Jeremy Lin energizes Knicks fans

Linsanity? Try Linfatuation.

The Jeremy Lin phenomenon is reaching a fever pitch for New York Knicks faithful, seemingly injecting life into a fan base that not a week ago was bemoaning the lack of a starting point guard.

The symptoms have hit quickly and decisively: renewed faith in their chances, blue-and-orange themed spending sprees, and, of course, that driving desire to inject Lin's name into pretty much everything.

"The Knicks are back," said Josh Feldman before Friday's Lin-fueled victory over Kobe Bryant and the Lakers, in which Lin scored 38 points. Feldman, a 26-year-old personal trainer from Long Island, added that, a week ago, "I didn't even know who he was. Wins is all we care about. And he gets everyone involved."

Going into Saturday night's game in Minnesota, Lin had scored 114 points in four games, including a double-double (23 points, 10 assists) against the Washington Wizards. He followed that up with 20 points, including a free throw to give the Knicks the late lead in the closing moments of their 100-98 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves Saturday night.

Pointing to a small pile of Lin merchandise during Friday night's game, Madison Square Garden Store supervisor Sharif Gerzel noted that "they're selling totally off the racks. We've sold tons and tons and tons. There's no definite number."

The store, which began selling shortly before tipoff Friday night, had only one jersey, priced at $54, and seven $28 T-shirts left, and was expecting a second shipment at halftime. "All the Knicks fans are asking for them," Gerzel said.

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The Modell's in Times Square received its shipment of Lin merchandise at 4 p.m. Friday, said assistant manager John Rape. By 7 p.m., they had sold the bulk of their inventory, though Rape wasn't sure of the exact number.

"As soon as they hit the floor, people were buying them," he said. "We still have a few on the floor and there are people looking through them right now."

As if that weren't indication enough, "Jeremy Lin" was the fourth-searched term on Google Saturday afternoon and was trending nationally on Twitter. By Thursday, Lin's presence had boosted the team's average Nielsen household rating on MSG Network, with ratings jumping 36 percent compared with the season average, according to a news release.

"He's an underdog," said 12-year-old Jonathon Older, who lives in Scarsdale and whose mother is from Commack. His dad, Stephen, bought Lin jerseys for him and his two brothers. "No one expected this and since he's started, they're scoring a lot."

JJ Fretty, 14, of Commack, said he believed it's only just begun. "We've got Amar'e and Melo coming back and we're winning again," he said, referring to stars Amar'e Stoudemire, who is not playing because of his brother's death, and Carmelo Anthony, who is sidelined with an injury. "And [Lin's] fast, and he's got great ballhandling."

Bill Fullerton, a former Smithtown resident who now lives in Saddle River, N.J., agreed, saying that Lin's unexpected success is also one of his biggest draws.

"He was undrafted," noted Fullerton, 49. Added his son, Will, who was celebrating his 15th birthday at the Garden: "He came out of nowhere."

Even Lin at times seems overwhelmed with his success. Friday, he joked at a news conference that he "didn't know you can turn Lin into so many things . . . I guess I underestimated how creative everybody can be."

Lin may have to get used to it if he and the Knicks keep -- you know -- linning.