Jeremy Lin had his best performance as a Houston Rocket last night against the San Antonio Spurs. With James Harden sidelined due to an ankle injury, Lin took control of the Rocket’s offense much like the time of Linsanity earlier this year. After starting slowly in the first quarter scoring just two points, he started pouring it on from the second quarter on. Lin knocked down a pair of 3s in the second period and two more triples in the third. He shined in the third all over the court : dishing dimes, buzzer beating threes, left-handed layups, and easy free throws. His third quarter blitz continued into the fourth, scoring six points during a 9-2 run to help Houston extend its lead.

ALthough Houston lost, Jeremy Lin tied his career high of 38 points (11-21 FG, 12-12 FT) and hit a career-best four three pointers (4-5 3FG), marking his second 20-plus point performance of the season. Rounding out his stats for the night were 7 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks. Previously, Lin scored 21 points (6-16 FG, 7-8 FT), a career-high 10 rebounds and seven assists at Atlanta (11/2/12). Earlier this year, Lin set his career high in points with 38 vs. the L.A. Lakers (2/10/12).

Even with the career high, Lin couldn’t really enjoy his big game because it didn’t help Houston get the win. He wasted little time reminding everyone of that which matters most to him on the basketball court. “I am thankful that I was able to kind of get comfortable out there, but that’s definitely secondary to the fact that we blew another close game,” he said after tying his career-high for scoring with 38 points. “I had the ball to win it and didn’t even get a shot up. That one hurt.” As for the team continuing to work together, Lin stated, “It’s a process and we all understand that. It’s not just me; it’s just getting everybody involved and everybody comfortable so that when we get out there we have that same type of familiarity that San Antonio has where everybody is getting going and everyone is comfortable. I think it’s just a matter of time.”

Here’s more from Jeremy Lin about the game:

(On what went wrong ) “We went through lapses. We’ve done that a decent amount, defensive lapses and on rotations we left Tony Parker wide open and we didn’t get a couple of rebounds and offensively we didn’t get quality shots every time.”

(On the loss) “It’s tough obviously. I am thankful that I was able to kind of get comfortable out there, but that’s definitely secondary to the fact that we blew another close game. I had the ball to win it and didn’t get a shot up and so this one definitely hurts.”

(on feeling more like himself on the court)
I think, for me, I play the best just like anybody – when you’re comfortable. I think getting extra shots up and things like that, things are starting to feel more comfortable for me. Mentally, it’s trying to be aggressive, but control it at the same time. I’ve learned a lot through a lot of my struggles throughout the season. Through it all I’ve been able to see what’s going to work and what’s not going to work.

(on hitting outside shots early)
That’s really important for me. A lot of times when I hit one, I hit a few more. It’s nice to see some go in early.
I’m just playing. I’m not necessarily thinking anything specifically, I’m just trying to play. I may be more aggressive subconsciously.

(on keeping the momentum when James Harden comes back)
That’s just something we’ve got to keep working at. It’s a process and we all understand that. It’s not just me; it’s just getting everybody involved and everybody comfortable so that when we get out there we have that same type of familiarity that San Antonio has where everybody is getting going and everyone is comfortable. I think it’s just a matter of time. We’re all working at it.

Rockets vs Spurs highlights

Jeremy Lin postgame interview

Jeremy Lin highlights against Spurs

Jeremy Lin full highlights for 38 points

Fighter of the Decade MANNY “Pacman” PACQUIAO of the Philippines and four-division world champion JUAN MANUEL “Dinamita” MÁRQUEZ of México will go toe-to-toe once again in a 12-round welterweight battle between two of this era’s top pound for pound and evenly matched fighters. Pacquiao-Márquez 4, the eagerly anticipated fourth act of their historic rivalry that has had fans and media standing on their feet for 36 action-packed rounds, will take place Saturday, December 8, 2012 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, in Las Vegas, NV.

“Our previous fights against each other brought out the best in us,” said Pacquiao. “Of all the opponents I have fought, Juan Manuel Márquez is the only one who was able to anticipate many of my moves and effectively counter a lot of them. I underestimated him in our last fight but I will not make that mistake this time. Freddie Roach and I will make the most of every training day to prepare for Juan Manuel which is why my all my training will take place at Wild Card in Hollywood. No days will be wasted traveling between training camps in the Philippines and California. When I walk into the ring on December 8, it will be another opportunity to bring honor and glory to my country and to my fellow Filipinos in the Philippines and around the world.”

“I am very excited to be fighting Manny again,” countered Márquez. “I beat him the first three fights but did not get the decision; this time I will beat him again and I also will get the victory officially. It’s an election year and I am going to win by a landslide.”

Pacquiao (54-4-2, 38 KOs), the lone congressional representative from the Sarangani province in the Philippines, returns to the Fight Capital of the World as the only fighter to win eight world titles in as many weight divisions. A three-time Fighter of the Year and the Boxing Writers Association of America’s “Fighter of the Decade,” Pacquiao’s resume features victories over future Hall of Famers, including Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Miguel Cotto, Shane Mosley and Márquez. From 2008 to 2010, five of his seven victories were world title victories in five different divisions, where he dethroned super featherweight champion Márquez, lightweight champion David Diaz, junior welterweight champion Hatton, welterweight champion Cotto and he annihilated three-time world champion Antonio Margarito for the vacant super welterweight title. Pacquiao’s seven-year, 15-bout winning streak came to an end on June 9, when he lost his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight crown to undefeated WBO junior welterweight champion Timothy Bradley, Jr. via a controversial split decision. Pacquiao’s knockout victories over Cotto and Hatton in 2009, his victories over Joshua Clottey and Margarito in 2010, his wins against Mosley and Márquez in 2011 as well as his disputed loss to Bradley in June have combined for more than seven million pay-per-view buys making Pacquiao a pay-per-view king. No boxer sold more live tickets in the U.S. than Pacquiao in 2010 and 2011, making him a pound-for-pound monarch in the ring and at the box office.

Márquez (54-6-1, 39 KOs), of México City, is one of only a rare few fighters from México to have won world titles in four different weight divisions. He captured his first world title – the vacant International Boxing Federation (IBF) featherweight championship – with a seventh-round stoppage of three-time featherweight champion Manuel Medina in 2003. He unified the title that same year with a decisive victory over World Boxing Association (WBA) featherweight titlist Derrick Gainer. Márquez successfully defended the titles three times during his three-year reign, which included unanimous decision victories over Victor Polo and Orlando Salido and a Draw with Pacquiao. After losing the crown to Chris John and winning the WBO interim featherweight crown, all in 2006, Márquez moved up in weight to dethrone the legendary Marco Antonio Barrera and claim his World Boxing Council (WBC) super featherweight championship belt in 2007. After successfully defending the title, by a unanimous decision over Ricky Juarez, he lost the title in his 2008 rematch with Pacquiao by the slimmest of margins – a one point split decision. Since that fight, Márquez has won six of his last eight fights, including knockout victories of Joel Casamayor, Juan Diaz and Michael Katsidis — the latter two in World Boxing Association (WBA) / WBO lightweight championship fights. In his last fight, on April 14, Márquez won his fourth world title in as many divisions, capturing the WBO interim junior welterweight championship with a dominant 12-round unanimous decision over Serhiy Fedchenko.

Manny Pacquiao vs Juan Marquez preview

Director Ursula Liang is working on a feature documentary about an isolated and exceptionally athletic Chinese-American sport, 9-Man. 9-MAN is a streetball game played in Chinatown by Chinese American and Chinese Canadian men. It’s fast, chaotic, unpredictable, grueling; the rules are distinct and exist no where else in the world—imagine volleyball with 18 guys, dunks, and bloodied elbows. This is a sport that is completely unique to Chinese-Americans and therefore something very special to those who play it. Why haven’t you heard of it? Because it’s played only by men. And two-thirds of the players have to be “100% Chinese”. And perhaps because good things are often kept secret. If you’re not part of the 9-man community, you may have no idea what an incredible scene it is.

Since the 1930’s, young men have played this gritty, streetball game in the alleys and parking lots of Chinatown. It started when the community was a Bachelor Society (men outnumbered women 4-to-1) at a time when anti-Chinese sentiment and laws like the Chinese Exclusion Act forced Chinese restaurant workers and laundrymen to socialize exclusively amongst themselves. It offered both escape and fraternity for men who were separated from their families in China and facing extreme discrimination and distrust. Today, some 80 years later, 9-man is a lasting connection to Chinatown for a community of men who know a different, more integrated America and it’s a game that has grown exponentially in athleticism. 9-man punctuates each summer with a vibrant, aggressive, exhausting bragging-rights tournament that unites thousands of Chinese-Americans and maintains traditional rules and customs.

The documentary “9-Man” introduces the history of the game and a diverse cast of modern-day characters – from 6’7″ Olympian Kevin Wong to a 91-year-old pioneer – combining vérité footage and interviews with never before seen archival footage and photos sourced directly from the community. Pivoting between oil-spotted Chinatown parking lots and jellyfish-filled banquet scenes, the film captures the spirit of 9-man as players not only battle for a championship but fight to preserve a sport that holds so much history.

You can help fund this documentary here.

Help fund 9-Man documentary

For you Jeremy Lin fans, here’s a highlight reel you might have missed the other night. He had a one handed Tomahawk Dunk Against Raptors toward the end of a blowout game. His dunk started about the dotted line of the free throw circle. For the game, Lin had 16 points and 10 assists for Houston and went 7 for 9 from the field, his best shooting game of the season. After struggling early in the season, Lin seems to have found his shooting groove back over the past couple games. Perhaps playing against his old team the New York Knicks gave him the boost he was looking for.

Jeremy Lin One handed Tomahawk Dunk Against Raptors