Bynum doesn't make a difference.....

[Slava]

I painfully tried re-watching the game and as much as his foul trouble been documented, Bynum isn ot picking up fouls in situations where we want him to. If he takes a hard foul on a guy close to the basket, thats a good foul, something any center would do but picking up dumb fouls 12 feet away from the basket is unnecessary and foolish. I wish Kareem is screaming his lessons into Andrew's ears after the last 5 games.

[DEEP3CL]

What we lack is defense

Your sentence should have ended there. I agree Bynum needs to do much more, but the biggest problem this team has is not communicating nor putting the effort on team defense, and that is on everyone, not just our starting center. Fisher is a pathetic example of a defender, Kobe doesn't care, Ariza cares but he's on contract year, Odom always cared and could D up any PFs, and Gasol is the reason why every team is always doing layup drills against us. Unfortunately, our 3 best defenders are on contract years, and then guys like Luke and Sasha who puts in effort but is too limited as an individual defender to help in the grand scheme of things. Either Kobe or someone will need to fire the team up to play cohesive D, but that's probably not happening.

If it's as bad as you make it seem micro, then they might as well forget a title. Because you can't win it without playing defense period.

[milesfides]

Well, both teams played good defense - including us. It was a low scoring game until the 2nd half, particularly the 4th quarter - but that was because we were trying to play catch up, fouling Houston - they shot 12 free throws in the last 2 minutes.

The only real defensive remark I can make is that Aaron Brooks can't be allowed to drop 20 points on us. Individually, our point guards have to do a better job - that's one thing that can't happen. Yao Ming had almost 30 points, clearly on the high side, but he's capable of that.

The problem lies in our offense. We can't win games with 18 point quarters. We can't win games hitting 2-18 on threes - at home. We can't win games with our big men afraid to mix it up. We can't win games when we're relying on Kobe to bail us out from the first quarter. We can't win games when players are playing out of character (Fisher going inside, Bynum going outside). Our offense needs to work - and players need to execute their roles, from Kobe to Mbenga.

I think we can win the halfcourt battle if Bynum can do what has made him successful so far. If not, we probably should revert to a more uptempo team from the beginning (start Odom).

[realfung]

He never showed up in the playoffs yet.

[The Skyhook]

This is why he probably isn't performing the way we want him to.

http://basketball.realgm.com/src_wireta ... 0_percent/

Bynum admits that he is not at 100%. Even though he doesnt feel pain and or soreness, he is only at 85 - 90%

[Kilroy]

He'd make a huge difference if he stops taking 15 footers and starting taking it at Yao Ming on both ends of the floor.

EGGS-actly!

I know Bynum has skills, but he's playing like Kwame out there... I'm having these sickening flashbacks...

[Kilroy]

This is why he probably isn't performing the way we want him to.

http://basketball.realgm.com/src_wireta ... 0_percent/

Bynum admits that he is not at 100%. Even though he doesnt feel pain and or soreness, he is only at 85 - 90%

It's easy to point that out after a sucky game... He should have just kept his mouth shut and delivered... Then tell everyone he isn't 100...

Anybody who's watched him play since he came back can tell he's not 100%. But we don't need him to be 100%... Right now all he has to do is stay on the floor and push Yao around. Maybe be in a position to catch a lob or two... No 15 footers... If he got 6-8 points and 10 Rebounds in 25 min, I think we could beat Houston pretty easy. We don't need 20-10 from him, or 40min... He doesn't even need to actually block anyone either, but he needs to be in postion to make them think he might.

What the hell is a guy his size doing slapping at the ball when it's at their waist... Put you're hands up and alter the shot big-guy...

[Kilroy]

Well, both teams played good defense - including us. It was a low scoring game until the 2nd half, particularly the 4th quarter - but that was because we were trying to play catch up, fouling Houston - they shot 12 free throws in the last 2 minutes.

The only real defensive remark I can make is that Aaron Brooks can't be allowed to drop 20 points on us. Individually, our point guards have to do a better job - that's one thing that can't happen. Yao Ming had almost 30 points, clearly on the high side, but he's capable of that.

The problem lies in our offense. We can't win games with 18 point quarters. We can't win games hitting 2-18 on threes - at home. We can't win games with our big men afraid to mix it up. We can't win games when we're relying on Kobe to bail us out from the first quarter. We can't win games when players are playing out of character (Fisher going inside, Bynum going outside). Our offense needs to work - and players need to execute their roles, from Kobe to Mbenga.

I think we can win the halfcourt battle if Bynum can do what has made him successful so far. If not, we probably should revert to a more uptempo team from the beginning (start Odom).

Both teams did play good D... I think our biggest problem there was that Ariza has to play Artest better... He wasn't getting over-powered, he was just out of position... Artest didn't hit too many contested shots... But he got way too many freebies. And we can't afford to switch Odom on him...

I think our offense will be better. It probably doesn't need to much discussion...

But everyone has to knock down at least half of their wide open jumpers. If just Ariza had hit just his uncontested shots, it would have been a completely different game... And I only think he took 3 open 3s...

And Gasol needs to hold position... He was getting pushed all over even by their PF... He just looked flat-footed and slow which translated into foul trouble.

[dockingsched]

sorry i'm late to the discussion, and sorry if i'm repeating anything but i thought bynum's defense after he came back in with 2 fouls was pretty good. i basically watched him exclusively on the defensive end and he was meeting yao at the top of the key everytime, forcing yao out of the paint, it was pretty fun to see. the problem was that he was so focused on yao that his help defense was nonexistent. on yao though, i felt confident in bynum's ability.

[The Laker Kid]

Bynum still looks hurt IMO. Give the kid some slack..

[Slava]

I think Gasol and Luke played the best defense of their Lakers careers late in the 4th boxing against Yao and helping onto the quick penetrating guards. Bynum was good but again he needs to be involved more in the game.

[Anklebreaker702]

Wow OOOOOKK? How fast we forget what he was doing before the injury. Hope he can find that groove again so you guys can get off his back

[Erik Eleven]

Many will eat their words when he dominates and puts up 26-13 in the NBA Finals.

[Blackfyre]

You fellow Laker fans should take your homer glasses off. Bynum deserves the criticism he gets right now. I know he's had hard injury and everything but that doesn't mean he has to commit fouls after every 10 seconds. Second of all he is completely lost in offense. Every time he gets the ball in paint he tries to score or do something stupid. Does he even know how to pass ? What's with his stupid jumpers ? He doesn't have that kind of range. I am pissed off right now and if he doesn't improve while PO's continue we should consider trading him. Enough of stupid excuses. Phil doesn't play him for a reason.

[realfung]

lol, can't believe you Laker fans don't believe in Bynum so fast.

[Dr Aki]

i believe in him, but he needs time

something the playoffs dont provide

[El Hardee]

You fellow Laker fans should take your homer glasses off. Bynum deserves the criticism he gets right now. I know he's had hard injury and everything but that doesn't mean he has to commit fouls after every 10 seconds. Second of all he is completely lost in offense. Every time he gets the ball in paint he tries to score or do something stupid. Does he even know how to pass ? What's with his stupid jumpers ? He doesn't have that kind of range. I am pissed off right now and if he doesn't improve while PO's continue we should consider trading him. Enough of stupid excuses. Phil doesn't play him for a reason.

+100000000, I never understood the homer blind love for this dude, everytime he trucks someone has a excuse. Even if he isnt 100% he should be roughing cats up in the paint and atleast try to grab a board or two. He was pathetic out there, the kid needs to man up and just HUSTLE, instead of making excuses. People keep pointing out his regular season #'s, thats meaningless its playoff time. Man up Gary Coleman!

[milesfides]

If he's hurt, which he says he is, then you guys really need to cut him some slack.