The Official Los Angeles Lakers thread

[Juronimo]

I was wrong, I admit

Bynum is better than I thought, way better. I did not expect such a dramatic improvement from last season. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen such a drastic improvement from a basketball player.

What can I say, I was wrong about the dude. It happens once every few months or so.

NIK was right, I was wrong, he's way better than Theo Ratliff. He's looking more like a young Alonzo Mourning. This is going to be a fun season.

[Doggystylin]

looks like theres no need for Kwame or Mihm, and Sasha is complete trash, good thing he wasnt let onto the court last night

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

NIK was right, I was wrong

LOL. I would love to put that in my sig if it wasn't disrespectful to you...

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

looks like theres no need for Kwame or Mihm, and Sasha is complete trash, good thing he wasnt let onto the court last night

We still need Kwame and Mihm for stronger interior defense...Sasha improved, he had a nice pre-season, too bad he's playing scared again. Mo Evans and Jordan Farmar are KILLING his minutes. I really thought he would be a much bigger part of the rotation at this time...

[Antonio_]

NIK was right, I was wrong

I mean i'm one of them who wanted to trade him for KG last year. 

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

NIK was right, I was wrong

I mean i'm one of them who wanted to trade him for KG last year. 

 


...At least you know better now though.

[Teddy Roosevelt]

NIK you doubted Bynum too, you liar.

Like I said, Bynum is not yet ready, but you can still see flashes of a great center in his game...When he collects himself and takes his time, he has some unstoppable moves. Like that up-and-under he did against Brand last night. And though his man defense tends to get soft, he's really good at anticipating when to go for a block, which tells me he'll be a great defender when he gets his footwork down...But yea, I don't see him getting major minutes this season, 10-15 at MOST. Thank God we open the season with a favorable schedule...PeACe

That was less then 3 weeks ago.

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

NIK you doubted Bynum too, you liar.

Like I said, Bynum is not yet ready, but you can still see flashes of a great center in his game...When he collects himself and takes his time, he has some unstoppable moves. Like that up-and-under he did against Brand last night. And though his man defense tends to get soft, he's really good at anticipating when to go for a block, which tells me he'll be a great defender when he gets his footwork down...But yea, I don't see him getting major minutes this season, 10-15 at MOST. Thank God we open the season with a favorable schedule...PeACe

That was less then 3 weeks ago.

  Where did I doubt him? Everything I said was true, he's NOT ready to be a great center. I posted that before Kwame was injured... When Kwame gets back, he'll eat up a lot of his minutes, I stand on what I said...Bynum will not be an all-star caliber player right now, he still has a lot more growing to do, but I've ALWAYS claimed he will be great and dominate the league with time...PeACe

[Juronimo]

looks like theres no need for Kwame or Mihm, and Sasha is complete trash, good thing he wasnt let onto the court last night

We still need Kwame's interior D and Mihm's scoring. We can never have enough big men. Sasha, well he's been disappointing so far to say the least. Mo Evans is looking like a good pickup for us though.

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

you liar.

^^Never call me that again, especially without good reasoning.

[Teddy Roosevelt]

NIK you doubted Bynum too, you liar.

Like I said, Bynum is not yet ready, but you can still see flashes of a great center in his game...When he collects himself and takes his time, he has some unstoppable moves. Like that up-and-under he did against Brand last night. And though his man defense tends to get soft, he's really good at anticipating when to go for a block, which tells me he'll be a great defender when he gets his footwork down...But yea, I don't see him getting major minutes this season, 10-15 at MOST. Thank God we open the season with a favorable schedule...PeACe

That was less then 3 weeks ago.

  Where did I doubt him? Everything I said was true, he's NOT ready to be a great center. I posted that before Kwame was injured... When Kwame gets back, he'll eat up a lot of his minutes, I stand on what I said...Bynum will not be an all-star caliber player right now, he still has a lot more growing to do, but I've ALWAYS claimed he will be great and dominate the league with time...PeACe

No, you posted this in the subject that announced Kwame was hurt (click on the link). You said he wasn't ready yet. We all knew (or should have known) that in a couple years he will be a dominate center, but you clearly stated that you didn't think he was ready this season.

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

NIK you doubted Bynum too, you liar.

Like I said, Bynum is not yet ready, but you can still see flashes of a great center in his game...When he collects himself and takes his time, he has some unstoppable moves. Like that up-and-under he did against Brand last night. And though his man defense tends to get soft, he's really good at anticipating when to go for a block, which tells me he'll be a great defender when he gets his footwork down...But yea, I don't see him getting major minutes this season, 10-15 at MOST. Thank God we open the season with a favorable schedule...PeACe

That was less then 3 weeks ago.

  Where did I doubt him? Everything I said was true, he's NOT ready to be a great center. I posted that before Kwame was injured... When Kwame gets back, he'll eat up a lot of his minutes, I stand on what I said...Bynum will not be an all-star caliber player right now, he still has a lot more growing to do, but I've ALWAYS claimed he will be great and dominate the league with time...PeACe

No, you posted this in the subject that announced Kwame was hurt (click on the link). You said he wasn't ready yet. We all knew (or should have known) that in a couple years he will be a dominate center, but you clearly stated that you didn't think he was ready this season.

HES NOT READY! Kwame>Bynum (currently). What's your problem, digging and shit?...At that time, I still thought Kwame would be back after 1 game, even by the season opener. I'm the only one who put this much faith in Bynum, when it was clear that he was struggling, everyone said he wouldn't be shit, everyone doubted him, I SAID HE WOULD BE GREAT, DOMINANT, THE NEXT GREAT BIG. Everyone was laughing at that...Stop digging to try and make me look bad, I stand by everything I said, and I NEVER doubted Bynum...In fact, if Kwame was in the line-up, Bynum would NOT be getting this time from Phil...You and I both know that, and you and I both know that no one supported Bynum like I did. I was the one who couldn't stop laughing when I heard it said that he was "the next Theo Ratliff", not you, so please stay offa' that shit...

[Teddy Roosevelt]

NIK you doubted Bynum too, you liar.

Like I said, Bynum is not yet ready, but you can still see flashes of a great center in his game...When he collects himself and takes his time, he has some unstoppable moves. Like that up-and-under he did against Brand last night. And though his man defense tends to get soft, he's really good at anticipating when to go for a block, which tells me he'll be a great defender when he gets his footwork down...But yea, I don't see him getting major minutes this season, 10-15 at MOST. Thank God we open the season with a favorable schedule...PeACe

That was less then 3 weeks ago.

  Where did I doubt him? Everything I said was true, he's NOT ready to be a great center. I posted that before Kwame was injured... When Kwame gets back, he'll eat up a lot of his minutes, I stand on what I said...Bynum will not be an all-star caliber player right now, he still has a lot more growing to do, but I've ALWAYS claimed he will be great and dominate the league with time...PeACe

No, you posted this in the subject that announced Kwame was hurt (click on the link). You said he wasn't ready yet. We all knew (or should have known) that in a couple years he will be a dominate center, but you clearly stated that you didn't think he was ready this season.

HES NOT READY! Kwame>Bynum (currently). What's your problem, digging and shit?...At that time, I still thought Kwame would be back after 1 game, even by the season opener. I'm the only one who put this much faith in Bynum, when it was clear that he was struggling, everyone said he wouldn't be shit, everyone doubted him, I SAID HE WOULD BE GREAT, DOMINANT, THE NEXT GREAT BIG. Everyone was laughing at that...Stop digging to try and make me look bad, I stand by everything I said, and I NEVER doubted Bynum...In fact, if Kwame was in the line-up, Bynum would NOT be getting this time from Phil...You and I both know that, and you and I both know that no one supported Bynum like I did. I was the one who couldn't stop laughing when I heard it said that he was "the next Theo Ratliff", not you, so please stay offa' that shit...

I think you are misinterperting what I am trying to point out. I know you always had faith in Bynum to become a dominate center. You supported him more then anyone, espically when trade topics were coming up. But you did NOT think he would have an impact this season when he was called upon in Kwame absence; this can be seen in the post I quoted. I'm not saying that you didn't think he was speical, just that even you had some doubt in you.

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

^^Well, he's doing just what I thought he would in Kwame's absence given the minutes he's getting, so I dunno what you're talking about...I honestly did believe Phil would play him less and he still does have a lot more work to do, but I NEVER EVER doubted his ability.

Never call me a liar like that and say I doubted Bynum when I was CLEARLY his biggest supporter VV

Ummm, it's pretty known Bynum would have FOR SURE been a top 3 pick this year...He was going over to dominate competition in UConn before he finally decided to go pro, especially since their league is usually dominated by bigs (due to the lack of size in their division)...Bynum is gunna be something, you can tell when you see him owning the Summer League at the age of 18...PeACe

Damn I hope Bynum will get 15 mpg this season.

It'll work...Kwame 18 mins at center (12 at power forward), Chris Mihm 16 mpg, Andrew Bynum 14 mpg. That leaves us with the most vicious center rotation in the league...

Can't wait for the Farmar-Bynum tandem to come along.

I'm impressed...Every time Bynum speaks out, he sounds mature well beyond his years. He's the second biggest gym-rat on the Lakers behind Kobe, which is pretty much assurance that he will become something, if not the most dominant player at some point in his career. I'm also very pleased that he is working on that sky-hook... if he gets it down, watch out, it's probably the deadliest shot the game has ever seen...Oh, and LOL@that McDonalds comment, reminds me of a certain someone...

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

Bynum a big deal for Lakers
Teenage center has 20 points, 14 rebounds to lead L.A. past T'Wolves

BY ROSS SILER, Staff Writer
Article Last Updated:11/08/2006 12:04:05 AM PST

Andrew Bynum finished with career-highs of 20 points and 14 rebounds, delivered a block so spectacular that it brought the crowd to its feet and finally got the chance to play when the game was on the line.

Then he stood in front of reporters at his locker, the Lakers having taken a 95-88 victory Tuesday over the Minnesota Timberwolves, and summed up his night with the words, "It was OK."

There were a lot of Lakers who couldn't say more than that. Smush Parker went from the outhouse to the penthouse in the fourth quarter.

Lamar Odom couldn't hit a shot all night but somehow tossed in a prayer of a 3-pointer.

Kobe Bryant took only seven shots, scored 17 points and watched as the Lakers improved to 4-1, regardless. They got the third quarter right, building a 20-point lead, but struggled to close out the game.

"I guess it was persistence, right?" Odom said.

He was talking about his own game, in which he scored 15 points despite making 5 of 13 shots. But Odom just as easily could have been speaking about the rest of the Lakers.

They had to hold on late as their 13-point lead entering the fourth quarter was cut to 86-82 with 3:06 left.

Parker returned with the rest of the starters for the final six minutes and proceeded to miss three shots, which left Lakers coach Phil Jackson fuming. He called timeout and stared at Parker as he walked off the court.
Jackson referred to "jumping his butt" as he talked about Parker after the game.

But Parker redeemed himself moments later. Odom gave him the ball with the shot clock running out and Parker connected on a 3-pointer from the top of the floor.

"A lot of shots didn't go for me but I stayed within my game and I stayed positive," Parker said. "I never got down on myself. I always believe that if I miss one, the next two are going to go in."

Odom then delivered when the Lakers needed it most. He drove the lane against Kevin Garnett with the Lakers clinging to an 89-86 lead and hit a runner from 11 feet with 1:04 remaining.

Bynum capped the game by blocking Mike James at the other end and sinking 3 of 4 free throws in the final minute.

It was enough for the Lakers to win with Bryant - the NBA's leading fourth-quarter scorer last season - failing to score in the fourth quarter Tuesday. Bryant took only two shots in the second half, though he had five assists.

Bryant said he talked to his teammates about the need to pick him up in his first games back from knee surgery.

"This is my preseason," Bryant said. "I haven't played since Game 7 (in May). We know that as a team. They just rally around me and pick me up. Come January or February, whenever I'm ready to go, then they'll know that they'll have that weapon when they need it."

Jackson, meanwhile, pointed to the third quarter as the difference.

He wasn't happy with how the Lakers came out for the second half of Sunday's game against Seattle, which stretched an eight-point lead to 26 in minutes.

The Lakers were a completely different team in the third quarer Tuesday. They scored nine straight points before Minnesota called a timeout, and went on to win the third quarter 25-18. Bynum provided the exclamation point with a thunderous block on James at the rim. The crowd roared and Bynum had the defensive highlight of his young career.

"Andrew was the youngest player ever picked," Odom said, "and I think he wants to live up to the responsibility that comes along with that."