Jeremy Lin 2, Knicks 0.
Lin has always played his best at the Garden with Carmelo Anthony sidelined with an injury and last night was no exception.
Lin and the Rockets ransacked the Garden, built a 27-point lead and posted a 109-96 rout to soil the Knicks’ 10-0 unbeaten record at home.
“They played great, we played awful,’’ Knicks coach Mike Woodson said.
Lin, in outperforming Raymond Felton, got to the basket at will and scored 22 points with eight assists. Lin heard a big ovation during pregame introductions but was booed the rest of the night when he touched the ball. In one of his rare bad moments — a 3-point airball — the Garden erupted in cheers.
But Knicks fans had little else to cheer as Anthony surprisingly elected to sit out the game with his sprained left ankle. The Knicks offense suffered and their transition defense and ability to close down the paint was dreadful.
The Knicks have routed the Heat twice but they can’t come close to Lin’s middling Rockets, who buried them with a 15-0 third-quarter run. The Knicks have been out of just two games this season — both against Houston.
Tyson Chandler, who laid a hard foul on a driving Lin and was called a flagrant, was ticked off after the Knicks fell to 18-6.
“It is one game, but I’m not going to say I’m OK with any loss,’’ said Chandler. “We wanted to come in and wanted to compete whether guys are out or not. I honestly didn’t think we came and showed up tonight quite honestly. We didn’t play by our principles.”
Along with Anthony, Rasheed Wallace also was missing because of his sore left foot. That left Chris Copeland as the starting power forward again and he was the lone shining light for the Knicks with 29 points.
Felton, who shot 7 of 18, and Jason Kidd (five points) didn’t show up. They combined to shoot 1 of 9 from the 3-point stripe. Each committed three turnovers and didn’t play their normal hard-nosed defense.
“We really didn’t guard anyone off the dribble,’’ said Steve Novak, who hugged his friend Lin after the final buzzer. “I know Jeremy wasn’t sure how it would go. He seemed very comfortable.’’
This was supposed to be payback for the 131-103 drubbing they received in Houston on Nov. 23, and it was anything but. Missing Anthony’s offense, the Knicks had just 60 points after three quarters.
Lin scored on an array of baseline drives and floaters in the lane. He led the fastbreak with panache. He looked like last season’s Linsanity one day after saying he has been “terrible’’ this season.
“It was a lot of fun playing out there, a lot of fun to be on that court again,’’ Lin said.
Lin also took a subtle dig at Anthony when talking about the Knicks not being healthy.
“They’re not their full team and at the top of the list is Shump [Iman Shumpert],’’ Lin said. “He’s a difference-maker. And Carmelo and Amar’e [Stoudemire] obviously didn’t play.’’
Lin drove baseline with 3:39 left in the half and Chandler knocked him down with excessive force, going at his head and not the ball. A flagrant foul was called as the fans booed and Lin smiled a knowing smile. Even his buddy Chandler was out to send a message.
“It was a good clean, hard foul,’’ Chandler said. “A flagrant wasn’t warranted.’’
“I know it was competition,’’ Lin said. “I still kept coming. He was like a big brother to me last year.’’
But everything went Lin’s and the Rockets’ way, with James Harden pouring in 28 points.
“We were a little flat, at times fatigued, at times I was fatigued out there,’’ Felton said. “It’s a tough matchup for us.’’
Lin hit his first three shots. The Rockets got an early 22-13 lead after Lin fed Omir Asik for a dunk. Lin had three assists in the opening seven minutes, finished with 16 points, making 6 of 9 shots by halftime, even driving left once — his well-chronicled weak side. He still shot poorly from the perimeter (1 of 6 on treys).
The Rockets played at a faster pace and the Knicks — even the great Kidd — looked unnerved. Woodson even played revisionist history, claiming beforehand it was Lin’s decision not to return, not the Knicks’. It’s debatable but Woodson has a point, considering the outlandish new offer sheet.
But the fans didn’t hold it against him.
“It was fine,’’ Lin said of his reception. “A lot of people showed up, supported and wore my old jersey. I’m still thankful to the fans.’’