On Thursday night, the Toronto Raptors will take on the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 3 of their second round matchup. With the series tied at one win apiece, this game could be pivotal.
The Raptors won't be at full strength. They'll be missing an important bench piece in guard Jeremy Lin. Via Blake Murphy of The Athletic on Twitter:
Jeremy Lin is out with back spasms.
— Blake Murphy (@BlakeMurphyODC) May 2, 2019
Lin did not make it onto the court for Game 2, and played just over three minutes in Game 1. His absence adds pressure onto other bench pieces like Norman Powell and Fred VanVleet.
No longer the impact player he was earlier in his career, Lin started just four games all season. He began the year with the Atlanta Hawks, but the team bought him out in February and he joined Toronto for the stretch run. He was often used off the bench in both Atlanta and Toronto and played in 74 games in 2018-19.
In the regular season, he averaged 9.6 points, 2.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 19.4 minutes. This is just his fourth time in the postseason, but he was very productive during his last two playoff runs with the Charlotte Hornets in 2016 and the Houston Rockets in 2014.
Lin will be a free agent this offseason. As a well-liked bench player, he will likely have plenty of offers.
The Raptors won Game 1 with ease, while the Sixers just narrowly won Game 2. The two teams appear to be evenly matched, and this will likely be a very competitive series. Game 3 begins at 8:00 P.M. EST.
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