Accusations fly in wake of Lin injury announcement

NEW YORK (AP) ― Cablevision and Madison Square Garden are pushing back against criticism that news of New York Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin’s knee injury was withheld until after a playoff ticket-buying deadline had passed, saying the accusations are part of a “campaign of intimidation and extortion” by publisher Mort Zuckerman to bring about a merger between the operations of two local newspapers.

The team had announced Saturday that Lin would be missing the rest of the regular season ― at least ― after an exam revealed a small, chronic meniscus tear that would need surgery to repair. Lin had the surgery Monday.

Lin’s unexpected emergence as a top-flight player spurred not only a Knicks’ winning streak in February, but a major uptick in interest in the team worldwide.

In Monday’s edition, New York Daily News writer Frank Isola said medical testing had shown the injury to Lin’s left knee earlier in the week but the team held off announcing it to get past the deadline for season ticket holders to buy playoff tickets for all rounds.

“It was two days before the deadline when Lin and the Knicks’ medical staff learned that the second-year point guard/cash cow was suffering from a torn meniscus in his left knee and that he wouldn’t be jumping for joy anytime soon,” Isola wrote.