Andrew Bynum, Not Kobe Bryant, Is The Key To A Los Angeles Lakers Championship
As the 2011-2012 NBA comes to an end 16 teams begin to prepare for their journeys into the NBA playoffs, in hopes of becoming the next NBA champions. One of those teams who is, as always, getting ready for a journey into the playoffs is theLos Angeles Lakers guided by 5-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant and first-time All-Star Andrew Bynum. But this season may be the first in many years that the Lakers true chances of acquiring another NBA title does not rest on the shoulders of Kobe. Rather the fate of the Lakers rests on the shoulders of the 24-year-old All-Star center Andrew Bynum, and here’s why.
First off let me start by saying that I have watched every minute of every single Laker game this season, at the same time though I’m a realist and not a crazy fan who thinks the Lakers are going to win every single game. Now after stating that I can get to my point that, contrary to many people’s opinion, I feel that the Lakers are better when Kobe is deferring to Bynum inside and not jacking up 28 shots a night.
Take, for example, the Lakers game against the Los Angeles Clippers. By looking at the box score, provided by ESPN.com, we can see that in the Lakers game against the Clippers Kobe took 19 shots to Bynum’s 20, both shot efficiently at 13-19 and 13-20 respectively, and the Lakers won the game. But, in contrast to this well playedgame by the Lakers, we can look at the Lakers game against the Oklahoma City Thunder , a game in which theLakers lost by 9. By looking at the box score we can see that Kobe, on that night, went 7-25 while Bynum went an efficient 10-15.
Now as you can clearly tell there is a problem with what Kobe did against the Thunder. Kobe decided that against the Thunder he wanted to be the hero and lead the Lakers to a victory when in fact, none of his shot were falling. Instead of deferring to Bynum, who was killing Kendrick Perkins and Serge Ibaka down low, he decided to take matters into his own hands, ultimately killing the Lakers’ offensive tempo in the third quarter and costing them the game. The Lakers were controlling the tempo and had all the momentum until the third quarter when, once again, their offense stagnated due to too much isolation, involving Kobe, and not enough ball movement.
What Kobe did against the Clippers is what he should be doing all the time, at first deferring to Bynum and then, when the time is right, take over the game late and step on the throat of any opponent in the Lakers path. Kobe, without question, is one of the most, if not the most, clutch players in the NBA and can seal a game when need be, Bynum cannot. If Kobe can pick his spots early, like he did against the Clippers, realize when he needs to dish off to Bynum inside, and then seal a Lakers victory late, the Lakers will have a legitimate chance at yet another NBA title.
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