Jeremy Lin Outplays Kobe Bryant; Chris Paul Hits A Game-Winner

Hopefully Kobe knows who Jeremy Lin is now. After spending time between the Lakers’ win in Boston and last night’s 92-85 loss in NYC doing his best to try to say he had no clue who the NBA’s newest sensation was, Bryant got one-upped by the man who has now scored more points in his first three starts than any player ever has since the NBA/ABA merger. Lin blew up for 38 points and seven assists, incubating Derek Fisher (He had one spin move in the first half that sent Fisher back to 1996) and running the lazy Lakers all over the half-court. Bryant was great (34 points, 10 rebounds) but every other player in purple was complete garbage. Lin didn’t get much help either. Didn’t matter though. Lin, the smartest starting point guard since that kid from Finding Forrester, has been so good he’s single-handedly dissolved the Ricky Rubio phenomenon, had every Atlanta Hawk in their post-game locker room glued to the TV, watching and shouting, and even has Q-Tip tweeting how real he is. He’s been such a beast that Kim K started following his Twitter. Okay, we made that up. But either way, Kobe should’ve done some more scouting … Do the Magic really want Jason Richardson taking their last shot in overtime of a two-point loss to Atlanta? Now, it looked like he was the second option on the inbound, but he didn’t hesitate to go for what would have been a game-winner. He averages just 1.5 made threes a game (even though he has been shooting better lately), and yet fired it up from the left with 10 seconds to go in OT after also missing a free throw in regulation that could’ve won it. It clanged out to Jameer Nelson, who also missed from the right wing … Are Nelson’s playoff comments to Derrick Rose (“See you in the second round”) last year still riling up Atlanta? With players chatting right after the buzzer, Josh Smith (an All-Star caliber line of 23 points, 19 rebounds and three blocks) took obvious joy in the win by waving at the crowd and Orlando players with a smile on his face … Dwyane Wade (26 points) had a move in the first half of Miami 17-point thumping of the Wizards where he split a double-team, did a 360 in the air, drew contact from JaVale McGee and still made a wild circus layup over his shoulder. That was the best non-dunk we’ve seen all season … In fact, Wade and LeBron (who looked like he was coasting all night) combined to score the Heat’s last 18 points of the first half, almost all of them on highlights. When it was all over, the two stars were seen giving John Wall (15 points, 10 assists) an extended talk. We’re guessing it went something like this: “Don’t re-sign here…” And the Thunder got 28 points from Russell Westbrook in a 14-point win in Utah … Keep reading to hear why the Pistons interviewed Chewbacca …

Chris Paul (24 points) might’ve hit his biggest shot yet as a Clipper. With one of the best defenders in the game slobbering all over him, CP3 spun in the lane and faded away as far as he could, finding the room to net the J and give the Clippers a huge 78-77 win in Philadelphia. The Sixers probably think they blew this one: up double-digits in the first half, and having multiple opportunities to make something happen down the stretch. But still, they went 4-3 in one of the toughest seven game stretches possible … Another Malik Rose shining moment: On Reggie Evans – “He couldn’t shoot if you put him in a gun range” … Brandon Jennings played with a point to make (no All-Star?), going for 24 and eight, and a huge layup in the closing minute, in Milwaukee’s one-point win over Cleveland … While Antawn Jamison went off for the first time in a long while (34 points, 11 rebounds), it was Christian Eyenga who provided the highlight, driving baseline for a facial on three Bucks … Is Kevin Love the best power forward in the game? Dirk doesn’t think so. The old reliable had 33 points as Dallas went into Minny and won by seven. Love responded with 32 and 12 of his own … Derrick Williams had a crazy putback dunk … In regrettable nicknames, the Minnesota TV crew has started dubbing Nikola Pekovic “Tyrannosaurus Pek” … Memphis had 21 from Rudy Gay in a huge 98-92 home win against the Pacers … In other news, Charlotte lost 95-64 to the Bulls, who didn’t even have Derrick Rose and were led by Joakim Noah (17 points, 14 rebounds). Even at 68, we bet Paul Silas could start for his squad right now. They are like the real life version of “The Walking Dead” … The best part about Bobcats games are actually the Lady Cats. Much more efficient … Not far off from them are the Pistons, who had a temporary brain fart last night that turned them into a good team, winning 109-92. Following Greg Monroe (18 points, 11 rebounds), it could’ve also been that they played New Jersey, not exactly a hotbed of talent either. In an effort to get more people to come to the games, Detroit has resorted to having “Star Wars” nights. It was one thing to have ’80s night and ’70s night, but this? People, they actually interviewed Chewbacca last night … Boston came out hungover against Toronto and fell behind by a dozen after the first quarter. And with Jose Calderon completely outplaying Rajon Rondo (17 and 14 to five and seven), that’s how it would end up … And Portland rode Jamal Crawford‘s best game of the season (31 points on 16 shots, eight dimes) in their 94-86 win over the Hornets … We’re out like Chewie Q&As.