Jeremy Lin played in all 43 games for the Lakers this year–sometimes looking overmatched, sometimes showing encouraging signs. It’s been a frustrating campaign, as Lin has admitted. But frustration must be at an all-time high today because that 43 game streak just came to an end. Lin couldn’t get off coach Byron Scott’s bench in a bad loss to the Spurs Friday night. Scott started rookie Jordan Clarkson who was spelled by journeyman veteran Ronnie Price. Lin watched and wondered.
[Jeremy Lin — Is He Or Isn’t He?]
It’s Lin first season in LA. The team lost Steve Nash first, then Kobe Bryant for the season. That likely signals a wholesale commitment to rebuilding like what’s going on in New York with the Knicks. Coach Scott said he thought he’d “get Ronnie a little bit more of a look tonight, I know what Jeremy can do.” That’s not good for Lin, even though Scott also told reporters Lin would play again. If Scott knows what Lin can do and didn’t want to see it, there’s little reason to think he’s going to want to see it in the next game. Or the next.
