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Jeremy Lin Reveals the Brutal Night the Miami Heat Brought 'Linsanity' to a Sudden End
Jeremy Lin (Image Credits: Imagn)

Jeremy Lin Reveals the Brutal Night the Miami Heat Brought 'Linsanity' to a Sudden End

Originally posted on Total Pro Sports  |  By Afshan Khan  |  Last updated Mar 1, 2026 4:22 PM ET

Jeremy Lin’s professional career in the NBA might have ended on a disappointing note. Still, his Linsanity era will remain a defining factor in his legacy and always shine in the New York Knicks’ history.

Lin recently discussed several details of his incredible career on the DH12 Above the Rim Podcast. During the conversation, the former basketball player, who is Taiwanese-American, shared the jaw-dropping story of how the Miami Heat abruptly ended his Linsanity phase.

“Going into the Heat game, I had so much hype, that everybody had me circled on their calendar. For me, I’m just trynna make it to the cut deadline to have my minimum contract guaranteed. I’m just trying to make it. Everyday else is like ‘I’m trying to end him.’ Credit to Chalmers, the big 3 and the Heat,” Lin said.

“That was the night everybody says Linsanity ended. Credit to them because they did that. To me, the fact I could garner that attention and respect that they watched that much film on me and not wanting me to have anything… Let alone having LeBron, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Chalmers, and Norris Cole being like ‘Yo, we’re going to send the whole fleet to go stop him!” Lin added.

Despite the end of the Linsanity period, Lin continues to make his impact palpable on the court. However, over time, his performance in the league gradually declined, and during the Toronto Raptors’ Championship run in 2019, his contributions to the team’s success were limited. After that season, the point guard hit the free agency but remained unsigned. This development brought his situation to a low point. He even revealed in an interview that the NBA has given up on him.

Looking Back On Jeremy Lin’s Linsanity


Jeremy Lin (Image Credits: Imagn)

Lin’s rocky career took a wild turn when the New York Knicks acquired Lin off waivers to serve as a backup behind Toney Douglas and Mike Bibby. Initially, the point guard struggled to get into the rotation, but the game-changing moment came when coach Mike D’Antoni gave Lin a chance to play.

Lin had played only 55 minutes through the Knicks’ first 23 games, and the team had lost 11 of its last 13; however, he led a surprising comeback. In the jaw-dropping game against the New Jersey Nets, Lin lit up the court with 25 points, five rebounds, and seven assists, leading the Knicks to a 99–92 win.

This game boosted hype around the point guard, securing more opportunities for him to showcase his skills. In the following game against the Utah Jazz, Lin made his career start. Game by game, the Taiwanese-American player gave several stunning performances, but the actual Linsanity Era might have started during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers and Kobe Bryant.

Lin, who owns an amazing car collection, scored a new career-high 38 points and had 7 assists, leading the Knicks to a 92–85 victory over the Lakers. One of the most hyped moments of his career came when he made a game-winning three-pointer in the 90-87 win against the Raptors. However, the stellar Linsanity period came to an end when the Knicks faced the Miami Heat.

The Heat’s superteam of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh focused their entire defense on Lin. In his 12 starts, Lin averaged 22.5 points and 8.7 assists per game, and led the Knicks to a 9–3 record.

This article first appeared on Total Pro Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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