The story, according to ESPN and the rest of the NBA Lite crowd, is that Jeremy Lin has lost. The majestic Taiwanese guard for the New York Knicks actually cut down on his turnovers, putting forth another solid performance. He finished with 21 points, seven rebounds, nine assists and four steals, while giving the ball away just three times. That marked a radical departure from the Knicks’ last six games, each of which featured at least six Lin turnovers. This was the smallest number of turnovers Lin has posted since a win over Washington, in which the Wizards’ defense seemed to magically disappear at every juncture. But as nicely as Lin played, as ferociously as Stoudemire dunked and as rapidly as the Knicks dished the ball at times, this night belonged to the Nets. Despite New York out-scoring New Jersey in the paint (40-20) and on the fast-break (20-11), and despite 17 turnovers, the Nets won as a result of Deron Williams, who has somehow become one of the most underrated players in the game. Well, I guess it’s not that surprising. That’s what tends to happen. Players get mired, lost in the swampland that is the Meadowlands. Everyone except Eli Manning that is. Williams was dead-on tonight, scoring 38 points, and hitting pretty much every three-pointer he attempted Monday night. It was pretty amazing. Every three-pointer didn’t just hit the hoop, it hit the same exact section of the basket, causing the netting to kick back up the same way each and every time. Coach Mike D’Antoni was among Williams’ fans following Monday’s game:
Deron Williams is really good. You have to give him credit because he is one of the best players in the league.
That quote came via the official online home of the NBA. Give credit to the New Jersey Nets. That’s two big upset wins in a row. First, they toasted the Chicago Bulls at the United Center. Then, they beat up on the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Whether or not this season ever goes anywhere for the Nets, this is one special two-game stretch for this generally lackluster franchise.
Anyway, now that we’ve discussed a story that deserves more attention, let’s discuss a story that deserves less attention. The good folks at SportsCenter were talking again about Danica Patrick. Apparently, it’s her first race in a new venue, and now she has qualified for the Daytona 500 with a time that exceeded that of many past winners. It’s exciting, to be sure, but I’m getting kind of sick of hearing about her. Qualifying for the Daytona 500. Are you serious? When was the last time we cared about such things? Patrick seems like as much of a has-been story as Anna Kournikova. I know she’s breaking barriers, but is she actually when the focus on her is as much about her being a sex symbol, as it is about her being a racer. At this point, she’s known primarily for her looks, and asides from her long, dark hair and racy outfits, I’m not even sure I understand that. She looks as frightening as she does sexy, in my opinion. Anyway, the point is, I have nothing against Danica, but can we please put this story away until after she’s done something, after she’s posted some notable result?