For the first time all season, Jeremy Lin did not play a single second for the Los Angeles Lakers Friday night.
The move comes after the Lakers announced earlier this week that an injury to Kobe Bryant would keep him out of the line up.
Lin is not injured. Coach Byron Scott instead elected to start rookie point guard Jordan Clarkson. The Filipino American scored 11 points and added four assists in his first career start.
Lin walked out the locker room and did not speak to the media after the game.
The Bleacher Report speculates the Lakers are tanking the rest of the season to ensure they get a high draft pick.
The Lakers traded their number 1 draft pick to the Phoenix Suns to get Steve Nash, but get to keep the 2015 pick if its in the top five.
But Lakers Nation quoted coach Byryon Scott as saying about Lin after the game “Not like I’m not going to play him again.”
Laker Show Life pointed out Ryan Kelly didn’t play against the Pelicans Wednesday, but came back Friday to play 22 minutes.
So this could be just Scott looking to shake things up for the 12 – 32 Lakers.
We’ll know more Sunday when the Lakers play Lin’s former team, the Houston Rockets.
