Jeremy Lin Was Interested In Returning To Knicks In Offseason

The New York Knicks will be the welcoming committee for the returning Charlotte Hornets as the two unbeaten squads this preseason collide at the Time Warner Cable Arena today, Saturday. The Hornets would later seal the victory after New York’s DaJuan Summers missed a potential game-tying 3-pointer with four seconds remaining, which preserved Charlotte’s ideal preseason record. Walker and Jeremy Lamb, former UCONN teammates, began to produce off jumpers but the Knicks briefly gained the lead off back-to-back 3-pointers. So Knicks coach Derek Fisher sat out three starters and Hornets coach Steve Clifford sat all five starters in the second half.

“I was in the zone after the first 3-pointer went in, I felt all the shots would go in”, Lin said after the game.

Batum, who plays small forward, is by and large considered the better player, but the Hornets could use Lin’s popularity in China and Taiwan in terms of ticket sales and apparel, as well as with the Hornet’s new heavy focus on three point shots.

Trailing to begin the fourth quarter, it was rookie Frank Kaminsky to the rescue.

JEFFERSON’S DURABILITY: Al Jefferson is only 30 years old but he has plenty of tread on his tires having played in 780 career games during his 11 seasons in the league. There were plenty of critics who berated the Hornets for passing on Duke’s Justise Winslow with the ninth pick, but the team fully believes they made the right decision by taking a power forward in the first round for the third straight season.

The Hornets closed out the Knicks thanks to extra opportunities and scoring depth.

Despite a report in July that the Knicks were interested in signing Lin, the club never considered it. They acquired Notre Dame guard Jerian Grant in a draft-day trade and were comfortable starting the season with veteran Jose Calderon at point guard.

Charlotte had 10 offensive rebounds.

New York All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony, who has been playing well this preseason bouncing back from injury, only had eight points versus Boston. Jeremy Lamb tacked on 10 points and seven rebounds off the bench… All eight of his rebounds came on the defensive end, where he also came up with a steal.

Jeremy Lin, once the talk of basketball during a red-hot stretch of play for the Knicks during the 2011-12 season, could be gearing up for another outbreak of “Linsanity”. Hairston (calf) were all out for tonight’s game.

The Hornets will take on the Chicago Bulls at 7 p.m. on Monday, October 19 in Charlotte.