NBA: Jeremy Lin Could Shine For Houston Rockets In 2013 NBA Playoffs After Russell Westbrook's Injury

So far, Jeremy Lin's first foray into the grueling world of the NBA Playoffs hasn't been great.

In the first two games of the series, Lin has averaged a paltry 5.5 points, a stark drop-off from the 17.3 points he was averaging in nine regular season games in April. Shooting wise, the Houston Rockets point guard has also struggled, seeing his shooting drop from 44.0 percent in the April regular season games to 28.6 percent in the first round playoff series against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

However, there have been some positive signs among the Rockets' losses to OKC as of late. After getting shellacked in Game 1, Lin was a big part of the three-guard rotation with James Harden and Patrick Beverley that Rockets coach Kevin McHale was experimenting with on Wednesday that attacked the Thunder aggressively and relentlessly, setting up quick shots and points in the paint. Lin was starting to look comfortable in that set of attack before the injury took him out of the game.

And speaking of injury, there is now one major new development that can swing the momentum back to the Rockets-Thunder All-Star guard Russell Westbrook is out indefinitely, probably for the series, after tearing his meniscus when Beverley collided with him during the game on Wednesday.

While the news is a devastating blow for the Thunder's title hopes, it could be the break that the Rockets have been waiting for. Without Westbrook, OKC's second leading scorer, it puts more pressure on Kevin Durant to be the offensive go-to option for the defending Western Conference champs Oklahoma City. That's one less headache the Rockets have to worry about now as they try to rally from down 0-2 to pull off one of the biggest upsets in NBA playoff history.

But what does this mean for Lin?

Well, for starters, it could mean that McHale could be inclined to opening a few more offensive schemes for Lin to take more shots. Without Westbrook there, the Thunder are still a good team, but they have fewer weapons on offense that can make the Rockets pay for any offensive lapses. That leaves room for the Rockets to take a few chances.

Harden is still the go-to option for Houston, and Parson is second, but with a triple threat of adding Lin into the offense, especially with the new three-guard system, Lin has an opportunity to really step up and give the Thunder headaches on offense by driving to the lane more.

Lin has been getting off fewer shot attempts from what he was getting in the start of April, taking only seven shots in each game against OKC, compared to the double-digit shot attempts he was getting as April started. Although, that number can be a bit misleading as Lin got off seven shots in the first half of Wednesday's 105-102 loss in Oklahoma City before he was forced to sit out of the second half after getting hit by Thabo Sefolosha in the chest.

He'll have to do a much better job of sinking his shots, especially now, but if Lin can adjust and get more aggressive on the offensive end as the series shifts back to Houston, the Rockets have the chance to catch up with, and perhaps even overtake the Thunder.

While Lin is day-to-day at the moment due to the bruised right chest caused by Sefolosha, he could likely be back for Game 3. But he will have to take advantage of this opportunity created by Westbrook's misfortune. When the Chicago Bulls lost Derrick Rose last season after Game 1 of the first round, the Bulls eventually fell to the No.8-seeded Philadelphia 76ers. This could be the break that can give both Lin and the Rockets the boost they need to win the series.

But like all opportunities, it will depend on what they make of it.