Jeremy Lin, J.J. Barea and Chris Paul all get “friendly bounces”

Monday night was great in terms of basketball, but especially for Friendly Bounces.

Jeremy Lin lead off the night with a gorgeous one. It was late in the first quarter, when Lin received a high screen from Hornets big man Spencer Hawes. He decided against using the pick and drove the lane instead. As he cruised past Miami Heat center Amar’e Stoudemire, Lin drew contact and flipped up a shot with his right hand, which bounced on the front of the rim before falling.

Shout out to Spero Dedes (or Mike Fratello, we are getting conflicting reports) on the call.

J.J. Barea was the next player to be blessed with a Friendly Bounce. Barea came off a Zaza Pachulia with Steven Adams, Dion Waiters and André Roberson all near him. Rather than passing the ball up, Barea threw up a long jumper. It hit the rim, caromed several feet into the air and dropped in.

Before Chris Paul broke his hand against the Blazers last night, he was having a hell of a game, especially in the first half. The Point God scored the Clippers’ first 12 points, including this Friendly Bounce.

Paul came off a double screen from J.J Redick and DeAndre Jordan and pulled up in his spot around the free throw line. The ball hit the front of the rim, hit the back of the rim and hit the bottom of the net.

Friendly Bounce Counter: 10