With Kobe Bryant deciding to stay on the sidelines to heal, Jeremy Lin and Jordan Clarkson are expected to shoulder the burden for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Master Herald reported that point guard Lin, who is the second highest-paid Laker, is being pressured by fans to deliver on the court the value that they are supposed to be getting. Lin is on a three-year $25-million deal with the Lakers after he was acquired from the Houston Rockets. The main issue with Lin is his inconsistency. On some games, he tends to shine but during his off-days, he is almost non-existent.
Lakers coach Byron Scott said that Bryant will be okay and will be coming back on the court after he had rested enough. Scott also said in the same Master Herald report that he does not think that Lin's performance is bad, but he is not doing great for the team either. He is currently playing below what he is worth.
Referring to Lin after the game, Coach Scott was quoted as saying, "I don't think he's been great. I think he's been OK. But I don't think he's been terrible, either."
Mercury News wrote that Lin has been criticized for his dismal performance, particularly during the Lakers' last outing against the Utah Jazz, where they lost 94-85. Lin was on the court for 30 minutes but only managed six points after shooting 3-for-10. He also had three assists and three turnovers. The Lakers now have a 12-29 record, which is the fourth worst in NBA.
Teammate Nick Young said, "It's a tough system for him and playing with a hard-nosed coach and hard-nosed player (Bryant). But Jeremy is going to be all right."
According to Lakers Nation, Lin is still an integral part of the Lakers, especially now that he is back to being a starter.
Aside from Lin, Rant Sports reported that rookie guard Jordan Clarkson is also expected to step up in Kobe's absence. Clarkson is currently playing 11.9 minutes a night but stays longer when Bryant is on the bench. He has the athleticism to play two-guard and has the height and speed too. However, he needs to improve his decision-making skills which can only be done if he plays longer during games. He has a PER of 14.2, which is equal to Lin and better than other guys in the backcourt like Ronnie Price and Wayne Ellington. With more time, Clarkson can develop into a promising guard.