Just as you would expect from the always straightforward Jeremy Lin, he looks at the last three seasons and sees mostly disappointment. He set himself up for it, after scaling the insanely steep and lofty peak known as Linsanity three years ago in New York. This year has been a debacle for the Lakers–and Lin’s year has been a microcosm of the larger Lakers scenario: good–even great–moments that have been hard to sustain. (Especially hard when you’re stuck on the bench, Lin supporters rightly claim.)
But Lin, who couldn’t quite break out in Houston after New York, doesn’t see himself merely as a victim of Lakers coach Byron Scott’s perverse playing-time dispersal. At least Lin won’t say so. And he’s smart, as usual, in letting the load fall on his shoulders–where it will ultimately sit long after his playing time woes are forgotten. After all, Byron Scott wasn’t in Houston. As Lin told writer Pablo S. Torre: “I’ve always wanted to be great. And for three straight years, I’ve put in a lot of work, but I haven’t seen the results on the court.” He hasn’t seen the results. Plain and simple. And the question still remains is Jeremy Lin an elite point guard–or not? He enters free agency after this season hoping four years is the charm.
