Taipei: Fubon Braves shooting guard Lin Chih-chieh, widely regarded as Taiwan's greatest basketball player, scored a season-high 21 points Saturday in the first game of his two-game retirement series at the Taipei Arena.
According to Focus Taiwan, playing in front of a sellout crowd of 13,500, the 42-year-old guard made five field goals, including four three-pointers, and sank seven free throws to lead the Braves to a 114-95 win over the Taoyuan Pauian Pilots. Lin expressed that many thoughts went through his mind before the game, but he focused on execution once it started. He made an impressive start by hitting four of his first five shots from beyond the arc, scoring 14 points in under five minutes in the first quarter before being subbed out.
He finished the first half with 18 points, making all four of his free throws, as the Braves built a commanding 64-42 lead. Lin, who has averaged about 18 minutes per game this season, logged nearly 25 minutes Saturday and attempted 11 field goals-his third- and second-highest totals of the campaign, respectively.
After scoring just three points in the second half, Lin mentioned that his early performance was due to having more energy at the start of the game, shifting his focus to defense later on. A tense moment occurred when Lin fell onto his back in the paint, raising concerns among the crowd. However, he remained in the game before being rested with fewer than two minutes remaining.
The victory had playoff implications as well. The Braves improved to 8-12, sitting third in the four-team P. LEAGUE+ (PLG) standings, 3.5 games ahead of the 3-14 Yankey Ark Professional Basketball Team, with four games left in the regular season. Only the top three teams advance to the playoffs. Braves general manager and acting head coach Roger Hsu said Lin prioritized the team's success over his milestone performance, although Hsu urged him to play for the fans.
Lin's illustrious career began in 2003 with Taiwan Beer in the Super Basketball League (SBL) and has spanned over two decades and multiple leagues, including a stint in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) from 2009, where he earned seven All-Star selections before returning to Taiwan in 2019 to join the Braves. Lin has won two SBL titles and led the Braves to three consecutive PLG championships from 2021 to 2023.
Pilots head coach Iurgi Caminos, who started coaching in Taiwan in 2022, praised Lin's legacy, stating that he respects the game and is a great competitor. Lin's retirement ceremony is set to take place after Sunday's game against the Yankey Ark Professional Basketball Team, featuring a live performance by the band Men Envy Children and a preview screening of a documentary on his career. Despite the ceremony, Lin will continue to play in the remaining games of the season, as confirmed by the team.