Jeremy Lin made a critical turnover in last night’s Houston Rocket playoff loss to the Portland Trailblazers.
For that mistake, Lin took full blame.
He failed to call timeout after securing a rebound with just 11 seconds left in regulation.
Instead he tried to dribble out of traffic and the Blazers were able to steal the ball, tie the game and send it into overtime.
“It shouldn’t have been in overtime in the first place,” said Lin. “I should have held onto the ball and called timeout.”
Chris Baldwin with Culture Map questions why Rocket coach Kevin McHale felt the need to call out his back up point guard to the media.
“Jeremy gets the defensive rebound and dribbles it out and we lose the ball,” McHale said. “We couldn’t be any clearer, than ‘Clear break or timeout.’ ”
Yet McHale didn’t do the same with his starting point guard, Patrick Beverley. Beverley’s turnover at the end of overtime prevented his team from getting one last chance to put up a game tying shot.
So why call out Lin and not Beverley. And was it even necessary to call out Lin who readily shouldered the blame just a game after spreading the credit around after his key hustle play Friday night helped the Rockets win game three?
The Rockets are now down in the series 3-1.
Read Baldwin’s blog in the Culture Map and let us know what you think.