Jeremy Lin (Photo : Elsa | Getty Images Sport)
Jeremy Lin's big game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday was very much impressive to the point that it became one of the hottest topics among NBA fans and pundits that night.
Charlotte Hornets head coach Steve Clifford didn't seem surprised to see the former Harvard baller dropping one of his best games of the season against the top team in the Eastern Conference.
In fact, Clifford isn't even wondering why of all of his players, Lin was the one who took and made the shot that put away the Cavaliers for good with two minutes left on the clock.
"He wants the ball at the end of the game. If you've watched his career, he like to take the big shots," Clifford said of Lin, who recorded 24 points and 8 dimes in 32 minutes.
Lin has been a great pickup for the Hornets this season, emerging as the team's leader off the bench. He's averaging 12.6 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.3 assist per game, but he's providing the team a lot more beyond the numbers in the boxscore.
On Wednesday, Lin's intangibles and tangibles were at the forefront of the Hornets' second-half rally against the Cavaliers.
With Kemba Walker sidelined and his coach giving him the ultimate trust, Lin showed to everybody why Linsanity had happened in New York four years ago.
"Kemba, honestly, is irreplaceable. We all know that," Lin told reporters. "(But) we feel like if everyone can chip in a little bit, we can try to make up for his absence."
Sure, Walker is irreplaceable. He's the team's leading scorer, averaging 20.2 points and 5.0 assists per contest. However, if Clifford would just try to look more closely on what took place Wednesday, he might already have a clue for the winning formula.
