With his game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer, Jeremy Lin (林书豪) finished the New York Knicks' dramatic reversed victory to defeat the Toronto Rapters.
The Knicks have won six games in a row, and Jeremy Lin has put up impressive numbers during the continuous period of competitions. Although the season is still young, the Knicks have reversed course in just one week from the NBA's most disappointing team to a playoff (季后赛) contestant. Lin, not team's high-paid stars, has saved the Knicks season and likely coach D'Antoni's job.
After nearly 15 years of disappointing, sometimes unsuccessful seasons, Madison Square Garden is alive again, and New York City can't stop talking about the Knicks. To put things into perspective, consider this: Just several years back, Knicks fans protested nightly outside of the Garden calling for the team's ownership to fire their resented coach Isiah Thomas.
Now, Madison Square Garden Co. shares are at a record high, the Knicks' average household television rating is up 70 percent since Lin joined the starting lineup (首发阵容), and jersey sales are increasing very quickly. I watched the Knicks-Lakers game at a bar in Harlem, and have not felt that kind of energy from fans since the great playoff between the Knicks and Miami Heat in the late 1990s.
Beyond the Knicks, Lin may be saving the NBA as well. Just a few months back, the NBA took a massive credibility hit during a multi-month lockout, where the owners did not allow the players to go back to play until they accept the new salary levels. As a consequence, the season did not even begin until Christmas Day. Over the past few years, LeBron James' (勒布朗﹒詹姆斯) relatively long and unpleasant free-agent (自由职业球员) events, combined with poor play around the league, have angered fans and damaged the league's brand.
Lin is leading a one-week NBA basketball revival. His legendary story has inspired Asian-Americans, increased NBA sales in China, and turned the basketball world upside down.
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小题1:According to the passage, Jeremy Lin's excellent performance saved the following except___
A．The NBA
B．Coach Isiah Thomas
C．The Knicks
D．Madison Square Garden Co.’s shares小题2:The underlined word “young” in Paragraph 2 probably means "______"
A．not old yet.
B．not completely grown.
C．in the development
D．in the early stage小题3:The NBA suffered the credibility crisis months ago because____
A．The NBA delayed the season because of players’ wage disagreements
B．the NBA was disappointed at James’ free-agent event.
C．The NBA canceled the basketball match for the coming Christmas
D．James had a bad performance in the basketball court小题4:Which one of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A．These Knicks’ stars who were paid well saved the Knicks season
B．The Knicks didn’t satisfy its fans for nearly 15 years until this season
C．The fans objected to dismissing Coach Isiah Thomas outside the Garden
D．The owners and the players didn’t agree on raising the TV ratings小题5:The passage is mainly about______
A．why the New Yorkers thought well of Jeremy Lin
B．why Jeremy Lin became a member of the Knicks
C．how the Knicks defeated its opponents in a great playoff
D．how Jeremy Lin saved the Knicks, probably including the NBA
