How much better were the Lakeshow with Bynum last year than with Dwight this year?

[ElNono]

I mean, they had pretty much the same porous perimeter defense (Kobe and Metta were not much different), and Gasol was still a bitch. Yet, they could still go to Bynum at the post and he would, for the most part, deliver. More importantly, he could knock down his freebies and didn't get ejected every other game.

That team was the #3 seed in the West... why were the Lakeshow so much better with Drew last season?

[StrengthAndHonor]

Brown is a better coach. They yanked the guy way too quick. Didn't even gave him a chance to see how the pieces would fit when Nash comes back. Dwight under Brown would be a recipe for success give enough time.

Lakers lost a few key games because of Dwight too. Bynum was an automatic points in the paint, Howard either gets stripped or he clanks 2 FT's under pressure so he's basically a net negative for his team in the 4th.

[ElNono]

Do you think Nash pushed for D'Antoni while Brown was still there?

[Fergie The Florists]

Bynum can hit FT's.... Dwight can't

[midnightpulp]

Bynum is simply a better basketball player than the chimp. Too bad he's a massive injury prone faggot. I was interested to see how he might do with Philly this year.

[StrengthAndHonor]

Do you think Nash pushed for D'Antoni while Brown was still there?

I honestly think he has a hand in this. Nash wasnt a fan of how he was going to be used by Brown. He was basically going to be restricted like Ramon Sessions lol.

They probably came up with a few names and out of that list, Nash found his old flame and thought they could make their magic work in the city of Fags.

[Strategic]

25 games

[Clipper Nation]

Bynum is a LOT better than Dwight.... he used to single-handedly shit on the Clippers, so glad he's not a Laker anymore....

[whitemamba]

Bynum is a LOT better than Dwight.... he used to single-handedly shit on the Clippers, so glad he's not a Laker anymore....

This, he is a much better true center that's about it. post moves, frew throws. and solid footwork IMHO. too bad he's an injury whore and can't stay healthy. he's slow and unathletic. that's the edge Dwight has

[ElNono]

yeah, Drew's post game was way superior, IMO. He had that flaw that he didn't know what to do when fronted, but when he got the ball near the basket, it was a sure score. Dwight looks lost at times, and his freebie shooting is terrible.

[Fergie The Florists]

Bynum is simply a better basketball player than the chimp. Too bad he's a massive injury prone faggot. I was interested to see how he might do with Philly this year.

Knee is pain free (so he says) should be back near ASB. Bet he starts bullying niggas

[whitemamba]

Knee is pain free (so he says) should be back near ASB. Bet he starts bullying niggas

Pain free for now.. He might mess it up playing miniature golf

[StrengthAndHonor]

Theres also a possibility that Dwight is not giving a 100%. This being his contract year and his back is still recovering because he doesn't look like the same player at all. Or maybe that headband is restricting that blood flow on that brain of his.

I never saw a lot of Dwight in Orlando but when I did, he was so quick to hoist that shot on the post. Nowadays, he gets stripped 80% of the time causing a lot of transition points on the other end.

[ElNono]

Not like Dwight is making his presence felt either, tbh

[Strategic]

Pain free for now.. He might mess it up playing miniature golf

It's the brain pain that gets Bynum.

[whitemamba]

Dwight needs to produce on offense to produce on defense.

[Fergie The Florists]

Pain free for now.. He might mess it up playing miniature golf

:lol True

[Juggity]

I still remember how Bynum pulled down 30 boards vs. the spurs in a game last year.

His potential is way higher than Dwight, but if he can't stay healthy it won't do him any good.

[irishock]

Bynum's not better than healthy Dwight.

[StrengthAndHonor]

Not like Dwight is making his presence felt either, tbh

Defensively? He's definitely there though. Ill give him that. Ive seen plenty of Lakers games this season and when Dwight is there guards are not attacking the basket as much.

Remember that Miami game a few days ago? Dwight sat on the bench and LeBron just took advantage scoring 7 quick points through drives. He even got an and1 on Pau which completely stopped the Lakers momentum.

[ElNono]

Defensively? He's definitely there though. Ill give him that. Ive seen plenty of Lakers games this season and when Dwight is there guards are not attacking the basket as much.

Remember that Miami game a few days ago? Dwight sat on the bench and LeBron just took advantage scoring 7 quick points through drives. He even got an and1 on Pau which completely stopped the Lakers momentum.

That's a difficult argument to make, since the Laker's defense has been atrocious overall and Dwight has been there on almost every game.

He has had a few highlight blocks here and there (along with some stupid highlight goaltends), but anybody scores in LA's paint.

It's true that it's a lot more difficult when the perimeter defense is so shaky, but the Lakers aren't losing because other teams are only taking and nailing jumpers on them.

You could also argue he's not healthy, but he hasn't brought that up himself, so...

[Latarian Milton]

DH is an upgrade at the defensive end but bynum was more of an offensive threat at the low post, which they're missing bad. also DH's injury has limited his performances so this year's DH < last year's

[baseline bum]

You forgot to include their downgrade from Blake/Sessions to Nash.

[wanggi]

Bynum and Howard aren't much different. The key factor is Pau Gasol and Rapist.

[Brunodf]

Injured Bynum> DH.

[Ghazi]

Lakers actually were NOT a muchh better team last year.

They were 41-25, but their margin of victory was +1.4

This year they're 17-23, but their margin of victory is +1.5

Essentially they're about the same this year as they were last year, just far less lucky in closer games.. and their defense has declined even more, but that decline was beginning last year.

[HarlemHeat37]

:lol a healthy Howard shits all over Bynum..

Howard with the Lakers is clearly limited by back issues, system/chemistry issues, and potential attitude issues..

Bynum's post game is much more polished, but he's one of the laziest players in the NBA..he frequently took games off, especially when he didn't get touches..

[Splits]

Sactown has Pelicans and Suns next two games and with 2 wins can pass the Fakeshow with loses in CHI and Memphis and relegate them to worst team in Cali. Tasty.

[ElNono]

The 'lazy' angle is debatable, tbh...

Bynum certainly has his coast times in games, but the dude put a lot of work both on his body and his game in the 6 seasons he's been on the league, while Dwight with 9 seasons under his belt still has no post game and still can't hit a free throw to save his life...

[KaiRMD1]

Holy cow!
Bynum better than Dwight? How the F did Dwight make it to the finals though?

[99 Problems]

Bynum already got that finger jewellery. Could probably see nothing getting better next couple of yrs with Kobe's game at odds with Fakers contending big time. Manhandled them there Spurs last season like they were rag dolls.

[racm]

Holy cow!
Bynum better than Dwight? How the F did Dwight make it to the finals though?

Turk and Shard hitting big shots?

[Capt Bringdown]

Bynum or Howard is irrelevant, the problem is Kobe.

[KL2]

Bynum was a beast when it came to shot blocking, his presence alone intimidated players and forced entire teams to take tough shots. Not even Dwight did that, he blocked shots but never had the length of Bynum. Take the Spurs vs Lakers last year, I think a bunch of Lakers were injured, Bynum made the entire Spurs team quit, I think he also grabbed 20+ rebounds that game, I've never see Howard do that.

After that happened TP finally exposed Bynum and the Spirs beat them twice, teams finally had him figured out.

[Spursfanfromafar]

Howard seems lost learning to play the pick & roll with Nash and his isolation play is non-existent against good defenders. The Lakers dont have uber good three point shooters and Howard is no longer being double teamed as well. He has no chemistry with Gasol either, atleast Bynum and Gasol had something going with the high-low. Gasol has been bad as well and Howard is not getting enough touches either. The fall is on both Howard and the rest of the Faker team. Amazing how everyone overestimated this $100 million train wreck of a team so far.

[ambchang]

Can't just look at Bynum vs. Dwight in this Lakers downfall, there are many other factors:
1) Nash actually made the Lakers perimeter defense worse
2) Kobe realized he will never get 6, so he is gunning more so for his own glory than in the past. We never thought it was possible, but here it is this year.
3) Pau didn't care anymore. It's like in the Olympics, his fellow Spaniards reminded him that he doesn't have to be Kobe's whipping boy, and Pau realized "Yeah, screw this please Kobe mode, I am going to make myself happy."

That said, Howard and Bynum does have its effect, mostly:
1) Bynum has a wider range, and can create his own shot better than Dwight. This adds to a low post threat that defenses have to pay more attention to.
2) Hard to say, Bynum actually opens up the lane more than Dwight, or to look at it a different way, Dwight closes the lane on offense.
3) Bynum cares less than Dwight in terms of being the man. He wants to be, just not as outwardly confrontational about it. He spoke up a few times about it when he was a Laker, and eventually left because he realized Kobe will never share the ball, but when he was in LA, he went along with the flow. Dwight couldn't handle it, especially when he sees first hand how inefficient Kobe is on offense.

I still would say Dwight is the better player, just that he is a worse fit.