BOSTON >> The cold, hard stare followed Lakers guard Jeremy Lin after he mistimed a pass to Kobe Bryant that went out of bounds.
Bryant offered the same glare when Lin picked up his dribble on a fastbreak and was called for traveling.
Lin has waved his hands in desperation when he has stood open while Bryant has taken difficult shots through double-teams. Lin has also expressed frustration the Lakers’ offensive balance has mostly tilted in Bryant’s direction.
Signs of discord? Hardly.
Instead, the Lakers (5-14) enter a diminished version of their heated rivalry against the Boston Celtics (5-11) on Friday at TD Garden with a backcourt determined that their mutual respect will compensate for a steep learning curve.
“We leave everything on the floor,” Lin said of Bryant. “Sometimes we might not agree on everything. But it’s not because we’re trying to be selfish or because we have ulterior motives. It’s all about doing the right thing and trying to give ourselves the best chance to win.”
The Lakers rarely have accomplished that this season.
They rank last in total defense, allowing 111.1 points per game. They have endured season-ending injuries to veteran guard Steve Nash (back), rookie forward Julius Randle (right leg) and reserve swingman Xavier Henry (left Achilles). They opened the first month of the season with 14 games against teams currently slated to play in the postseason.
“People probably think I’m crazy, but I don’t really care. I think this team can make the playoffs,” Lin said. “I believe in that and I know other guys believe in that as well. It’s very early. People will laugh. That’s fine. But I’ve always been a big dreamer and believe in miracles. I feel like God has performed miracles in my life.”
Can the Lakers pull off something as miraculous as Lin’s breakout season three years ago in New York after toiling in the NBA Development League?
That could hinge on how Lin and Bryant play together. That dynamic will likely determine whether the Lakers ever produce a consistent supporting cast to complement Bryant’s league-leading 26 points per game — albeit on a career-low 39 percent shooting. After the Lakers acquired him from Houston an offseason trade, Lin said he won’t restore “Linsanity.” But with Lin’s contract expiring after this season, his on-court chemistry with Bryant could factor into his future.
Lin has played with volume scorers, such as New York’s Carmelo Anthony and Houston’s James Harden. But that experience has not fully translated into Lin adapting to Bryant.
“I’ll go out there and leave it on the floor, everything, and compete and be relentless and not be fearful of criticism or fearful of not playing well or missing shots,” Bryant said. “That’s the same way I want the guys I’m playing with to be, Jeremy in particular. He’s a really good player.”
That explains why Bryant has constantly talked with Lin, who has averaged 11.8 points on 44.4 percent shooting and 5.1 assists in 30.2 minutes per game.
Bryant has told Lin to run the offense how he sees fit, even if it means refusing to pass Bryant the ball.
Bryant has encouraged Lin to maintain his aggressiveness that enabled him to shoot 57.8 percent off drives last season, exceeded only by LeBron James (63.8 percent).
Bryant has defended his high-volume shooting, pointing to early deficits partly because of teammates lacking consistency.
Lin says he has provided equal dialogue, peppering Bryant with questions on how he can help make the offense more balanced.
“Kobe has been great with Jeremy,” Lakers coach Byron Scott said. “There are times he’s hard on him. But during those times when he’s hard on him, he’ll give him a pat on the back and tell him, ‘This is what I want you to try to do.’ That’s been great. Jeremy has been willing to accept that. We all feel he can be a much better basketball player than he is.”
The reasons extend past Lin’s inconsistent chemistry with Bryant.
Lin has described his play as “up and down” because his string of double-digit performances have been countered by occasionally scoreless games and late-game benchings. Scott has argued Lin needs to develop stronger “point guard instincts” that entail better clock management, spacing, ball handling and reading teammates’ tendencies.
“In the system he was in, in New York, the ball was in his hand 95 percent of the time,” Scott said of Lin. “He was able to run pick-and-roll, get to the basket and get shots for himself.
“This system, you have to get other people shots as well.”
Scott said he has not consulted with Mike D’Antoni, the man who both oversaw “Linsanity” in New York and resigned last season as the Lakers’ coach amid two years filled with endless injuries and criticism regarding his fast-paced system.
But Lin revealed “it’s no secret” he does not feel comfortable in Scott’s Princeton-based offense. That system entails Lin and Bryant splitting ball-handling duties as well as isolation sets for Bryant.
Instead, Lin has reported feeling most comfortable with free-flowing systems in Houston and New York that put a premium on ball movement and outside shooting.
“That’s not what we have here, but that’s OK. I feel like I’m further in my progress as a player where I can be effective in different ways,” said Lin, who is in his fifth NBA season. “It’s just a matter of seeing what your team has and what is your personnel. A spread run-and-gun, open floor pick-and-roll system might not be what’s best for us given our personnel. It’s just learning to play and be effective within whatever system Coach puts me in.”
Lin remains optimistic, citing his strong Christian faith and determination not to allow individual and team results to affect his confidence and happiness. That also explains why Lin envisions a fruitful pairing with Bryant. He believes their overlapping high-fives, scoldings, text messages and film study will eventually produce a happy ending made for Hollywood.
“I have no problem playing with him,” Lin said of Bryant. “He has respect for me. I have respect for him. We talk things through. We understand each other and know that it’s a growth process.”
