Lin Chih-chieh’s PLG Retirement Game: High Scores, Huge Earnings and On-Court Drama
- Taiwanese basketball legend Lin Chih-chieh delivered a dominant performance in the opening game of his two-game retirement series on April 11, 2026.
- Playing before a sellout crowd of 13,500, the 42-year-old Lin demonstrated the skill that has led many to regard him as the greatest player in Taiwanese basketball history.
- He scored 14 points in less than five minutes during the first quarter, converting four of his first five attempts from beyond the arc.
Taiwanese basketball legend Lin Chih-chieh delivered a dominant performance in the opening game of his two-game retirement series on April 11, 2026. The Fubon Braves shooting guard scored a season-high 21 points to lead his team to a 114-95 victory over the Taoyuan Pauian Pilots at the Taipei Arena.
Playing before a sellout crowd of 13,500, the 42-year-old Lin demonstrated the skill that has led many to regard him as the greatest player in Taiwanese basketball history. He recorded five field goals, which included four three-pointers, and successfully sank seven free throws during the contest.
Lin’s impact was immediate following the tip-off. He scored 14 points in less than five minutes during the first quarter, converting four of his first five attempts from beyond the arc. By the end of the first half, Lin had accumulated 18 points and made all four of his free throw attempts, helping the Braves establish a 64-42 lead.
Performance and Physicality
The game marked a significant increase in workload for Lin, who has averaged approximately 18 minutes per game throughout the season. On April 11, 2026, he logged nearly 25 minutes and attempted 11 field goals, marking his second-highest total of field goal attempts this campaign.
Lin noted that his high scoring output in the first half was a result of having more energy at the start of the game. After scoring only three points in the second half, he explained that he shifted his focus toward defense as the game progressed.
The match was not without tension. In the second half, Lin fell onto his back in the paint, causing brief concern among the spectators. Reporting from Liberty Sports and Yahoo Sports indicated a conflict involving a player named Atino, who reportedly leaped over Lin, leading to a heated reaction from the veteran guard and a technical foul for the Braves’ head coach.
Lin Chih-chieh
So many things had gone through my mind before the game. But I locked in and focused on execution once the game started.
Regarding the on-court conflict and the humiliation
of the play, Lin later stated that such incidents are simply part of the game.
Career Context and Retirement
Lin’s retirement follows a decision confirmed on October 3, 2025, to hang up his jersey after the 2025-26 P.LEAGUE+ (PLG) season. His final campaign was marked by resilience; he returned to the court on January 4, 2026, in a game against the Tainan TSG GhostHawks. This was his first appearance since May 21, 2025, when a left wrist injury sustained during Game 7 of the PLG Finals threatened to end his two-decade career prematurely.
The commercial impact of his retirement series has also been significant. According to Mirror Media, the events surrounding Lin’s retirement have generated substantial revenue, with reports indicating earnings of 25 million TWD in a single day.
Beyond the court, the Fubon Braves announced that an exhibition honoring Lin Chih-chieh’s career is scheduled to open in Taipei in late May 2026 and will run for three weeks.
The victory over the Taoyuan Pauian Pilots, the defending PLG champions, serves as a high note for the legend as he concludes his professional journey in the league.