Ducks are Lin it to win it

Return of former NBA stars breathes new life into Beijing's CBA title ambitions

With two familiar faces back in the fold, the Beijing Ducks look primed to return to title contention as the Chinese Basketball Association league resumes this weekend.

Ranked ninth in the standings after the season's opening stage, the Ducks head into the second bubble targeting their fourth championship thanks to the return of former NBA guards Jeremy Lin and Jonathan Gibson.

The league restarts on Saturday following a break for the FIBA World Cup qualifying window.

Lin, who re-signed with the Ducks this summer following a first stint with the franchise in the 2019-20 campaign, said he expects to turn things around when he returns to the court following a setback-ridden year that included battling a coronavirus infection.

"Every time I step on a basketball court to play with friends, or opponents, I don't take it for granted," Lin, who tested positive for COVID-19 after arriving in China from the United States in August, said after a training session on Monday in Beijing.

"With so much uncertainty under the COVID situation, you can't be sure whether you can play the next game or not, so being able to play again was a blessing already. I just need to make the best out of it," said Lin, who underwent treatment and quarantine in Shanghai before being cleared to rejoin the Ducks in October.

Nearly 10 months have passed since Lin's last competitive action, in the NBA G-League. He admitted that physically he still has some rust to shake, but mentally he feels refreshed.

"I am really looking forward to playing in the CBA for a second season, knowing the league better now after my first year's experience," said Lin, who dropped 9 kilograms in weight during quarantine.

"We got some new talent in the team and I am quite familiar with the older guys we have, so communication-wise we won't have any problems. I believe we will figure out the right way to play together and stronger once the league resumes."

In his previous run with the Ducks, Lin－who inspired the "Linsanity" craze with a series of standout performances for the New York Knicks during the 2011-12 season－averaged 22.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.6 assists in 43 games during Beijing's run to the CBA semifinals in the 2019-20 season.

Led by Greek coach Yannis Christopoulos, the Ducks will go up against the red-hot Liaoning Flying Leopards, who finished top of the standings with a 12-1 record after phase one, on Saturday in Changchun, Jilin province, where the league will continue playing inside a bio-secure bubble.

Christopoulos, a former assistant coach with the Chinese national squad known for his team-first philosophy, has pinned high hopes on Lin to dictate play on both ends of the floor.

"He's a drummer and he leads offense and defense," Christopoulos said of Lin.

"His basketball IQ is very important for our team and he is a player that can give us solutions when it matters and when things are getting complicated for us."

Gibson averaged 24.2 points and 3.6 assists for the Ducks last season, and Christopoulos is anticipating more heavy scoring from the 34-year-old.

"I'm very pleased with his condition,"Christopoulos said of Gibson's form after the American underwent a 21-day quarantine upon his arrival from the States.

"I think he's in good shape. He took care of his body and his game. So I think it's a matter of time for him to be with us 100 percent.

"With the two guards, I think we will have consistent chemistry on the court because they're playing kind of similar positions but also they have different playing styles which is good for our team."

With only one foreigner allowed on the court, Lin and Gibson will have to take turns to lead the team, which also includes a group of A-list domestic talents, such as national team forward Zhai Xiaochuan, point guard Fang Shuo and the towering combo of Li Muhao and Fan Ziming in the paint.

"With Jeremy and Jonathan back to lead us on the backcourt, it's up to us to protect the rim more, compete for rebounds harder and set up the screens better for them to make things easier for the whole team," said Fan, who led the team in offense during phase one by scoring 18.6 points per game.

Signed last summer from Guangzhou, Fan is expected to beef up the Ducks' defense under the rim alongside Li, which is likely to prove critical in the highly physical postseason.

Versatile power forward Fan, who boasts a smooth finishing touch and long defensive range, said he feels privileged to team up with Lin, who he rates as a role model.

"To be able to watch and learn from him up close is really an amazing opportunity for me to grow," said Fan, a 23-year-old former national youth team starter.