Jeremy Lin gets some of vote confidence from veteran NBA coach Byron Scott, who emerges as the frontrunner for the vacant Los Angeles Lakers head coaching gig.
In an interview with Time Warner Cable SportsNet, Scott did not even mince word in expressing how he likes the 25-year old Lin as the newest member of the Lakers, citing that his ability to make an impact on the offensive end and hold his ground defensively are the good attributed of the former Harvard varsity.
"I like Jeremy, I really do. I think he's a kid that plays the right way [and] plays extremely hard. He seems to always be in attack mode offensively. [He] pushes the ball up the floor as well as anybody in the league. Defensively - the thing that I thought was going to his biggest downfall - was something that I thought he really competed at the times I coached against him."
Scott, who coached the Cleveland Cavaliers, New Orleans Hornets and the New Jersey Nets, believed Lin is heading into the new season more focused as he tried to prove his worth after dismal two season with the Houston Rockets.
"He's, I think, looking to kind of re-establish himself because of the injuries that he had last year in Houston and [he] kind of lost his way and lost his job there, and I think he's going to [come to L.A.] with a little chip on his shoulder, so I thought it was a good move," Scott said of Lin, who averaged 12 points and 4 assists in a Sixth Man role last season.
Lin is one of the Lakers offseason acquisitions, as general manager Mitch Kupchak acquired him along with a first-round pick in a trade with the Rockets. With 40-year old Steve Nash expected to see limited minutes, The Lakers badly needed an upgrade in the point guard position, and Lin could fit the role very well because of his knack to execute plays - especially the pick-and-roll - and knock shots efficiently.
He shot 44 percent from the field and 35 percent from beyond the arc last year, while showing that he can play good defense against more athletic guards. Several analysts believed Scott, who has experience coaching Jason Kidd, Kyrie Irving and Chris Paul, could help Lin refine his game into a better playmaker.
Scott, a member of the Lakers' Showtime, is among the candidates being considered by the Lakers as the franchise's next head coach.
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