Jeremy Lin the Key to Houston Rockets Securing 6th Playoff Seed? PG's Game Back to 'Linsanity' Levels

There is nothing quite like catching momentum at the right time-something that Jeremy Lin knows better than just about anybody.

It was a little over a year ago on a cold Feb.4 night in New York that Lin, coming off the bench for the injury-riddled New York Knicks, scored 25 points to not only halt New York's struggles in the standings, but announced himself to the world as the game served as the launching point for "Linsanity."

And later, that momentum translated into a three-year, $25 million contract for Lin as he took his talents to Houston in the offseason, part of the Rockets' major overhaul of the franchise.

This season, such moments has been few and far between for Lin, who has been streaky all season, having some big games at one point before struggling afterwards, his inconsistency maddening at times for Rockets fans.

However, when it comes to the playoffs and basketball during this time of the NBA season, it's all about momentum. And right now, Lin seems to be carrying a lot of it. March has unquestionably been Lin's finest season as a Rocket so far, the fan favorite point guard scoring much more consistently, his shooting percentage having improved drastically. For the season, Lin is shooting 44.7 percent. In March, Lin has shot an excellent 53.3 percent from the field, scoring 16.2 points in nine games this March. Lin has found his shooting touch again, his shot selection improving as he has scored double figures throughout March, something that he hasn't done in any of the last four full months of NBA action.

And it's been that effectiveness on offense by Lin, coupled with James Harden's continued electrifying scoring, that have helped the Rockets win six of the last nine March games as they eagerly pursue the No.6 seed owned by the Golden State Warriors by a slim one-game margin.

However, it's been the three games entering Friday's game against the Cavaliers where Lin has been raising eyebrows. In those games, Lin has shot 59.0 percent from the field with 23.0 points and 6.0 assists in those three games, two of which the Rockets won. Those are "Linsanity"-style numbers.

Now, it might be premature to think that this will be a repeat of last February, where Lin's play took New York and the league by storm. But the hot streak that Lin has been on lately should not be ignored. In fact, it's something that should be capitalized on as much as possible.

Lin only played 20 minutes Friday night and scored a measly four points on 2-for-7 shooting-only seven touches in playing time that was 10 minutes shorter than what he was playing for the month. The Rockets still won 116-78 in a blowout over the Cavaliers, but the cost of cooling Lin off at a time where he's been hot may not be a wise move. Hot streaks build confidence, and as Lin has gotten hotter this month, his improvement as a player has grown. With both Lin and Harden on the attack, the Rockets are much harder to beat.

And then, there's the case of the remaining schedule.

The Rockets have a tough four-game stretch that begins this Sunday against their old nemesis-and potentially, a playoff first-round matchup-in the Spurs, the second-best regular season team in the NBA. Followed by the Pacers, the Grizzlies and the Clippers, and the Rockets will need all hands on deck.

Which is why they need Lin, more than ever, to keep up his hot play on offense. Teams are onto Harden now, and they'll now know to be ready to stop him or slow him down when they play the fast and furious Rockets offense. Because of the way he's been inconsistent this season, Lin is still underestimated by teams, which means that he can still take opponents by surprise.

But more importantly, the Rockets will need to rattle off a serious win streak if they have any chance of knocking off Golden State for the sixth seed, which offers them a more favorable match-up against the defensively superior, but offensively-challenged Memphis squad.

When it's playoff time, or playoff positioning time, the team that rides the hot hand often has the best chance of staying afloat. For the Rockets to get better positioning for the playoffs next month, Right now, Lin is the hottest hand on the team not named Harden-and for the month, Lin is even shooting better than Harden, who has shot for 40.9 percent shooting in March. And for Houston, a hot Jeremy Lin is certainly a good thing to have on their side if they want to seal the deal on their playoff bracket place.