Jeremy Lin: Why Knicks Would Be Better off Without Linsanity in Game 5

The possibility of Jeremy Lin returning to the New York Knicks for Game 5 was giving fans a glimmer of hope, yet Mike Woodson all but squashed those ideas today.

The news comes from Ashbury Park Press sports reporter Josh Newman, via Twitter:

"

Woodson: "I'm not counting on Jeremy Lin to play." #Knicks

— Josh Newman™ (@Joshua_Newman) May 7, 2012"

Assuming Woodson isn't just tricking the press and trying to surprise the Heat with a Linsanity attack, this is absolutely the right move. 

Just look at what Lin, who is coming off a semi-serious knee injury, would indeed give New York if he were to return on Wednesday.

Not only has he not played a game in a month-and-a-half, except for some 3-on-3 against Mike Bibby's skeleton, but even Woodson himself said Lin is out of shape.

At best, he's going to give you, what? 15 minutes of extremely rusty basketball? I know Linsanity could walk on water if he wanted to, but there is no way he's going to come back and all of a sudden be effective against one of the biggest, longest, quickest defenses in the league.

On the road. In a hostile environment. In the playoffs. In an elimination game. 

To be clear, I would have this opinion even if the Knicks were matched up with the Bobcats—OK, maybe not the Bobcats, but any other team—but it's the freaking Heat.

Remember back in February, Lin, who had two healthy legs at the time, was tearing up the rest of the league and then he put up a 1-for-11, eight-point, three-assist, eight-turnover game with a -19 rating against the Heat.

Now with LeBron James and Dwyane Wade going for the kill in Game 5, they'll attack Lin with no mercy. They'll see him as a weak spot and won't let up until he's out of the game.

The Knicks' guard depth is dangerously thin right now, and relying on a 33-year-old Mike Bibby (Really? He's not 40?) is the type of thing Mike Woodson would have liked to avoid. But Lin just isn't in shape to help this team. Rushing him back would only further hurt things.

There are at least some other options out there for Woodson and the Knicks.

He could conceivably run J.R. Smith or Carmelo Anthony at point guard. It certainly won't do wonders for the offensive flow, but it might help New York speed the game up and surprise Miami. 

At the very least, Bibby just needs to control the game. He needs to take care of the ball, stay out of the way and knock down an open jumper or two.

The options are clearly thin for Mike Woodson's squad, but no matter how desperate he gets, he needs to remember that Jeremy Lin is not one of those options. 

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