Knicks Rumors: New York Must Not Rush Back Jeremy Lin

The knee reaper has struck the New York Knicks once again, and this time Baron Davis was the victim.

However, this latest blow to their backcourt doesn't mean the Knicks should rush the return of fan favorite Jeremy Lin, who tore his meniscus in early April. Lin has been sidelined ever since, but head coach Mike Woodson wouldn't rule him out for Game 5 on Wednesday.

He told Joseph Goodman of the Miami Herald:

"

I really can’t answer that. We’ll get back to the gym [Monday] and talk to the doctors and see where he is and then make a decision.

"

While a healthy Lin could give the Knicks a boost, it's not worth risking his future over what is ultimately a futile attempt at beating Miami.

Coming into this series, I thought New York would be a tough matchup for the Heat. Tyson Chandler is the Defensive Player of the Year, and Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire somewhat cancel out LeBron James and Chris Bosh.

Throw in Lin's playmaking ability, and New York looks like it's got a good shot on paper. But let's be real for a second—the Knicks have no shot of winning this series.

Miami is too good defensively. The Knicks are too inconsistent offensively, and the Heat have the two best players in the series. Also, given New York's recent injury woes, I'd say there's a solid chance that Lin would blow out his knee before even getting a chance to make an impact.

While it may be tempting to bring Lin back, the Knicks have to keep the future in mind. Lin's health and the fate of their team will be much better going forward if they shut down the young point guard until next season.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/05/06/2787117/injury-depleted-knicks-may-call.html#storylink=cpy