CARMELO ANTHONY IS A GAME TIME DECISON TONIGHT FOR JEREMY LIN'S RETURN TO NEW YORK

JEREMY LIN LEADS HIS TEAM TO A WIN OVER NY IN HOUSTON

New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony will be a game-time decision for the team's showdown against the Houston Rockets and Jeremy Lin on Monday night because of lingering pain in his injured left ankle.

Anthony suffered a sprained ankle on Thursday against the Los Angeles Lakers and missed the Knicks' home win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday night. Coach Mike Woodson said Anthony did not participate in New York's shootaround.

A source close to Anthony said that he badly wants to play against the Rockets, who beat the Knicks by 28 points in late November and feature Lin, who rose to prominence during a memorable run with the Knicks in February.

Raymond Felton supported that notion, saying there was "no question" that Anthony wanted to play Monday, but his motivation didn't stem from the Rockets being in town.

"I know he wants to be out there, he's just like me," Felton said. "He never wants to sit out a game."

Coach Mike Woodson said Anthony did not participate in New York's shootaround Monday morning, and he did not know whether Anthony would test his injury before the game.

"I don't know until we get to the game," Woodson said. "I have no idea."

Anthony has yet to undergo an X-ray or MRI to determine the extent of his injury, according to Woodson.

Anthony left Thursday's game midway through the third quarter after a collision with Dwight Howard on a drive to the Lakers' basket.

Anthony hit the floor hard and landed awkwardly on his left ankle, and his lower left leg folded under his back as he hit the court.

"It was a hard foul. I couldn't catch my fall," Anthony said after the Knicks' 116-107 win against the Lakers. "It was an awkward fall. Right now, I'm sore."

The Knicks are 2-1 without Anthony, who has been one of the top performers of the early NBA season (27.9 ppg, 6.4 rpg).

He missed two games earlier this month with a laceration on his left middle finger that required five stitches.

The Knicks (18-5) went 1-1 with Anthony out, beating Miami by 20 points and losing to Chicago, both on the road.

If Anthony misses Monday's game, Woodson said either Chris Copeland or James White would start in his place.

Meanwhile, veteran forward Rasheed Wallace will sit out for the second straight game because of a sore left foot.