much anticipated game when New York Knicks faced Los Angeles Lakers. Linsanity was in full bloom at the Madison Square Garden. Knicks crashed Lakers 92-85. Lin went for a career-high 38 points with 7 assists as the Knicks won their fourth straight wins since Linsanity began in Saturday night's win over the Nets and 3-0 since he entered the starting lineup during the absences of Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony.

New York Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin may not have gotten a shot with the Knicks if it wasn't for the one player who critics say will interfere with the Knicks' upward trajectory: small forward Carmelo Anthony. Now, he's glad Anthony, and eventually D'Antoni, gave him the opportunity.

"It was worth the wait," Lin said.

Player movements inside NBA 2011-2012 part 1

 

 After the lockout, NBA Teams GMs and player agents began to return to work once again. Some teams continuing to improve their lineups, some clearing up their cap space to get quality free agents, and some hoping to free their rosters and hope to get young and fresh legs next year's drafts.

As of December 12, here are some of the player movements for NBA season 2011-2012.

After contending a championship last year with Miami Heat, center Jamaal Magloire signed with Toronto Raptors last Friday.

"It's an honor," Magloire said. "I'm very privileged to have this opportunity. This doesn't happen very often. There's only 450 guys in this league and not only am I a part of it, I get an opportunity to come home. I'm so happy."

The Toronto Raptors have also signed veteran free agent forward Rasual Butler and agreed to terms with guard Anthony Carter.

Phoenix Suns re-signed guard-forward Grant Hill to a one-year contract. Phoenix also signed guards Sebastian Telfair and Shannon Brown to one-year contracts. Waived guard Vince Carter who happened to join the Dallas Mavericks.

Vince Carter agreed to terms with the defending NBA champions Friday evening, hours after the Phoenix Suns exercised a clause in his contract to give Carter a $4 million buyout of his $18 million salary this season.

Carter's deal is for the $3 million mini-midlevel exception, the most the Mavs could offer as a team over the salary cap. It's a three-year deal with the next two seasons partially guaranteed.

Carter could join Jason Kidd as the Mavs' starting backcourt. They played together for two full seasons and parts of two other seasons with the New Jersey Nets.

"You talk about a veteran who understands how to play and win," Kidd said after Saturday's practice. "Athletically, he can stretch the defense, he can pass and he's a great guy. For that, he definitely fits in our mold and he can help us win."

Los Angeles Lakers traded forward Lamar Odom and second-round pick to the Dallas Mavericks for a first-round pick and $8.9 million trade exception.

Los Angeles Clippers re-signed center DeAndre Jordan after matching a $43 million offer sheet by Golden State Warriors, Clippers also signed forward Caron Butler to a three-year contract. Butler told the media that he has fully recovered from his knee injury, the Clippers' Official Twitter reports.

Atlanta Hawks signed guard Tracy McGrady to a one-year contract. A veteran-minimum deal with the Atlanta Hawks, a source close to the situation told ESPN's Stephen A. Smith.  Hawks have signed 10-year veteran forward Vladimir Radmanovic, who played last season with Golden State.

New York Knicks traded forward Ronny Turiaf, cash considerations and a 2013 second-round draft pick to Washington and guard Andy Rautins to Dallas, who sent center Tyson Chandler and the draft rights to Ahmad Nivins and Giorgos Printezis to New York and a 2012 second-round draft pick to Washington. Washington also sent a conditional future second-round draft pick to Dallas. New York Knicks signed guard  Mike Bibby and forward Jared Jeffries and waived guard Chauncey Billups.

Lakers dealt Lamar Odom to Dallas

 

 NBA's Sixth Man last year forward Lamar Odom who averaged 14.1 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists was dealt to 2011 NBA Champions Dallas Mavericks for an $8.9 million trade exception plus a protected first-round pick.

"Lamar was a fine player for us in his seven years with the Lakers and was a key to helping us win two championships," Kupchak said in a statement. "In addition, he always conducted himself with class and professionalism, and we wish him well in the remainder of his career."

Odom indicated he was hurt by being included in the scuttled trade with New Orleans for Paul. Los Angeles, Houston and New Orleans agreed on a deal Thursday that would have sent Odom and Lakers forward Pau Gasol to New Orleans for Hornets guard Paul. Gasol would then have been sent to Houston for Luis Scola, Kevin Martin, Goran Dragic and a 2012 first-round pick.

In the aftermath of the canceled deal, Odom skipped the Lakers' first day of training camp Friday. He did, however, go to the practice facility to have a face-to-face meeting with general manager Mitch Kupchak, during which he expressed his desire to be traded, according to the source. Kupchak asked Odom to reconsider his position and told the 12-year veteran to think over his decision.

"You don't want to go to no place you're not wanted," Odom told the Los Angeles Times on Thursday.

Neither team formally acknowledged the deal until Sunday night, but both teams knew all about the surprising transaction when they reported for training camp practices that morning.

Dallas coach Rick Carlisle and star Dirk Nowitzki spoke eagerly about adding Odom to the defending NBA champions' roster without losing a player in return. Odom will aid the Mavs' recovery from Tyson Chandler's departure, and Carlisle said Odom's partnership with Nowitzki and Shawn Marion would form the NBA's best frontcourt.

"Right now, for me, having Odom, Dirk Nowitzki, Shawn Marion, we may have the best forward trio in this league right now. And that's exciting," Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said.
"Lamar Odom is a guy we have great respect for as a person and as an all-around player in this league. We feel he's going to add so many different dimensions for us -- length, playmaking, scoring, experience, championship experience," Carlisle added.

"Excited," Nowitzki said, describing his first emotion on hearing of the deal. "I mean really to get Lamar Odom for a trade exception -- and I don't even know what that is -- so we turned nothing into a great player. I've always been a fan of his game because he's always been a great all-around player. He's very smooth, very fun to watch, so I think he's going to fit in great. He can play multiple positions, he can guard multiple positions, he's long, so I think he's going to fit in well."

Odom's Laker teammates said there weren't happy with the deal.

Bryant and Derek Fisher led a chorus of confused anger from the Lakers, who have no idea what their front office is planning just two weeks before the season opener. Los Angeles is thought to be working on a deal for Orlando center Dwight Howard, but the trade exception obtained from Dallas could be only a minor part of any potential deal.

"As a basketball player, it confuses you as to what your focus should be," Fisher said. "I'm very disappointed and frustrated for (Odom and Gasol). If I had my choice, Lamar would be a Laker for life."

Bryant said he hated seeing Odom leave Los Angeles: "Especially to them. We were supposed to come back and get them back. It's tough. ... Do I think we got too little? Who did we get? I don't think Mark Cuban is protesting this trade."

"To be honest with you, I don't like it," Kobe Bryant said. "It's tough to lose Lamar. Pau (Gasol) is still here, and we're all thankful for that. It's hard when you've been through so many battles with players to just see them go somewhere else. It's tough."

While Odom opted to stay away from the team while the trades were still in flux, Gasol has continued to practice with the team in the interim. Gasol was present for the team's media day Sunday and even filmed a television promo for the Lakers' Christmas Day game against Chicago. He looked into a camera and declared, "We're back!" while wearing his No. 16 Lakers jersey.

Gasol practiced with the team Sunday following the media day festivities.

"I don't think this is personal at all," Gasol said. "This is a business move, I think. The franchise is looking to do its best for the best interest of the franchise and the team. ... I'll just have to be professional. My wish is to stay here. I love being part of this team, this franchise, this city, their fans, everybody. So it's been during this last couple of days to have this uncertainty and insecurity. And probably, it's not over yet.

"I'm just going to be as professional as I can be and do my job and also just do what I love and play basketball and play with a team I like to play with."