Jeremy Lin: Leading the Bench Isn’t a Bad Thing (video)

Jeremy Lin has been inconsistent this year.  There’s a very simple reason for this.  The way the Lakers play from game-to-game is inconsistent.  Why?  Kobe Bryant changes his style of play from game-to-game.  He can impersonate Magic Johnson for a couple of games.  He can revert back to a scoring mentality of Michael Jordan.  That’s how talented he is.  

More from Lake Show Life

• 4 Disposable Lakers if the team needs to create a roster spot
• Lakers coach thinks Kyrie Irving is Kobe Bryant but shorter
• Latest Kevin Durant report is music to Lakers’ ears for Kyrie Irving pursuit
• Why the Lakers should be jumping at a Julius Randle trade
• Lakers potentially open to trading Anthony Davis if this happens

It also makes him unpredictable.

Jeremy Lin’s success comes from him becoming the leader.  During his time with the New York Knicks, he took an injury-depleted roster and successful won games.  Guys like Steve Novak and Landry Fields were getting the majority of playing time.  They are one-dimenstional offensive players.  Tyson Chandler proved to be the perfect complement to Lin.  Chandler erased shots at the rim defensively, but also ran the pick-and-roll perfectly next to Lin.  Brush screens led to lob dunks. The entire team was psyched with teamwork and execution.

Kobe Bryant is a ball-dominant guard.  He has always been that way, and it’s too late for him to change.  No longer is Kobe Bryant a definitive SG.  He is now the combo guard.  Secretly, he always has been.  Derek Fisher was the perfect complement to him in terms of friendship, leadership, and play on the basketball floor.  All Fisher had to do was spot up in the corners.

Jeremy Lin is much more than that.  He is an under-appreciated defensive player who has a knack for finishing in the paint.  Like Kobe, Lin needs a shooter next to him to maintain the spacing, while he can take control of the offensive end.  It has been mentioned before that Lin is the best field goal shooter on the basketball team.  Why?  He finishes well above the average in the paint.  He has great shot selection behind the three-point line, even if his percentage isn’t a great reflection of it.  He counters points in the paint and the three-point shot with a slight mid-range fadeaway shot to keep defenses guessing.

These are his three most polished offensive moves.  He can now take the reigns of the bench unit, help them to thrive, and find success with his offensive game in the process.  This time around, it may be even better with Ed Davis, Nick Young, and Wayne Ellington beside him.

That team is better suited for him.

He may be best suited for that unit.

What do you guys think?  Should Jeremy Lin continue to start?  Or should Byron Scott looks elsewhere to make changes?  Leave comments below!