"Most of the media, and maybe even most of the fans, at Oracle Arena on Wednesday night were there to see Houston center Yao Ming and Warriors guard Jeremy Lin sit the benches on their respective team's inactive lists.

Yao won't play in back-to-back games as he recovers from foot surgery, and Lin isn't ready to produce as an undrafted rookie.

Still, there is a story to tell about the duo. The Asian fan favorites formed a friendship in July, when Yao invited Lin to play in a charity game in Taipei.

"It surprised me when he called," Lin said. "I was like, 'Is this actually happening?' "

Lin said he was nervous, but 12 hours later, he was on a plane halfway around the globe. He headed back to Taiwan for the first time since the seventh grade.

"Why would he be nervous? I think he has a bright future waiting for him," Yao said.

Lin, a Palo Alto High grad, has had to juggle a lot of nerves and the spotlight of consistent media since he signed a partially guaranteed two-year deal with the Warriors in July. He is the first Asian American on the team since Raymond Townsend (1978-80)."