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| Knicks guard Jeremy Lin will continue to watch the playoffs from the sideline. (Getty Images) |
Better safe than sorry.
New York Knicks interim coach Mike Woodson said on Tuesday that guard Jeremy Lin, who is rehabilitating from arthroscopic surgery on his left knee, will not play during the team's Eastern Conference first round playoff series against the Miami Heat series, even if it extends to seven games.
"He's not ready," Woodson said, according to the New York Times.
New York is currently trailing 3-1 in the series with a possible close-out Game 5 set for Wednesday night in Miami.
The possibility of a Lin return during the playoffs had been rumored all week as he increased his participation in Knicks practice activities. But HoopsWorld.com reported Tuesday that Lin's knee "didn't respond well to contact drills" and that he was feeling soreness.
New York is also without guard Iman Shumpert, who tore his left ACL in Game 1, and guardBaron Davis, who suffered a gruesome right knee injury in Game 4.
Lin, 23, posted averages of 14.6 points, 6.1 assists, 3.1 rebounds and 1.6 steals in 26.9 minutes for the Knicks this season. He rose to international stardom earlier this season after moving into the Knicks starting lineup.
The Knicks announced that Lin would undergo surgery on March 31, projecting a six-week recovery timeline.
Lin will be a restricted free agent this summer.
