Jeremy Lin’s Future Is Starting to Look Brighter
By Hannah Kulik
The Oklahoma City Thunder played Sunday without Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, which apparently made the Lakers – and in particular the starters – feel they could win their fourth game in a row just by showing up. The predictable result was that the Lakers fell flat on their collective faces. They never led in the game, shot poorly, were lousy on defense, and even worse, played most of the night without any passion or energy. If it is a coach’s job to ensure that his players are ready to play each game, mentally and emotionally, Byron Scott achieved yet another failing grade.
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Yet, in the midst of a very poor outing there was at least one player on the team who stood out in a positive way. That player was Jeremy Lin. Since the All Star break, even his detractors would have to concede he is playing some of the best basketball of his career. His showing against the Thunder put an explanation point on that statement. He scored 20 points, had 8 assists, grabbed 6 rebounds, and had 3 steals. In the Lakers’ recent modest three game win streak, Lin was a catalyst who brought high energy in each outing and sparked the team with his relentless drives to the rim.
Of course, this is the kind of play the Lakers hoped for when they acquired Lin this past offseason. There was a belief among some in the media that the Lakers represented a fresh start for Lin. He was certain to play big minutes in a starting role as all of the point guards from the previous season – Jordan Farmar, Steve Blake, and Kendall Marshall – were gone. A return to “Linsanity” was unlikely, but Lin was still young and healthy, and, in the final year of his current contract, there was reason to believe he might excel in his new surroundings.
It did not happen. The team was terrible from the start. Lin is the kind of player who needs the ball in his hands, to drive and either get to the rim, pick up a foul, or kick to a teammate for an open shot. None of that was going to happen with Kobe Bryant on the floor. So Lin did what his teammates were doing, meaning he stood around and watched Bryant. Pretty soon he was watching from the bench, as (of all people) Ronnie Price was inserted in the starting line-up as the starting point guard.
The other thing noticeable about Lin’s season was after every game, no matter how poorly his teammates also played, Scott would usually reserve his harshest criticism for Lin.
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The coach would often praise Price for his hard-nose style after a game in which he scored no points and had several turnovers, while continuing to criticize Lin who barely played. Some felt it was unfair. Some felt it might be the product of discrimination against Lin, who is an Asian-American. The truth is, Lin’s uneven minutes, and the team’s never ending rotations on the court, made it impossible for him (or anyone else) to find any consistency or to become comfortable in his role. Through it all, Lin has remained the religious, articulate, and classy guy that he’s always been.
Of course, there is no escaping the fact that Lin contributed to his diminished stature. He generally was ineffective on the court, and sometimes he just played very poorly. He looked out of control at times, had too many turnovers, and his scoring was inconsistent. Lin has to bear a share of the responsibility for his poor play, but the truth is it was exacerbated by a number of factors beyond his control.
It was difficult for his style to co-exist with Bryant on the floor. The team lacks any consistent outside shooters, and the entire offense has seemed disorganized and confused for most of the season. Plus, for most of the year, nearly every member of the roster found himself playing 28 minutes one night, 14 minutes the next, and then, inexplicably, he would sit out an entire game. Witness, for example, Tarik Black’s playing time since joining the team: First he did not play at all, then he played a lot, they he became a starter, now he doesn’t play at all in most games. Is that any way to run a team?
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No matter what he does the rest of the season, it is unlikely Lin will return to the Lakers next year. If for no other reason, when Bryant returns, there is no reason to believe the ball will not be in his hands most of the time and that is just not an effective system for Lin. Another reason is the Lakers are committed at long last to see what Jordan Clarkson can do, and they seem intent on pursuing a free agent this summer if they are not completely sold on Clarkson as a point guard. Finally, though he has tempered his criticism recently, and whether it is fair or not, Scott has made it clear he does not like Lin. Still, while Scott is not in his corner, Lin has turned some heads with his recent play. Even opposing coaches have commented on how well Lin has looked, and that bodes well for his future employment prospects.
Like certain other players on the team such as Ed Davis, Clarkson (until recently), and Black, Lin has been mismanaged this season. The coach continues to start and give consistent minutes to Robert Sacre and Ryan Kelly, who have no future in the league except possibly at the very end of a team’s bench. Even Carlos Boozer starts now, and it is unlikely he’ll be back with the team next year. Lin has shown he can be a good NBA point guard if he is in the right system and has a supportive coach, neither of which he has with the Lakers.
It will be very interesting to see how Lin finishes this season. If his strong play continues, he should look forward to free agency where he can find a team that fits his style of play. As Laker fans, we will be left to ponder the question of what Lin might have accomplished in a better and more supportive system.