One Nets correspondent called Jeremy Lin’s long-awaited return “lackluster” but it has really been the opposite. After 15 minutes of solid play against the Nuggets, dishing five assists and scoring seven, Lin looked strong against NBA-best Golden State Warriors. The Nets were never going to compete against the steamrolling Warriors (49-9) and the lopsided score bore that out with the Warriors knocking back the keen but overmatched Nets 112-95. Even with Kevin Durant sitting this one out (hand injury), the Warriors simply used their old championship combo of Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and a guy named Curry to dominate.
Lin’s return has complications beyond his injury. At Golden State, he was charged with running a team that had no real chance against the best team in the NBA. Secondly he played just 14 minutes, not exactly enough to get comfortable. And there are chemistry issues — Lin hasn’t played much all year. Yet Lin scored nine points on 4-of-9 shooting with 2 assists. Extrapolating those numbers and giving Lin 37 minutes on the floor, he gets about 23 points and five assists. And these number are based off playing one of the best defensive teams in the league — a team that kept in from getting to the free throw line where he tends to build his totals. Steph Curry, by comparison, had 27 points and five assists in this one, playing 34 minutes.
