Los Angeles Lakers’ Jeremy Lin, left, puts up a shot against Phoenix Suns’ Earl Barron during the first half of a preseason NBA basketball game on Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2014, in Anaheim, Calif. (File photo/AP Photo)
For a player that has become weary of the hype surrounding him, Jeremy Lin has still lived up to it. No, “Linsanity” hasn’t returned to the Lakers. At least not yet. But he has made enough of a difference that Lin will start in the Lakers’ season opener tonight against the Houston Rockets at Staples Center.
Granted, Lin dutifully noted that he is starting partly because of a season-ending injury to Steve Nash (back) and a less severe injury to Ronnie Price (right knee). Lakers coach Byron Scott had also favored Price for most of exhibition play for reasons including Lin’s recent left ankle injury, Price’s experience and Lin’s secondary scoring helping a depleted Lakers bench. But Scott made it clear the starting point guard position is fluid.
Yet, it appears Lin has the tools eventually to keep the spot permanently. He has closed out fourth quarters. Lin and Kobe Bryant thus far have shown a good balance between both ball handling duties and scoring. Lin’s aggressive mentality in attacking the basket has both created easy baskets and opened the floor for others. All of this sparked Magic Johnson to endorse Lin on Twitter.
This all became a topic of discussion recently on Time Warner Cable’s Access SportsNet where host Chris McGee, analyst Dave Miller and I talked about Lin’s presence with the Lakers thus far.
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Follow L.A. Daily News Lakers beat writer Mark Medina on Twitter and on Facebook. E-mail him at mark.medina@langnews.com