Between the unique pregame handshake between Landry Fields and Jeremy Lin to Fields allowing Lin to crash on his couch the night before Linsanity began almost two weeks ago against the Nets, the off-court friendship between the new Knicks backcourt is an obvious one.
But as the two have begun to play together on the court, that relationship is starting to pay dividends on the court
“I think having that friendship off the court is really showing on the court,” Fields said after the Knicks won their seventh straight game Wednesday night, a 100-85 laugher at the Garden over the Sacramento Kings. “The chemistry is there, and I’m just really thankful for that.”
With Lin playing alongside him, Fields has looked like a totally different player recently, envoking images of the player that surprised nearly everyone last season when he became the Knicks’ starting shooting guard after he was an unheralded second round pick out of Stanford.
But the chemistry between Lin and Fields on the court is obvious. Fields was on the receiving end of two Lin lobs for easy alley-oop dunks in Wednesday’s win, and exploited Sacramento’s defense for an easy backdoor layup, as well.
“We talk a lot out there,” Fields said. “If I see something, I’ll tell him, and vice versa.When that happens, we usually capitalize on it.”
For all of the plaudits that Lin has received for running the pick-and-roll, D’Antoni also praised Fields’ ability to run the staple of D’Antoni’s up-tempo offense, as well.
“The biggest surprise, and the most improved, is Landry Fields and how he runs the pick-and-roll now,” D’Antoni said. “He had five assists tonight, seven last night, something like that. Now we’ve got a couple [of] guys, and that should be easy money for Tyson [Chandler] and Amar’e [Stoudemire].”
Fields’ improved play has earned plaudits from his teammates, as well.
“I absolutely love what I’m seeing from Landry,” said Chandler. “Tonight he was hitting the glass, making hard cuts defensively … he’s all over the place.”
At some point, even after the brilliance of Linsanity over the past two weeks, Lin and the Knicks will hit a rough patch. Chandler said having a friend to help you through those times in a long and often grueling NBA season — particularly this year, due to the lockout-shortened season and truncated schedule — can pay dividends.
“I think, just the comfort, having somebody that you’re really close with, [helps],” Chandler said. “The NBA is a long season, and those times you feel down and all of that stuff, they’re good for each other.”