Jeremy Lin has missed a total of 17 games since straining his hamstring last Nov 3. It's clear that the Brooklyn Nets are a much better team with Jeremy Lin on the court. With Jeremy Lin participating in his first practice since the injury on Friday, expect his return to the court happening really soon.
The Brooklyn Nets' next game is against Jeremy Lin's former team the Houston Rockets this Monday. The Nets have listed Jeremy Lin as "probable" on the game so there might be a small chance Jeremy Lin plays on that game. When asked if Jeremy Lin wanted to play against his former team, he tells that his health is most important. "No, my health is most important. It doesn't matter who we're playing, I'm going to make sure I make a good decision." Jeremy Lin said.
Nets coach Kenny Atkinson agrees in Jeremy Lin's assessment. He tells that Jeremy Lin wanted to play 40 minutes the first game he plays. But Atkinson shot down the notion and said that he would be cautious in playing Jeremy Lin. "We'll just do the most intelligent thing and in terms of what the best thing is coming back from an injury like that." coach Atkinson said.
This would mean that Kenny Atkinson will play Jeremy Lin on a minutes restriction. This allows Jeremy Lin to slowly integrate back into the team making the transition smoother. This will also help Jeremy Lin adjust with his recently healed hamstring and allow it to fully recover. As of now, there are no specific details on how Jeremy Lin will play in this transition period. But expect him to play a reduced role (most probably coming off the bench) in the beginning and gradually regain his starting position. Expect Jeremy Lin to play at least this week.
The Brookyln Nets have played the entire season without a full roster. But if Justin Hamilton isn't ruled out on Monday's game along with Jeremy Lin, it will be the first time all season that the Nets have a healthy roster.
Without Jeremy Lin, the nets have used a set of point guards as a replacement. The Nets have used Greivis Vasquez, Sean Kilpatrick, Spencer Dinwiddie and Yogi Ferrel as their point guard. Although there are times that these players have provided a steady play at the point, none can replace Jeremy Lin's contributions. Jeremy Lin has proven to be the most vital piece of the Nets and his return would surely improve the struggling team.
