Lin ready to play for Rockets in crucial NBA playoff game

HOUSTON, Texas (AFP) –

Jeremy Lin of the Houston Rockets in action on April 27, 2013 in Houston, Texas. Lin will return to the team’s lineup on Friday for game six of their first-round NBA playoff series against Oklahoma City after missing two games with an injury.

Houston Rockets guard Jeremy Lin will return to the team’s lineup on Friday for game six of their first-round NBA playoff series against Oklahoma City after missing two games with an injury.

The first Asian-American player in NBA history, whose parents are from Taiwan, has missed the past two games with a right chest bruise, but says he will come off the bench as the Rockets try to force a seventh game.

“I’m feeling good,” Lin said after a morning practice.

“I get to play 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 I’m good to go.

“It feels great (to be back). It has been a really, really long week so just the fact I get to play is a huge, huge burden off my shoulders.”

The 24-year-old point guard was hurt in game two and started game three but played only 18 minutes. But the Rockets won both games he missed to pull within 3-2 in the best-of-seven Western Conference matchup.

Lin returns as Rockets shooting guard James Harden plans to play despite a sore throat.

“Jeremy feels a lot better today,” Rockets coach Kevin McHale said. “We’ll bring him off the bench and see how much juice he’s got in the tank.

“It’s always hard to enter a series when you haven’t played for a while but, we’re going to try to keep what we’ve got going. We’ll definitely try to fit him in there and see how he is and see how his arm feels.”

The Rockets are trying to become the first team in NBA history to win a playoff series after dropping the first three games.