Knicks' Jeremy Lin out for Heat series
Injured Jeremy Lin #17 of the New York Knicks looks on from the bench against the Milwaukee Bucks. (March 26, 2012) Credit: Jim McIsaac
GREENBURGH, N.Y. Mike Woodson cleared up all the questions and speculation about Jeremy Lin's status Tuesday. The interim Knicks coach said Lin will not play in this series against the Heat.
As the Knicks prepared for Game 5 on Wednesday night, Lin and team doctors told Woodson to go on without the point guard.
"He's just not ready," Woodson said. "They will let me know when he's ready, and I'm sure he will step up to the plate and say 'Hey, I'm ready,' when that time comes. But right now, he's out. He's not ready."
The Knicks already lost Iman Shumpert and Baron Davis in this series to devastating knee injuries. Mike Bibby will start Wednesday, and J.R. Smith and Carmelo Anthony also will handle some of the point guard duties.
Lin injured his left knee March 24 and had arthroscopic surgery for a torn meniscus April 2. The original timetable was Lin would miss six weeks. He said last week he was ahead of schedule and pointed to Game 4 and then Game 5 as possible returns. But Lin hasn't played in a full-contact five-on-five scrimmage, and he and the doctors aren't comfortable having him play yet.
"He wants to play," Woodson said. "If it's not ready, there's not a whole lot to be done. We are shorthanded but that's what it is, man. They said he's not ready. He's not ready to go. He can't play."
Amar'e back at scene
Amar'e Stoudemire, who had 20 points and 10 rebounds in Game 4, was hoping he would return to Miami this series, and didn't want his lasting memory to be hitting the wall at AmericanAirlines Arena.
"I just don't want to look at that fire extinguisher at all," Stoudemire said.
