When Lin returned, however, he reached his new career high of 29 points by hitting a corner shot with 8:02 in the game for a 76-67 Knicks lead.
And after a three-pointer with 5:33 left, Lin had 34 points.
With a reverse lay-up and two free throws, Lin boost his total to 38 points.
Asked how to describe the energy he was generating and the reaction by the crowd, Lin said: "We all feed off each other, it's not just me."
That unselfish attitude is what makes Lin so popular among his teammates.
Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni is pretty happy, too. He's optimistic his team has finally filled its greatest need, albeit in a manner no one expected.
"This was hard to predict. It's like winning the lottery," said D'Antoni. "You buy a ticket and hope, but there is no guarantee it's going to happen."