Oh brother! Jeremy Lin to miss P League+ clash with sibling Joseph over Taiwan Covid rules
- Former NBA star to arrive in Taiwan on Saturday and will not be allowed to play for 7 days
- Lin can play on February 12 at the earliest, a day after Kaohsiung’s game against the New Taipei Kings
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Any hopes Taiwan basketball fans had of seeing brothers Jeremy and Joseph Lin go head-to-head in the P League+ next weekend vanished, after the former said he would not arrive on the self-ruled island until Saturday.
With Taiwan mandating a seven-day gap between arriving and being able to play, it means the new Kaohsiung 17LIVE Steelers recruit will not be available until the day after the February 11 clash with Joseph’s league-leading New Taipei Kings.
In making the announcement on his social media channels on Wednesday, Lin said he was “very sorry” he would not be able to meet fans at the airport.
“I can play on February 12 at the earliest,” the 34-year-old said. “But that depends on the need of the team as well as my body condition. I will be meeting you all soon, I cannot wait.”
The Steelers will host the Kings in the first of a two back-to-back games, with a match against Formosa Taishin Dreamers scheduled for February 12.
If Lin misses the second of those two, the earliest he could make his home debut would be on March 10 against the Taipei Fubon Braves.
Before that, the league’s bottom team play away games at the Dreamers and Hsinchu JKO Lioneers on February 18 and 25 respectively.
That means the first time the two brothers might face each other across the court will be the game at Xinzhuang Gymnasium, the Kings’ home arena, on February 28.
Fans have already snapped up all the tickets for that fixture, which is only the second time in the Kings’ franchise history they have sold out.
The previous time was a 95-83 victory over the two-time defending champions Braves on New Year’s Day this year.
Former NBA sensation Lin, who won a championship with the Toronto Raptors in 2019, has not played since terminating his contract with Chinese Basketball Association outfit Guangzhou Loong Lions.
He averaged just 11.6 minutes, 6.9 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists, all the lowest of his three-year CBA career, in seven appearances off the bench with the Lions.
Joseph Lin joined the Kings last August. The 30-year-old averaged 30 minutes, 12.4 points, 4.7 assists and 2.8 rebounds in 15 games this season.
