Lin knew NBA career was on thin ice before famous run in 2012

Through his first nine appearances with the New York Knicks, a 23-year-old Jeremy Lin averaged just 3.6 points and 1.9 assists. Most of his playing time had come in the waning moments of lopsided wins and losses, and he hadn't hit a single 3-pointer or cracked double-digit scoring in any outing.

Heading into a matchup versus the New Jersey Nets in February 2012, Lin knew his NBA days would likely come to an end if he didn't make a positive impact.

"My mindset going into (the) game was, 'If I don't do well, I'm getting cut, and if I don't do well, my NBA career is over,'" Lin says in an upcoming interview special on MSG Network, according to The Athletic's Mike Vorkunov. "So that was something that my agent (Roger Montgomery) had made me aware of."

With that in mind, Montgomery apparently implored Lin to avoid playing it safe on the court.

The 6-foot-3 combo guard ended up dropping 25 points and seven assists off the bench against the Nets, sparking one of the most electric - and improbable - runs in NBA history.

"I just remember praying a lot and just thinking, 'The most God-glorifying thing I could do is just play my brand of basketball. And if I fall flat on my face, I can accept that,'" Lin recalled. "But the one thing I couldn't accept is to go out not swinging."

After his breakout performance against the Nets, Lin was immediately inserted into the Knicks' starting lineup. From Feb. 4 through his final appearance of the season on March 23, he averaged 18.5 points, 7.7 assists, 3.7 rebounds, and two steals per game.

As part of its ongoing "Linsanity Week" programming, MSG Network will present an hour-long interview with Lin, who played for the Beijing Ducks in China this season, and longtime Knicks broadcaster Mike Breen on Friday at 5:30 p.m. ET. Additionally, Lin and former Knicks teammates Amar'e Stoudemire, Steve Novak, and Landry Fields will appear on the network at 5 p.m. ET on Thursday.