Knicks Rumors: Why New York Must Sit Carmelo Anthony Until He Is Healthy

New York Knicks star forward Carmelo Anthony has missed the past three games with a groin injury, but the Knicks haven't missed a beat thanks to point guard Jeremy Lin's emergence. With that in mind, the Knicks should be cautious with Melo.

According to CBS Sports, Anthony missed practice again on Monday and is unlikely to play on Tuesday against the Toronto Raptors. A return later in the week remains a possibility, but that would be on the long end of his estimated one-to-two-week recovery time.

Despite the Knicks' success without Anthony in the lineup, there is no question that New York is a better team with the perennial All Star in the fold. With that said, though, the Knicks have managed to stay afloat and even excel without him, so there is absolutely no reason to push him into action before he is ready.

The Knicks are 5-0 since Lin started receiving significant playing time and have climbed out of the abyss and into the a playoff position in the Eastern Conference. Lin has willed the Knicks to victory over the past few games without Amar'e Stoudemire as well, but he is set to return after taking some time off to grieve the untimely death of his brother.

With Stoudemire back, the Knicks should be even stronger, so the need to rush back Anthony is lessened even more. New York has an incredibly easy upcoming schedule with the Raptors, Sacramento Kings and New Orleans Hornets all on tap. With that in mind, there isn't much reason for Anthony to play in any of those games.

Pressing a star player back into action is always a risky proposition because it can lead to further injury. Carmelo has had nagging injuries all season long, so he needs to be 100 percent before coming back. A number of big-name players have been in and out of the lineup in recent weeks across the league, including Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls.

There is plenty of concern regarding Rose's back in Chicago and if it turns out that it is something significant, it could ultimately destroy the Bulls' season. The Knicks would probably still be a playoff team without Melo for a long period of time, but their chances of making an impact in the postseason would be greatly diminished.

If not for Lin's awe-inspiring performances, there is a good chance that the Knicks would be treading water right now and in desperate need of some wins. In that case, I could see why getting Anthony back in the lineup immediately would be a priority, but this recent winning streak has bought the Knicks some time.

With an easy schedule upcoming and a lineup that is clicking on all cylinders, the Knicks are a team that can survive and thrive without Anthony for the time being. He is still the biggest piece of the puzzle, but the Knicks have no reason to be anything other than cautious.