Los Angeles Lakers point guard Jeremy Lin may have already regained his starting role at the point guard spot by now, had not Jordan Clarkson come up with a series of head-turning performances the past couple of months.
Lin, who is averaging 11 points and 5 assists this season, has turned things around after a nightmarish first half of the Lakers' 2014-15 campaign. The former Harvard standout's strong output has certainly given Scott the impression that he's ready to assume a bigger role with the team down the stretch.
Unfortunately, Lin is facing a stumbling block within the Lakers' organization. Clarkson's rapid development has certainly piqued the curiosity of head coach Byron Scott, and kept Lin waiting for his turn to start.
Impressive Showing Vs. Pistons
The Lakers booked their 17th win of the season, as Lin and Wayne Ellington switched turns to ignite a furious rally in the fourth quarter in Tuesday's 93-85 win over the Detroit Pistons at Staples Center, via ESPN.
A day after the Lakers' playoff hopes officially dashed away, Byron Scott's guys responded with solid showing on both ends of the floor to snap a five-game skid and beat the equally struggling Pistons for the second time this season.
Lin, who is averaging 11.6 points and 6.0 dimes over the last five games, recovered from a slow start to chip in with 12 points on 1-for-4 shooting, 5 assists and 7 rebounds. The Chinese American standout was just one of seven Lakers players in double figures, with big man Jordan Hill leading the team with 16 points on 7-for-15 shooting.
Pistons power forward Greg Monroe (24 points and 9 rebounds) and center Andre Drummond (14 points and 21 rebounds) were dominant on the shaded lane. Unfortunately, another cold-shooting night from point guard Reggie Jackson (2 points on 1-for-9 shooting) along with an 11-point output in the third quarter allowed the Lakers to create enough breathing space down the stretch.
Competition for Starting Point Guard Spot
Lin's recent exploit certainly gave an impression to Scott, who admitted a couple of weeks ago that he's contemplating on putting the Asian-American star back in the starting lineup. However, the rise of rookie guard Jordan Clarkson has apparently prevented Lin to regain his old job in the starting five.
In 16 games since Clarkson clinched a starting nod at the point guard position, the Filipino American is averaging 14.4 points, 4.1 assists, and shooting at a 45% clip in 30.4 minutes (via Real GM). Moreover, Clarkson's 6-foot-5 height and 6-foot-8 wingspan also gives the rookie the leverage to create match-up problems on both ends of the floor.
With their contractual future uncertain, Lin (unrestricted free-agent) and Clarkson (team option) will once again try to make an impression in the Lakers' upcoming game against the New York Knicks on Thursday until the final game of the season.