When Kobe Bryant was ruled out for the remainder of the season with a torn rotator cuff, fans of the Los Angeles Lakers knew that scoring was going to be much more difficult for the team. One player expected to step up in Bryant’s absence was fan favorite Nick Young.
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Things haven’t worked out the way anyone would have liked, however, as Young has struggled mightily as of late and has seen his minutes drop as a result. According to Shahan Ahmed of NBC LA, Byron Scott thinks Young has lost confidence in himself:
Byron Scott on Nick Young's struggles: "From where I'm standing, it just seems he's lost a bit of his confidence right now."
— Shahan Ahmed (@shahanLA) February 9, 2015
After a great start to the season, Young is shooting only around 31 percent from the field in the new year. In recent games, Young hasn’t seemed like himself, lacking the energy, fun, and infectious smile on the court that made him a fan favorite in the first place.
Scott hasn’t been shy about calling out Young to the media, saying that he wants Young to do more than just score and become a more complete basketball player. While Young has had some great moments this season, he has failed to take the leap many hoped for, especially since Kobe went down.
If his confidence has indeed been shook, he will need to figure out his issues soon. The Lakers have lost 13 of their last 14 games and Young’s scoring is sorely needed to give this team a boost.
[divide]Byron Scott On A ‘Struggling Nick Young