Lin, Knicks vague about point guard's knee injury, return date

ATLANTA -- Mike Woodson set off some alarms Friday while discussing Jeremy Lin and Amar'e Stoudemire, saying he's not sure either player will come back this season.

"I have no idea when these guys are going to return, if they're going to return," Woodson said. "I just don't know."

When Woodson was asked what is specifically wrong with Lin, he said, "I wish I knew."

The fact that Lin refused to speak to reporters and went out of his way to avoid them could mean his injury is more serious than just a sore left knee. Woodson said Lin had an MRI, but no official results were given.

Originally, Lin wasn't expected to miss significant time. He sat out his third straight game Friday and has been ruled out of Saturday night's game against the Cavaliers. A team spokesman said Lin hopes to play during next week's two-game road trip to Indiana and Orlando.

"I still think he's day-to-day," Woodson said. "He was out shooting today. We just got to take it a day at a time and see how he's feeling. When he tells me he's ready to go, that's going to put a big smile on my face."

Several requests were made for Lin to speak, but he hasn't talked to Knicks beat reporters since Monday. Before the game, Lin looked into the locker room from the trainer's room, saw the media and closed the door. He later walked into the locker room, saw reporters and ducked into a side door to the trainer's room. Odd behavior for someone considered day-to-day.

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In Stoudemire's case, he was expected to miss two to four weeks with a bulging disc in his back, so there was always the possibility he wouldn't play again this season. He had an epidural shot in his back Thursday, and it's too soon to know how he's responded to that or the nonsurgical treatment.

Lin's body has taken a pounding because of the way he attacks the basket and from not having played major minutes before this season. When he spoke last week, he said the knee issue came from "overuse" and that he was told it wasn't anything serious. Woodson was asked if there was anything specific that happened. "He tweaked it," he said. "It's not feeling too well."

With Lin down, Baron Davis remains the starting point guard. Woodson reiterated that Davis, whose hamstring has been bothering him, can't play 30-plus minutes a night. Iman Shumpert, Mike Bibby and maybe Toney Douglas wil be used at the point.

Woodson said Jared Jeffries (right knee inflammation) could be back in about a week.