Knicks Guard Jeremy Lin Out For Entire Heat Series
With the New York Knicks facing elimination against the Heat in Game 5 on Wednesday at Miami, Jeremy Lin is still listed as “doubtful” and likely is out for however long the series goes. ”He’s just not ready,” interim Knicks coach Mike Woodson said at practice Tuesday.
Lin has not played since injuring his left knee March 24 and having surgery to repair a torn meniscus in early April.
Mike Bibby is still expected to start, with the Knicks also losing point guard Baron Davis to a possible career-ending knee injury in Sunday’s victory that kept the Heat from sweeping the series.
Forward Amar’e Stoudemire, meanwhile, said the self-inflicted injury to his left hand is definitely affecting his game, how he dunked, caught the ball and rebounded in the Game 4 victory. Still, he had 20 points and 10 rebounds.
“I fumbled the ball on a few catches. I can’t dunk with two hands. I can’t really grab a rebound aggressively with two hands,” he said. “But there’s always ways you can compromise on the court, so I’ll figure it out.”
After the game, Stoudemire said he had to clean the injury several times.
“It was a little sore. But I’ll be OK for the next game for sure,” Stoudemire said.
Stoudemire missed Game 3 after cutting open his hand slamming a door and fire extinguisher after the Knicks’ Game 2 loss.
Stoudemire tweeted that gruesome-looking picture of his injured hand, with multiple stitches. Asked why, he said, “I figured I’d give the fans the insight on what the injury really looks like. It’s definitely not easy to play with. But I seemed to manage.”
With the Knicks returning to the scene of his injury, Stoudemire joked he doesn’t want “to look” at the fire extinguisher that slashed open his hand.
“Getting a win in Miami would be huge for us,” he said.
Lin has been increasing his on-court activities in the past 10 days, but it was unlikely he was going to play in the first-round series at all. After experiencing some discomfort in the knee after a recent workout, Lin ruled himself out for Games 3 and 4.
But his availability turned into a pressing matter with the injuries to the guards in this series.
Lin last played March 24 against the Detroit Pistons. The Knicks announced March 31 that an MRI revealed the meniscus tear in his left knee. He had surgery April 2.
Elite.
