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MANCHESTER, England -- Mike DAntoni was there for the start of Linsanity, Kobe Bryant on the wrong end of its greatest highlight. Joe Flacco Womens Jersey . Neither imagined next season opening without Jeremy Lin on the New York Knicks. "No. Not when the kicker was they can match. Im thinking, for sure," said former Knicks coach DAntoni on Wednesday before the U.S. Olympic team practiced. "Even when I was there, well at least we got him, we dont have to worry about him blowing up and us not being able to afford it." But the Knicks ultimately decided they couldnt or wouldnt. Lin became a Houston Rocket on Tuesday night when the Knicks refused to match a three-year deal worth about $25 million, ending a brief but amazing run as New Yorks point guard. The Knicks had repeatedly said they planned to keep the restricted free agent, and Olympians Carmelo Anthony and Tyson Chandler both believed they would. "I know the Knicks organization wanted him back, I know his teammates wanted him back, I felt like Jeremy wanted to come back, but cant pass up what Houston threw out there," Chandler said. DAntoni, who gave Lin a chance to play in February, resigned a month and a half later when the Knicks were struggling. He remains a firm believer in the undrafted point guard from Harvard. Bryant had no choice but to become one after Lin scored a career-high 38 points, outplaying one of the NBAs biggest stars during a nationally televised victory over the Lakers. "The plays that he was making, it didnt seem like he had too much of a difficulty making them. He seemed like he was pretty comfortable in making those plays and he was pretty consistent afterwards," Bryant said. "His numbers werent 30 and 15 assists or whatever, but they were more than solid numbers. He can play, hes a very good player." How good is impossible to predict, because Lin made just 25 starts before his season ended because of surgery to repair torn cartilage in his knee. His numbers were already falling by then, a combination of fatigue and a lesser role in the offence once Mike Woodson replaced DAntoni, who is now an assistant coach on the U.S. Olympic team. "I mean, I dont think nobody really has an idea what his ceiling is," Anthony said. "What he was able to do for that little stretch that he played before he got hurt, he was at the all-time high, from a game standpoint doing what he was able to do, averaging 20 something-plus points, almost 10 assists. Im ready to see whats next." He would have seen it in New York, but the third year of the contract, worth nearly $15 million, could have cost the Knicks more than double that in luxury tax payments. "Houston threw something in the game that was kind of crazy," Anthony said. Tennis great and New Yorker John McEnroe has gone to so many Knicks games in his life he long ago lost count. He was at Madison Square Garden with his 12-year-old daughter for that Lakers game. "It had to be one of the top five of all time as far as the excitement," said McEnroe, who was in Times Square on Wednesday talking about playing tennis at the Garden in November in the PowerShares Series. "My daughter was like, I love Lin, and she doesnt really follow the team. It was so amazing to be there; the noise decibel was just deafening. "He sort of saved things, it seemed like. There was such an energy. I dont understand it." Its possible Lin may never live up to the deal, but DAntoni refuses to rule it out. And he wont accept the idea that Lin was only a creation of his high-scoring offensive system. "First of all, I think thats not fair to anybody, I think especially not to Jeremy," he said. "For 20 games he was one of the best in the league and he was dominating from the headlines to even on the basketball court. So you cant discount that hell never be able to do it, because not only did he do it, he did it at the highest level possible. "So Im happy for him, I think its a great contract for him and Houston could find themselves a very, very, very good basketball player. At least hes going to be a good player. The guys got quickness and determination, so hes going to be good. Now it depends on what level, nobody knows that, but I wouldnt bet against him." Domata Peko Womens Jersey . Watch the game live on TSN and TSN HD at 7:30pm et/4:30pm pt. Toronto is No. 7 in the East standings and is one game behind Philadelphia and Washington. Jimmy Smith Elite Jersey . -- Omar Vizquel has played his way into yet another season in the majors. Sheldon Brown Elite Jersey . Quintanilla was designated for assignment by the Mets on Tuesday when they activated outfielder Jason Bay from the disabled list. Patriots Elite Jerseys . The regulation on the implementation of the Audit Law, issued Saturday by the State Council and to take effect on May 1, will help improve the countrys auditing system, experts say. It will also boost supervision of areas with high incidences of corruption, such as construction projects. Eric Decker Womens Jersey . STARS IN TORONTOIf there are two players on the Toronto Maple Leafs that will stand out as being Brian Burke acquisitions, it will be Phil Kessel and Dion Phaneuf, two young players with star potential that had fallen out of favour with their previous teams.Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - The Los Angeles Dodgers have agreed to terms with relief pitcher Guillermo Mota, pending a physical examination. Mota will begin his second stint with the Dodgers, having played with the team from 2002-04 before being traded to Florida in a deal that brought Brad Penny to Los Angeles. Mota served as the primary set-up man for closer Eric Gagne, who won thee Cy Young Award in 2003. Cleveland Browns Jerseys. Last season for the Brewers, Mota posted a 5-6 record with a 4.11 earned run average in 58 games. In 10 years with the Expos, Dodgers, Mets, Marlins, Indians and Brewers, Mota is 33-35 with a 3.93 ERA in 548 games pitched. Mota also served a 50-game suspension to start the 2007 season after violating the leagues drug policy. ' ' '