Jeremy Lin’s Beijing Ducks returned to Chinese Basketball Association action with victory over the Liaoning Fly Leopards on Saturday. In their first game for five months the Ducks won 91-82 behind closed doors in Qingdao, with Lin telling media he was “grateful” to play again and hoped the CBA return from its coronavirus hiatus would give other leagues confidence. “The most important thing is we can play again,” Lin said at the pre-game press conference. “I'm grateful for CBA's efforts to give us a chance to play again.” “The CBA League's restart means a lot to the revival of global sports, hopefully it can give confidence to other basketball leagues and players,” he added. Lin scored 13 points and laid on six assists against Liaoning, who were without their foreign star Lance Stephenson, who has not returned to the team. Stephenson had been linked with a move to the NBA’s Indiana Pacers during the CBA’s lockdown. NBA champion Lin, who won his ring with the Toronto Raptors last year before moving to Beijing, averaged 24.2 points and 5.8 assists in the first 30 games in China this season. View this post on Instagram Restarting the CBA season today...but this time it feels so different. The return of games means more than just hoops. It represents us as humanity fighting to take our next steps post-COVID. On the other hand, I step onto the court with a heavy heavy heart. I know there are so many people hurting, so many sick, so much injustice. It almost doesnt seem right that I get to hoop. But I also know what the game stands for - people who unite to enjoy competition regardless of age, skin color or beliefs. Bball at its best is a game of teamwork, equality and love. Im still learning, listening and thinking about how I can be a better ally. In the meantime hope our games can bring some light to the world ️ A post shared by Jeremy Lin 林書豪 (@jlin7) on Jun 19, 2020 at 4:55pm PDT His teammate Zhu Yanxi top scored with 15 points in the win that moved Beijing to third on the standings. The top four teams go straight through to the quarter-finals of the playoffs. Liaoning’s Han Dejun scored 27 with teammate Guo Ailun added 23. Lin wrote an emotional message on Instagram ahead of the CBA’s return. “Restarting the CBA season today … but this time it feels so different. The return of games means more than just hoops. It represents us as humanity fighting to take our next steps post-COVID. How to watch Jeremy Lin and the CBA’s Covid-19 return “On the other hand, I step onto the court with a heavy heavy heart. I know there are so many people hurting, so many sick, so much injustice. It almost doesnt seem right that I get to hoop. But I also know what the game stands for – people who unite to enjoy competition regardless of age, skin color or beliefs. Bball at its best is a game of teamwork, equality and love. “Im still learning, listening and thinking about how I can be a better ally. In the meantime hope our games can bring some light to the world.” The Ducks, who have a 20-11 record for the season, play again on Tuesday.
