Linsanity may not be seen again until next season unless the Knicks can extend the series.
Jeremy Lin all but ruled out making his return Sunday in Game 4 against the Heat, feeling he is still too sore and not in good enough condition.
Lin went through his first contact scrimmage Wednesday and didn’t come out of it that smoothly. Lin said next Wednesday’s Game 5 — if necessary — still is a possibility, but he will have to show marked progress, he said.
Lin, who underwent knee surgery 4 ½ weeks ago, didn’t take the court during Thursday morning’s shootaround because he was too sore. He huddled with coach Mike Woodson afterward to discuss his playing future.
Lin, a restricted free agent, said he doesn’t think “the timing’’ is good for his return for Sunday, because he still needs more scrimmages and more confidence his left knee will hold up.
“I haven’t been able to jump or explode or drive by somebody the way I want to, so it’s going to be longer than that,” Lin said before the Knicks’ 87-70 loss to the Heat in Game 3.
Asked about Game 5 in Miami if the Knicks extend the series, Lin said: “I don’t want to say I am or am not. Game 4 doesn’t look great. Game 5, I have no idea.
“I’ll see how quickly I can get to the point where I can trust it and not think about it and get my full explosiveness, cut and more importantly defensively being able to move laterally,’’ Lin said.
Monday, Lin said for the first time he believed he could make it back to the first round and thought Game 4 was in play.
“It is a positive,’’ Lin said. “I am going in the right direction. I’m still ahead of schedule, not two weeks ahead of schedule.’’
Lin will continue to scrimmage on the off days between Games 3 and 4.
“It depends on how the knee reacts to everyday things,’’ Lin said. “We’re going to add more, trying to jump and finish and see how it reacts and finish. It’s tough to really put a date on itToday was the first day-after my first day of contact. It wasn’t the best. It wasn’t the worst.’’
Woodson appears concerned whether Lin can be thrust into a playoff atmosphere against arguably the league’s best teamhe same team that swallowed him up in late February.
“I’m not pushing anything,’’ Woodson said. “I’m pushing the guys in uniform. That’s what’s important to me. It’s nice to see him run up and down [Wednesday,] but it’s a little different talking about playoff basketball. We got to wait it out.’’
Baron Davis has started since Lin went down with a torn meniscus and Davis has been playing this series with a flare-up of his back injury. In the first two games, Davis averaged 11 points and shot 64.3 percent. But his back flared up in Game 1. “I’m still alive,” Davis said.
Lin said he sees gradual improvement since surgery, but needs more.
“Before surgery I couldn’t even stretch my quad and now I could do it fine,’’ Lin said. “I have range of motion back. Other parts with incisions, breaking up scar tissue, there’s other stuff going on.’’
Lin was asked about recently being named among the world’s 100 most influential people by Time Magazine. He was invited to the official announcement party.
“It’s a blessing from God,’’ Lin said. “With the injuries, it’s easy to lose perspective of the whole season. It was a good reminder of just take everything and look at the big picture.’’
Lin, who hasn’t played since March 24, was a top candidate for Most Improved Player before the surgery.