Andrew Bynum=No Championship
 

After watching Drew Bynum through 2 rounds of the playoffs so far, it very clear that he is about 20% of what he was before the Feb 5 knee blowout. Here's a stud that was a bordeline Allstar before the injury average 16 & 9. He used to dominate the paint with baby hooks, drop steps, dunks and had a great touch off the glass. It's so bad now, he won't even attempt to score the basketball. I'm not sure if I've seen him "powerdunk" since he came back. Maybe the Laker brass should be held accountable for rushing him back, but this once 21 year old stud now looks bored and scared running up and down the floor. If the Lake show, and that's a big IF, can survive this solid Rocket team, they won't put a dent in this Lebron James Movie. Kobe & Gasol will have homecourt againist the powder puffy no defense Nuggets, and can still get the job done. But moving forward, I'm now convinced that Bynum's in ability to contribute will hinder La from raising another banner in Staples. Laker brass should be very concerned about Drew's status for this playoff push and more importantly his future in the NBA. Hey Dr. Buss, how's that 41 million dollar contract look now? Yikeeess. The Lake Show will be making a pit stop very soon, straight for the beach.

They have no guards. Bynum is just a luxury item anyway.

Way to go out on a limb there predicting who will not win a championship.

Seconded.
Most importantly they have no PG.
And its wearing Kobe down.

If the Lakers win the Championship
with this team Kobe should will be declared
God.

Its not like you really need traditional guards to play in the triangle anyway especially when you have kobe playing swing. You need guys that play defense and spot up shooters. The lakers "guards" play those roles perfectly. Ariza is long and athletic and Fisher hits big shot after big shot.

I don't see how any team can match up with the lakers. They are just too big and skilled up front for cleveland and denver. If jameer nelson would have stayed healthy, The length of lewis, turkoglu and Howard would have made for some interesting matchups in a match vs. orlando. And we saw last year what Garnett and company could do on the defensive end against LA's bigs.

Offensively, do you really think Gasol, Bynum and odom will have any problem with the likes of Nene, martin or kleiza? Really? Do you think they will have a problem with the likes of illgauskas, wallace or any other big Cleveland will shuffle in? If so, watch the two games the lakers played against them this season.

I agree with the previous poster though. If Bynum is unproductive in the championship, Cleveland will have a chance.

When have they ever had a point guard since kobe has been there? An ancient gary payton is the closest they came and they diddnt win a title with him.

Again, you don't need a traditional Point guard in the triangle. Jackson's teams never have one.

The Lakers will be rid of Odom after this year. I might disown them if they keep him.

They won't be able to afford him. Luxury tax will kill them if they do. Interesting to look at the cap situations for these teams.

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=9168

I don't understand why you guys think it would be so crazy if the Lakers won it all this year, as a fan im pretty confident that they will and they should have no problem doing so. The supporting cast Kobe has is 10 times better than that of Lebron and the Cavs. Give me Gasol and Odom over any of the players Lebron has.

Come on coach, we are both Lakers fans and this year I have actually been a big Odom fan, I love the way he has played.

On a side note, when is the last time that Sasha has hit a shot????? Everytime he shoots I am expecting a miss now.

The Lakers guards are a problem. If you dont see that as a weakness I'm not sure what you are watching. Cleveland presents all kinds of matchup problems for the Lakers and they are a superior defensive team. If anyone wants to wager on the series please let me know.

:) Lets do it. 100 bucks?

Phil Jackson coached teams won several championships with Ron Harper and Brian Shaw as starting point guards. That alone tells anyone the importance of having a true point guard.

Mo Williams, Delonte West and any other quick guard the Cavs trot out there are going to have their way on the Lakers guards who are horrible defensively.

I think all in all there are more matchup problems for the Cavs in a Cavs-Lakers series but the Lakers guards will be a huge liability from a defensive standpoint.

Back to the original post, though, Andrew Bynum really needs to sit down because he's not healthy enough to be playing right now.

NT

Done:tro:

Ron Harper and Brian Shaw are a few notches up from what they are trotting out there now.

The point being that you don't need a traditional point guard. Neither one of them, especially Harper (still my second favorite NBA player ever) was a point guard. Same as you don't need a true center in that offense either. They won titles with Luc Longley.

The Lakers have trouble with quick guards and Williams and Gibson will be trouble for them. Kobe will have to actually pay attention to West and not just rest up for the offensive end. West can matchup fairly well with Kobe on the other end with Lebron getting some time on him also. The funny hair guy and Wallace gives the cavs 12 fouls against the Lakers post players and both are role players that understand that they play defense and rebound. Joe Smith and Lebron are a good matchup defensively with Odom. The biggest matchup problem will be the Lakers guards against the Williams and Gibson. That will be a major issue for LA. If Williams and Gibson are hitting the open three, this will be a 5 game series. Cleveland has all of its roster at full strength, have depth, a tremendous home court advantage, players all playing at their ability level not playing out of thier minds ready to come back to earth, are well rested and they best overall player. Brown has very good substitution patterns right now, has delegated the offensive duties to assistants and has learned from his mistakes. I killed Danny Ferry a couple of years ago but he has really created a well rounded team around James with role players that play their roles well, depth and found the missing piece in getting Williams. He did a great job making this a team though having LBJ to build around certainly makes it easier.

True but both had a ball controlling star (Jordan and Kobe) which plays out fine on the offensive end. The other end of the court is an issue though.

It might be. The problem will be that the Lakers don't have a superior talent advantage over the Cavs. Deron Williams killed them. Brooks is killing them now. Chris Paul kills them. Guys like Williams and Paul kill everyone though. In today's game, with the rules the way they are about touching guys, every team in the league has problems with quick point guards. Even the teams WITH quick point guards. Paul can't guard Williams and vice versa. So I don't think that the Lakers would be that much better with a better defensive guard. It wouldn't hurt of course but I don't know how much it would help. I think that what will help them is that fact that LeBron is a ball controlling star for Cleveland and not their point guards. I think that if they use a lineup that has Bryant and Ariza in the backcourt, that's their best lineup. Ariza has the athletic ability and length to stay in front of their point guards. Brown, Fisher, and Farmer can't do anything with them.

I'm really not sure why everyone assumes its going to be a Lakers/Cavs matchup.

The way Denver is playing I see them beating the Lakers.

I also think the Cavs playoff record is going to be 12-0 heading to the finals and whoever plays them will be LUCKY to win 2 games.

That lineup is too big and gives them no spot up shooters. Ariza in the lineup with Bryant is fine but you need fisher, Sasha or Farmar prepared to shoot or else defenses can cheat over on kobe or in the paint with the floor so unbalanced.

lakers front line creates huge mismatches against Cleveland. Cleveland's best interior defender is Verejao and he is too small to guard Gasol or Bynum. Illguaskus is too slow.

Denver's chances of beating the lakers are slim and none and slim already left for the beach.

Denver matches up horribly with the lakers.

Chuck, I love you buddy, but did you really type this?

pgardn...please get off of chuck's keyboard!

we will see, my beautiful friend, we will see.. :D

:) bet? I will give you 3-1

sure.. a beer... if the lakers win i'll buy you one if Denver wins you can buy me three :tro:

I don't see why anyone would consider the Cavs a lock to win it all when LeBron turns into super tard and starts shooting 3's nonstop when the pressure is on. It's not like that mental aspect of his game has improved since last year. He still has flashes of tardation.

Verejao is too small to guard Gasol or Byum? Is Ben Wallace too small too?

West is a good matchup on Kobe in regards to size and speed. He is the same size and has quick hands. That isnt to say that Kobe wont still score 35 but he will have to work for it and they will have Lebron match up with him as well to try to wear him down. Not to mention that if Kobe freelances on the defensive end West will bury the Lakers with open jumpers. Hard to believe that this guy couldnt get minutes in Seattle, he is a really good player.

imo Bynum is sitting around because the Lakers
are just running so much. They are pushing the
ball very hard. And that means running to get back on
D as well. Bynum is not ready for this type
of game. Gasol and Odom are much better suited
for this type of game.

Ben Wallace is about 9X as strong as mop head.
Verejao is much more of a pest on D. He has mobility
and size, physical strength in the low post is not his
game.

Anyway,
Cleveland helps out so well its going to take a really
good offensive effort to beat them. imo Cleveland
has really faced some rotten teams. Atlanta was
playing without a number of good players here and there.

Ben Wallace is just too old. Surely you are not trying to throw the name "ben wallace" out there like it still means something are you? He is a body at this point...an extra 6 fouls that can give minutes and maybe snag some boards. His days of being mentioned as a top interior defender are well behind him.

Regardless of how "soft" he is or whatever knocks people want to throw at him, make no mistake that Pau Gasol is one of the top five post players in the game and in his prime and there isnt a player on Cleveland that can guard him one on one. You can't double him and kobe.

[quote=Cannon Shell]West is a good matchup on Kobe in regards to size and speed. He is the same size

What? Kobe is 6 6 205. west is 6 3 (in heels!) and 180. Same size? :) Besides, everyone knows Kobe is bothered more by length than speed on defense. Same speed? Whatever you say buddy.:)

I hope it is a Lakers - Cavs finals. Please baby Jesus let it happen so I can come back and laugh at this thread.

Pau gasol is a good player but hardly needs to be doubled.

[quote=dalakhani]Everybody knows Kobe is bothered by length? Like who? Manute Bol? West is far closer to Kobe size and speed wise than you want to give him credit for. Shaq is listed at 290 too.

[quote=Cannon Shell]West is, by NBA standards, an undersized 2 guard at 6 3. A three inch height advantage is big...especially when it comes to guarding arguably the best player in the world.

length, like who? How about Tayshaun Prince? How about Rashard Lewis? Shaun marion? Those guys have at times done very well against Kobe. Even bigger physical guys have done well like artest or even pierce, who is very underrated defensively. Now when i say very well, I mean it relatively. Kobe will get his when he gets his no matter who is guarding him.

Smaller players he tends to eat alive because he can shoot over them so easily.