ATLANTA — With less fanfare but a lot of momentum, a red-hot Jeremy Lin returns to the Garden on Thursday.
The former Knick, the impetus of the “Linsanity’’ craze two seasons ago, is coming off 31-point and 34-point outings — the highest scoring two-game stretch of his career.
“He’s playing well,’’ one NBA scout said of the Rockets point guard. “He’s improved a lot this year.’’
Though a multitude of Asian media will be on hand, Lin said he doesn’t feel he’s the main attraction in this return to New York.
“People have been asking, ‘You think it will be a big deal?’ ’’ Lin told reporters at the shootaround before the Rockets’ 123-117 overtime loss to the 76ers on Wednesday at the Wells Fargo Arena in Philadelphia. “I don’t really think so. People are going to be more excited and more attention will be around Dwight Howard and James [Harden]. They are the face of the franchise. I’m hoping I am a subplot.’’
Lin, who had 34 points and 12 assists Wednesday, said he likes how it has unfolded after leaving the Knicks for one of the NBA’s hottest attractions and Western Conference title contender.
“I didn’t sign with Houston expecting that we would have Dwight and James today,’’ Lin said. “But I do believe God has a perfect plan and I think for me. I’m just going with the flow.”
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Knicks coach Mike Woodson and Kenyon Martin spoke Tuesday after Martin expressed displeasure about not playing against San Antonio on Sunday because of his platoon with Amar’e Stoudemire. Woodson said he will break the platoon rules for this back-to-back. Martin played 17 minutes in Wednesday’s 95-91 win over the Hawks, and Woodson said he hopes to give him action against Howard on Thursday.
“Maybe he’ll have a little left in his tank [Thursday],’’ Woodson said. “Kenyon and I are at a good place. I don’t mind him being upset. It means he wants to play and he’s hungry to play. That’s fine. It’s healthy.’’
The Knicks have put Martin, who scored two points with three rebounds against the Hawks, in a platoon because of his chronic ankle issues, but Martin keeps saying he is fine.
“That’s not the case,’’ Woodson countered.
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J.R. Smith is the Knicks’ new starting shooting guard and said he is in the process of becoming one of the team’s leaders.
As expected, Woodson made the long-anticipated promotion of Smith into the starting lineup Wednesday. Smith scored 12 points and grabbed seven rebounds.
Smith said with several of last season’s veterans gone, he is being looked at to be a locker-room leader, despite his flaky rep.
“The last two years, I didn’t have that voice on this team,’’ Smith said. “Some other guys had that voice. Now it’s a good voice to have.”
Smith said he hopes to fill the leadership vacuum.
“We miss our vets,’’ he said. “The difference between Jason Kidd, Kurt Thomas, the Rasheed Wallaces is the communication. Last training camp we were 100 percent better on our communication skills on the defensive and offensive end. Myself, [Carmelo Anthony], Ray [Felton] have become the vets. We have to do better policing that.”