Atlantic Notes: Celtics, Nash, Raptors, Knicks

In case you were worried that Jeremy Lin's move from New York to Houston would cut down on the point guard's face time in the media, you can now rest easy.  The former Knicks guard was profiled in the cover story of GQ's November issue and ran down his hectic summer and eventual signing with the Rockets.  Mostly everyone was taken by surprise when the Knicks opted against matching General Manager Daryl Morey's offer and Lin disclosed that even the Houston front office wasn't expecting to come away with him.  After signing the Rockets' offer sheet, the club told Lin that they believed there was an "80% to 95% chance" that he would wind up back at MSG.  Here's more out of the Atlantic..

• The Celtics are now looking at adding another veteran player by the end of the week after releasing Dionte Christmas and Jamar Smith, a source tells Paul Flannery of WEEI.com.  Coach Doc Rivers says that the club won't limit its search to backcourt help either as Courtney Lee, Jason Terry, and Avery Bradley can also pitch in at one-guard.  Meanwhile, it now seems likely that rookie Kris Joseph will make the final roster of 15.
• In an interview with QMI Agency, Steve Nash admitted that he was extremely close to signing with the Raptors this offseason, writes Steve Buffery of the Toronto Sun.  "I was very close, you know," Nash said. "Because it appeared that they were going to be an option long before free agency started. So I got my head around that and I was comfortable with that and happy with the opportunity to play in Toronto. But when this opportunity (with the Lakers) became a reality, I couldn't pass it up."
• If the Knicks can't break through this season with their core of Carmelo Anthony, Tyson Chandler, and Amare Stoudemire, Sam Amico of FOXSports.com believes that they should look into going in another direction.