The Houston Rockets are chasing history in the NBA Finals after wining two straight games against the Oklahoma City Thunder to force a Game 6 after being down 3-0 and after playing without starting point guard Jeremy Lin in the last two games, the team will have him back on the bench Friday night.
According to ESPN.com, Lin will play after sitting out Game 6 with a chest injury suffered in Game 2 and despite him coming back, it will be off the bench and not in the starting lineup. Lin said he felt much better following sitting out the last game and the previous one and he is ready to get back in action after working out.
Lin was injured in Game 2 along with OKC point guard Russell Westbrook and after not playing in the second half, he was ineffective in Game 3 and then sat out Games 4 and 5. Lin is dealing with a chest contusion, but the team hasn't suffered without him, as they have won two straight games and could force and Game 7 if they can hold off elimination for one more night. The team has relied on James Harden, who has been dealing with sick symptoms, and he is expected back as well.
Coach Kevin McHale said he would monitor Lin's minutes, but that he looked much better than he did in the days following the injury. Harden was diagnosed with strep throat, but that will not keep him out from Game 6. The team has used Patrick Beverley and Francisco Garcia in Lin's place and the team is working on fighting history, as no team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit in the playoffs. Harden has been excellent for most of the series, while the injury to Lin has kept him from being effective, although the Rockets were able to win the two games without him in the lineup.
Despite being sick, Harden added 31 points and seven threes in the Game 5 107-100 win and after getting some treatment he will be ready for Game 6. The series has been a fierce one and emotions were high after Russell Westbrook was injured and he now will miss the rest of the playoffs.
"I'm feeling good," Lin told the team's website following Friday's shootaround. "I get to play tonight so I'm happy about that. I worked out yesterday, went through some stuff and felt good. The trainers were up there watching and said as long as nothing crazy happens today I'm good to go."