NEW ORLEANS – By now, close observers of the Lakers should know better than to believe Jeremy Lin has magically flipped a switch and become the dynamic scoring guard the franchise hoped it acquired in July.
It didn’t happen when he scored 21 points and had seven assists in the Lakers’ first win against Charlotte on Nov. 9.
Nor was his 15-point, 10-assist performance eight days later in Atlanta the breakthrough it seemed at the time.
By the sixth week of the season he had been bumped from his starting role by a veteran, Ronnie Price, who had never averaged more than 2.1 assists per game and who started just 35 games in his first nine NBA seasons.
Midway through his first – maybe only – season with the Lakers, Lin’s tenure has been defined by streaky scoring and occasionally impressive assists numbers that are sometimes rivaled by his turnover tally.
So it’s hard to put too much stock into the impressive, balanced line of 10 points, 10 assists and three steals in Monday’s 115-100 loss to the Phoenix Suns.
“I just think he’s struggling to find that happy medium, to be a facilitator as well as a scorer,” Lakers coach Byron Scott said hours before the Suns loss, “Sometimes that’s difficult, it’s still a work in progress.”
Does all fault fall on Lin? It’s never that simple. He is the victim of a slow-down, read-based offense unlike anything he has ever played in, and is saddled with expectations – based on a two-month flurry from three years ago – that he can never reasonably hope to meet.
When Price, who is listed as questionable to play Wednesday, returns to the lineup, it likely will mean a return to the bench for Lin.
So, in his two games back in a starting role, what have we learned about the free agent-to-be?
That not much has changed.
He followed up one dreadful game – six points, three assists, three turnovers Friday in Utah – with a strong one. It’s a consistent cycle of inconsistency.
Lin is not alone there. Any number of high-profile Lakers have been up and down – Jordan Hill, Nick Young, even Kobe Bryant – but Lin’s global popularity and the exorbitant $14.9 million he’s making this season mean he is scrutinized as much or more than anyone but Bryant.
But if you’re looking for hope that this time, Lin has miraculously taken the necessary step to win Scott’s trust and the starting job, there were flashes against the Suns.
Always an up-tempo, scoring guard, Lin has tried to adjust to being more of a set-up man.
“(Scott) wants me to get everybody involved,” Lin said, “and get them set up and get everybody going the way, I guess, that is their strength and stuff.”
He described focusing on finding Young and Wayne Ellington for transition 3-pointers, and spotting when athletic power forward Ed Davis had a lane to the rim.
“Just trying to figure it all out,” he said, “and go out there and just run the show.”
KOBE JOINS TEAM
After sitting out road games Friday and Monday, Bryant rejoined the Lakers Tuesday morning in Phoenix before flying on to New Orleans, but did not participate in the Lakers practice as Scott had indicated he would.
His arrival into Phoenix did not fit with the team’s schedule, and he met the team before heading on to New Orleans. He is listed as questionable against the Pelicans.
BROW-BEATEN
In eight career games against the Lakers, Pelicans do-it-all star Anthony Davis sports averages of 21.5 points, 9.1 rebounds, 2.3 blocks and 1.4 steals.
And while no NBA players wishes harm upon another, the reeling Lakers wouldn’t object to not seeing him Wednesday.
However, that’s looking less and less likely.
The MVP candidate is listed as probable after missing three games with a sprained left toe, including the Pelicans’ loss to the Knicks on Monday that snapped New York’s 16-game losing streak.
The third-year power forward is averaging career-highs in points (24.2 per game), rebounds (10.4) and blocks (2.9)
NOTES
Rookie center Tarik Black is out Wednesday because of a sprained right ankle. … Carlos Boozer is probable with a left triceps contusion.
Contact the writer: boram@ocregister.com
