Jeremy Lin says he wants to be on the court with his Rockets teammates as they try to come back from an 0-3 hole against the Thunder, but other factors — his coach’s choices, Lin’s chest contusion or just one very bad stat line — are keeping him out.
Lin hurt his chest in Game 2 of the series but returned to play Game 3. After that game, he shrugged off the effects of his injury, saying everyone was dealing with pain and that he should be able to play through. But his poor stat line from that game — 1-for-6 shooting, two points, one assist and one turnover in 18 minutes — suggested otherwise.
Coach Kevin McHale said after that game that he had to decide whether Lin playing injured would be a boost to the team, and he ultimately chose to keep Lin on the bench for games 4 and 5. The Rockets, meanwhile, won both games, as Oklahoma City continues to struggle without point guard Russell Westbrook.
Lin has now made his playing preference clear.
“They’ve taken away my freedom to choose whether I play or not,” he said, according to the Houston Chronicle. “If it was up to me, I would have played Game 4 and Game 5.”
The Rockets appear to have found a winning combination, at least for the moment. Houston hosts Oklahoma City on Friday night for Game 6.
