The Brooklyn Nets are not having a good season so far. It got to the point where they were at the tail end of the competition, reaching an all-time low of 1–27. One major reason for the slump was the absence of point guard Jeremy Lin, who was sidelined following a hamstring injury, which forced him to be absent in all but two games. With his return to the court, the Nets seem to be slowly making their way back up.
Lin consistently scored double figures in the last games. He scored 15 points in the recent match against the Atlanta Hawks, where the Nets won at 91–82. He also made 16 points against the Philadelphia 76ers, helping lead his team to victory with a score of 141–118. He also managed 32 points against Orlando Magic, although the Nets lost with a final score of 115–107.
According to Randy Foye, the shooting guard of the Nets, Lin's return paved the way for the team to get back into shape. He said, "From the beginning, Jeremy was a big part of what we were trying to do. In this league, we need a veteran guy to run the show, just to be smart and to do things that younger guys don't understand how to do yet." During Lin's absence, the point guard position was filled by Spencer Dinwiddie and Isaiah Whitehead, both of whom have limited experience playing on the NBA court.
"When Jeremy came back and got his feet under him, obviously, you can see that it changed a lot, especially for our shooters," Foye continued.
Nets Coach Kenny Atkinson, however, said that the comeback was a group effort. "I don't think it's just Jeremy. I think our habits are starting to kick in a little better. It's us getting a little more familiar with each other, the system," he said. Nonetheless, he credits Lin for serving as the glue that brings the Nets together, explaining that the player brings "stability" to the team.
Nonetheless, the Nets have a long way to go to emerge from their slump.
