Carmelo Anthony compares rookie Langston Galloway to 'Linsanity'

Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony said the team’s modest winning streak and the play of rookie guard Langston Galloway reminds him of the excitement of former teammate Jeremy Lin when he burst upon the NBA scene three years ago.

New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony said the team's modest winning streak and the play of rookie guard Langston Galloway reminds him of the excitement over former teammate Jeremy Lin play when he broke out three years ago. 

The Knicks' 100-92 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder was their fourth win in the last five games after a team-record 16-game losing skid.

Galloway was not drafted in the 2014 NBA draft and played for the team's D-League affiliate before getting called up earlier this month.

Anthony, who scored 31 points in the win over the Thunder, said Galloway has a knack of taking big shots the way Lin did.

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“I would say Linsanity — he had that mindset of taking the big shot when he first got here,’’ Anthony said to the New York Post. “I don’t like to compare anybody, but Langston’s mindset of being able to take that big shot or open shot, he loves that moment.”

The 23-year-old Galloway is averaging 12.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists in the nine games he has appeared in this season.

Lin, now with the Los Angeles Lakers, took the league by storm when he was inserted in the Knicks' lineup in early February 2012 and proceeded to score 20 or more points in eight of the next nine games, including a 38-point performance against the Lakers.

The hype around Lin became known as “Linsanity,” and propelled him to two straight Sports Illustrated cover appearances. He signed a three-year deal worth $25.1 million with the Houston Rockets the following offseason. 

- Scooby Axson