Benched Jeremy Lin determined to fight on at the LA Lakers
The days of Linsanity are a distant memory as point guard with Taiwanese parents fights through a rough patch with the LA Lakers
Jeremy Lin acknowledges he was surprised and disappointed by his first complete benching in nearly three years.
But the point guard who once sparked Linsanity from New York to China is not ready to quit trying to make a difference for the Los Angeles Lakers this season.
Lin did not play in the Lakers' 99-85 loss at San Antonio on Friday, missing a game for the first time in his first season. He returned to coach Byron Scott's rotation in Sunday's 99-87 loss to the Houston Rockets, playing as a reserve in the first quarter.
I'm human. I've got emotions, too. It's discouraging sometimes. It's disappointing sometimes
"I'm going to show up and do my best to play and work hard and stuff, but it definitely hurts," Lin said before Sunday's game in his first public comments since being a healthy scratch.
"I'm human. I've got emotions, too. It's discouraging sometimes. It's disappointing sometimes. All of those emotions, of course. I don't think anybody would feel great after a DNP, anybody. It doesn't matter who you are."
Lin started 23 of the first 43 games for the Lakers, who acquired him from Houston in the summer. But he lost his starting spot to journeyman veteran Ronnie Price and now rookie Jordan Clarkson, who made his first career start against the Spurs and his second against the Rockets on Sunday night.
Lin had not been stuck to a team's bench when healthy since February 2, 2012 - two days before he dropped career highs of 25 points and seven assists on the Nets to kick off the two-month stretch of remarkable play known as Linsanity.
