Linsanity struck again in Houston on Wednesday as Jeremy Lin led the Rockets to a 109-102 pre-season victory over the Memphis Grizzlies by dishing out 12 assists.
After struggling in the Rockets’ first three pre-season games and sitting out the fourth, Lin finally found form in helping to defeat the Grizzlies.
In the 30 minutes he spent on court, Lin served as a playmaker in the offensive line, complementing 12 assists with five rebounds and four steals.
However, the 24-year-old point guard continued to struggle with his shooting, scoring just seven points with three of nine shots from the floor, plus one free throw.
Lin, the first NBA player of Taiwanese descent, attributed his improved performance in part to his conversation with Rockets coach Kevin McHale a few days ago.
“It helped me a lot,” Lin was quoted as having told a Rockets.com reporter in a post-game interview.
“Coach is a great person and so he was very honest with me. He just told me: ‘Be yourself. Go out, have fun, play basketball. We don’t want to put limitations on you,’” Lin said, adding that McHale’s encouragement gave him the confidence he badly needed to be aggressive on the court.
Lin said Wednesday’s game was “a good team effort in terms of running and spreading out, and playing fast and free flowing.”
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