First Off, What a GREAT game.

The Knicks continued their great play today against the defending champs, the Dallas Mavericks.

This was a see-saw battle all game.

Jeremy Lin lifted the Knicks passed the Mavericks for an impressive win. However, contributions from J.R Smith and Novak were key to the Knicks holding on today.

Novak had 11 points in the 4th quarter with clutch 3-pointers to keep the Knicks ahead. J.R Smith provided a spark early in the game and gave the Knicks someone other than Lin that can threaten the middle of the defense.

However, Lin did have 7 turnovers today, that number needs to go down as the season progresses. Despite that, Lin has proven he is for real and the Knicks have found their point guard. Also with Baron Davis coming back, the depth at point guard will be a strength for the Knicks offense as the production should not drop as drastically when Lin is out of the game.

With Novak’s clutch shooting, Lin controlling the offense and the defensive mindset that has taken over this team, the Knicks can be a viable contender in the eastern conference.

Lin really seems to be the missing piece for this team.

Think about it.

How consistent has Fields,Chandler,Novak and Jefferies been since Lin’s emergence?

I use these guys as examples because they are important role players that each bring something different to the table for the Knicks. Amare may not have gaudy numbers, but the team is winning and I think that is what’s important to him.

I am so excited to see what happens when Melo and Davis are healthy and how they are incorporated into this team. Melo obviously will be in the starting lineup, but seeing how he meshes with Lin will be key if the Knicks want to contend this season.

Davis on the other hand, can give the Knicks a solid backup to Lin and contribute by running the offense when Lin is out of the game. It is unreal to see how stagnant the Knicks offense is when Lin is off the court.

The Knicks, all of a sudden have one of the deeper teams in the league. This team has depth, scoring ability and someone who can anchor their defense (Tyson Chandler).

Tyson has been GREAT for the Knicks so far, his defensive mentality has definitely made an impact on this team.

When you beat the defending champs, you deserve credit and I give the Knicks a ton of credit for their effort and their resilience.