Stop fooling yourselves Knick fans—it’s not happening this year.
Jeremy Lin will miss Game 3, but will possibly suit up for Game 4 against the Miami Heat Sunday in what has become the most lopsided series of Round 1.
Currently Lin is participating in 3-on-3 full-court scrimmages as he continues to rehab from April knee surgery.
Coach Mike Woodson doesn’t make it sound like he’s on the cusp of being ready anytime soon (via ESPN). "This is the first time he's been able to run up and down. He's gone through a lot of drills. The test is if he can cut and guard people and be able to handle the ball and make plays off the dribble."
There is no point in forcing him to test the knee at this juncture.
New York has lost their two playoff games by a combined 43 points. Carmelo Anthony has already hoisted up 41 shots, the bench has provided next to nothing (aside from JR Smith and his ill-advised threes), and Amare Stoudemire took a year’s worth of frustration out on a piece of glass protecting a fire extinguisher.
Why is he so frustrated?
The Knicks have reverted back to ‘Melo ball, featuring isolation plays where the offense is incredibly stagnant and four players stand around while Anthony chucks up shots with a hand in his face.
There's no question that this team was at its best when Lin was on the floor, but that led to a pouty ‘Melo and a coaching change. Bringing Lin back (in a series that could very well be three games to none) would be beyond foolish.
Not only has Lin been out of action since March 26th, but the offense has undergone drastic changes in his absence. The run-and-gun offense of Mike D’Antoni is long gone.
Even when healthy, Lin doesn’t have the quickness to get open without the ball in his hand. Coming back from the knee injury, he’s going to be moving at a snail’s pace.
That’s not going to fly in the postseason.
The Knicks have talent, but are still a year away from truly being contenders. There is no point in rushing Lin back and risking a setback with his knee. Lin is only 23 and is a huge part of the team’s future—protect the asset and chalk up the 2011-12 season as progress.
I know Knick fans are dying to win their first playoff game since 2001—unfortunately, they need to be just a bit more patient.
No comments:
Post a Comment