Jeremy Lin, a Rising Star, Needs a Break

ORLANDO, Fla. — The exhaustion was evident, in Jeremy Lin's face, his legs and his voice. By late Friday night, he was looking for the nearest exit, for a respite from the spotlight and the demands of instant stardom.

Lin played just nine minutes in the N.B.A.'s Rising Stars Challenge, at his own request. He shot four times, made one and finished with 2 points and 1 assist. It was just enough to give him a memorable All-Star weekend experience without taxing him any further.

"We played 14 in 20 days, or something like that," Lin said of the Knicks' schedule. "So I didn't need another back-to-back-to-back."

Lin will make some promotional appearances Saturday morning. Then he is headed for a respite before the Knicks begin the second half of the season. They practice Monday and Tuesday, but Lin said he planned to "shut it down until the Cleveland game on Wednesday."

The past four weeks have been a whirlwind, as Lin went from anonymous bench player to global sensation while reviving the Knicks' season and becoming their leading scorer for most of February. He is playing more minutes than ever, with greater responsibilities than ever, while grappling with his newfound popularity.

Because of the intense interest, Lin has been holding well-attended news conferences nearly every day — including two here on Friday. He said his fatigue was mostly physical, "but definitely emotionally, mentally, everything. And so I definitely need this break. And once I get two, three days off, like we're going to have, I'm going to hit the ground running. I'm excited for the second half of the season."

Landry Fields, Lin's backcourt mate, played 18 minutes 36 seconds of the game and scored 16 points. Both of them played for Team Shaq (led by Shaquille O'Neal), which lost, 146-133, to Team Chuck (led by Charles Barkley).