FORMER NBA star and New Taipei Kings ace Jeremy Lin will not be seeing action in their semifinal match against the Chiba Jets in the East Asia Super League (EASL) Final Four on Friday night as he continues to recover from a plantar fascia injury.
The 35-year-old was not listed on New Taipei’s 12-man roster for the game against the Jets. However, the Kings are hoping Lin will be able to play on Sunday, whether in the finals or the battle for third place, depending on the result of Friday’s game.
This development is expected to dampen some of the spirit surrounding Friday’s events, given Lin’s popularity among Cebuanos.
In a post on his social media page back in January, Lin talked about his injury, which caused him to miss numerous matches in the P.League+.
“Unfortunately, injuries are a part of sports, and setbacks are part of life. Yesterday's MRI showed a plantar fascia injury, so I'll be out for a period of time until cleared to play by our amazing doctors. It's never my intention to be unable to suit up because fans pay hard-earned money and sacrifice precious time to come watch us play, and I always want to be on the court fighting with my teammates. I know the best thing I can do right now is to fully recover,” Lin shared.
In related news, New Taipei is bringing in another ex-pro in Austin Daye, a 6-foot-11 small forward who played six seasons in the NBA, suiting up for Detroit, San Antonio, Memphis, Atlanta, and Toronto.