Over the span of nearly two decades, there’s been no question which player is taking the last shot or leading the Los Angeles Lakers to victory in the fourth quarter.
Kobe Bryant was the undisputed leader and arguably the best closer in the NBA, but with the five-time NBA champion on the shelf, there’s no clear cut option for who’ll be the player to closeout games.
— Think You Know Everything About Kobe Bryant? Take The Ultimate Kobe Quiz! —
After the loss to the Miami Heat on Wednesday, head coach Byron Scott was asked who is the team’s current closer with the game on the line. Scott responded with the following on TWCSportsNet, via Lakers Nation reporter Serena Winters:
Byron Scott (on TWC) explaining who's going to close games: "Going with whoever's playing well basically, no secret formula."
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) March 5, 2015
In the last seven games since the All-Star break, Jeremy Lin has been playing a much improved brand of basketball. The veteran point guard has played extremely well offensively with an aggressive style of play attacking the basket while also getting his teammates involved.
With Lin stepping up, it would seem as though he’d be the clear choice for Coach Scott in terms of the player needing to have the ball in his hands with the game on the line. Although it was a rough start for Lin in Los Angeles, the 26-year-old is quickly turning over a new leaf and might be the player Scott starts to look to in the fourth quarter.
[divide]Would Kobe Bryant Play Beyond The NBA?