How Linsanity Came To Be One Of The Greatest Knicks Phenomenons

It's been a rough year for the Knicks, to say the least.

Rookie Coach Derek Fisher hasn't delivered the way fans thought he would; injuries have plagued the season; they had to trade JR Smith and Iman Shumpert, and now, they're competing for the worst record in the league.

Knicks fans have very little to cheer for. Melo is still around, and the team has a legitimate shot at the first overall pick in the draft, but that's about it.

In this depressing time for New York sports fans, it's hard to have any kind of hope.

So, instead of looking forward to miserable times for the Knicks, let's look back on one of the more exciting times in Knicks history.

Three years ago yesterday, Jeremy Lin became the definition of an overnight celebrity. With the Knicks struggling and Coach D'Antoni looking for any kind of spark for his team, Jeremy Lin was given the chance of a lifetime.

And, boy, did he take advantage of his opportunity.

After only playing 55 minutes total that season, Lin got to play 36 minutes on February 4 against the New Jersey Nets. He dropped 25 points, dished out seven assists and grabbed five boards.

We didn't know it yet, but with that performance, Linsanisty was born.

The next couple of weeks would be some of the most exciting in Knicks history, and definitely the most life-changing for Jeremy Lin.

After his break-out performance, Lin got a chance to start the Knicks next game against the Utah Jazz.

Without superstars Carmelo Anthony or Amar'e Stoudemire in the lineup, Lin got another chance to shine. This time around, he scored 28 points and got eight assists.

Jeremy Lin was climbing to the top of the world, quickly.

In his next game, against John Wall and the Wizards, Lin got his first career double-double with 23 points and 10 assists. Oh, and he also did this:

Anyone who wasn't on the Linsanity bandwagon, yet, most likely hopped on after this game. People slowly started to realize this guy was the real deal, not just some fluke. Which brings us to the Lakers game: On February 10, Kobe Bryant and the Lakers visited Madison Square Garden to face off with the Knicks and the hottest player in the NBA.

Lin scored a career-high 38 points that night. There was no denying now that something special was happening.

The next day, he scored 20 against the Timberwolves, and was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week. Not a bad recognition for someone in his first week of being a starting player.

With a four-game winning streak on the line, everyone's new favorite NBA player drained a three with half of a second left, to give the Knicks a three-point lead over the Raptors.

With that three, Lin went from a basketball sensation to a sports legend. By now, he was oozing swag and had the whole sports world buzzing.

There was no getting away from Linsanity now, and Knicks fans everywhere were able to rejoice. They were given a gift from the basketball gods.

Linsanity was in full effect. His jerseys were flying off the shelves; he was the topic of conversation across the country, and most importantly, he was winning basketball games.

Lin and the Knicks kept the winning streak going until they clashed with the Hornets, and lost 89-85. But, Linsanity wasn't over yet.

He had another impressive performance against the Mavericks, with a career-high 14 assists and five steals to go along with 28 points.

After only a couple of weeks as starter before the All-Star break, Lin was a late addition to the rising stars game, and even had some people vouching for him to make the All-Star game.

After the break, Lin started to cool down as teams found out how to defend him properly. In March, the Knicks decided to replace D'Antoni with Mike Woodson, whose coaching style clashed with Lin's playing style.

Then, on March 24, after a game against the Pistons, Lin complained of knee pains, and it was later found out he had a torn meniscus. He had played his last game for the Knicks and Linsanity was officially over.

Even with the anti-climactic ending and realization that Lin probably won't ever be more than a solid back-up point guard, Knicks fans and basketball fans everywhere should always be thankful for Linsanity.