Jeremy Lin Defends Carmelo Anthony: Credits Star for His Success
Jeremy Lin, the New York Knicks player who has started the "Linsanity" craze, has said that he wouldn't have gotten his shot without fellow player, Carmelo Anthony. When Anthony returns, both players may plan to distribute points more evenly.
During an interview on the ESPN's "Michael Kay Show," Lin commented that it was actually Anthony who told the coach to let him play in what became Lin's break out game. Only two days after the game, in which Lin scored 25 points and had seven assists, he was named a starter.
When asked if he was grateful for Anthony's nudging the coach, Lin stated "Of course!"
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"I didn't hear about that until after the game," Lin said but he appeared to be so grateful that he is now sticking up for his fellow teammate, who has been accused in the past of being a ball hog. ESPN also pointed out that Anthony has been rumored to disagree with the Knicks' "new and improved point guard-focused system."
Lin has stated that's not the case however, instead insisting that Anthony is on board with contributing to the Knicks' growing success.
"That's why I think it's funny right now," Lin said. "Some people are talking about, 'Oh, can Melo adjust into the system?' I mean, Melo wants to adjust to the system, and he doesn't want to shoot 30 shots a game. The fact that he vouched for me shows a lot about him."
That news may come as a surprise to some basketball fans, who think that more than anything, Anthony is just selfish. Anthony himself overheard rumors and responded by calling them "a slap in the face."
"None of my teammates I've ever played with would say that I was a selfish player. Nobody," Melo insisted on a Wednesday night interview with Stephen A. Smith on "SportsCenter."
Some have even gone as far as to say that the team will be worse off when Anthony, who had been suffering from injury, returns to the game. Other fans have backed the star forward.
"I dont quite understand why getting one of the games best scorers back from injury can make your team worse," BraxTizzle said on an ESPN blog.
"Carmello [sic] Anthony was selfish before because he had no one else. He now has Jeremy Lin who has done an excellent job at meshing with everyone. The game might be different when Melo comes back but I dont think the Knicks will be a worse team because of it," he added.
Lin has also supported the team effort.
"As a point guard, my field-goal attempts have been really high," Lin said. "I don't think that's necessarily good. I think it's more my job to distribute and get people in rhythm. Hopefully, especially when Melo comes back, another lethal scorer, my shots will go down and my assists will go up," Lin told Washington Post Sports.
SEE VIDEO OF JEREMY LIN BUZZER BEATER VERSUS TORONTO RAPTORS
WATCH VIDEO OF JEREMY LIN'S TESTIMONY
WATCH VIDEO OF JEREMY LIN PRAISING GOD FOR A VICTORY
WATCH VIDEO OF JEREMY LIN BEING COMPARED TO TIM TEBOW
