Andrew Bynum is playing worse this year than last

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

Those numbers actually aren't down as much as you might expect now that he isn't a primary scorer and Gasol is there to take away not only shot attempts but also some of the rebounds. His field goal % being down is the only thing that looks to be a problem compared to last year. And, it's not really a problem when it's still 53%.

Agreed, it's also bound to go up since Kareem and PJ are toying with his offensive game a little bit and making him focus on back to the basket play more often, which will pay off if it hasn't already.

Considering all that he had to change, Bynum is doing a decent job.

[cobbler]

Actually I have to disagree. I don't think he's fully recovered from that injury yet. That is the same injury that Amare had and it takes a full year after surgery to recover.

Moreover, while him being in lineup does move Gasol to his natural position of PF.....Bynum hasn't been that great of a presence. Outside of last night's game where he got 18/11 against the GSW (who doesn't have any good frontline players except Biedrins...). His stats in the lst 10 games have been okay at best.

And after last season before he got injured..the media was hyping him as the next great Laker center after Wilt, Kareem, and Shaq.

He's athletic and has some skills....but he's still has a ways to go before we put him in that class I just mentioned above!!

I agree that i think hes not totally recovered from the injury. However, it's not physical, it's mental. It was not the same injury as Amare. Amare had microfracture surgery. Drew was scoped. But if you watch the games you can see he's not yet exploding to the basket when in a crowd. At times he will but only when semi clear of opposition. He got hurt comming down on another players foot. It's clearly in his head. He will get over it. If you remember last year, his first 15-20 games were about how he is playing now. He began to excell the latter 20. This year, with the injury and adjustments to playing with Gasol etc.. its just taking a little longer. IMO

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

cobbler is right, completely different injuries. There are not supposed to be long term effects from Bynum's injury. C-Web, Penny, Allan Houston, and a few others all were never the same after micro-fracture surgery.

[DazedAndConfused]

Why are Spurs fans so obsessed with Andrew Bynum? Not even Laker fans devote this much attention to him.

The only people who were saying Bynum would score 20/10 this season were actually Spurs fans themselves misquoting what Laker fans were saying (which is that Bynum at his peak will probably average somewhere near 20/10).

He's going to need another season before he makes the jump IMHO. We all took for granted just how serious his injury was, even Amare needed some time before he was fully ready to play at a high level and he is a ridiculous athlete compared to Bynum.

[mystargtr34]

The next David Robinson.

Or was it a bigger stronger more athletic Tim Duncan?

Seriously though, Bynum is doing fine.

[mathbzh]

After an injury and the addition of Gasol I think he is doing fine.

[LEONARD]

This has to be one of the most ignorant posts ever on SpursTalk.

Cobbler, meet SpursDynasty...

[Double-Up]

It's pretty simple, Gasol wasn't there before and he had more opportunities to score and touch the ball. Now with Gasol he's needed more for defense and rebounding. Is it really THAT hard to understand? SpursDynasty you are a ing moron.

[MarHill]

Why are Spurs fans so obsessed with Andrew Bynum? Not even Laker fans devote this much attention to him.

The only people who were saying Bynum would score 20/10 this season were actually Spurs fans themselves misquoting what Laker fans were saying (which is that Bynum at his peak will probably average somewhere near 20/10).

He's going to need another season before he makes the jump IMHO. We all took for granted just how serious his injury was, even Amare needed some time before he was fully ready to play at a high level and he is a ridiculous athlete compared to Bynum.

Dazed and Confused,

The media told everyone that Bynum would be the next great Laker center and dominate the league before his injury. Also, he would the be missing piece for the Lakers to win it all this year.

Like I wrote in my earlier posts....that he's some skills and is athletic but I believe he still has recovered from that injury. And he's played okay.

I don't believe the Spurs fans aren't obsessed about him.....but when the hype machine (the media) goes on full blast about him that's why the Spurs fans are reacting to it!

[MarHill]

I agree that i think hes not totally recovered from the injury. However, it's not physical, it's mental. It was not the same injury as Amare. Amare had microfracture surgery. Drew was scoped. But if you watch the games you can see he's not yet exploding to the basket when in a crowd. At times he will but only when semi clear of opposition. He got hurt comming down on another players foot. It's clearly in his head. He will get over it. If you remember last year, his first 15-20 games were about how he is playing now. He began to excell the latter 20. This year, with the injury and adjustments to playing with Gasol etc.. its just taking a little longer. IMO

Cobbler,

You're right they were two different injuries. I thought they were the same. My fault!!

[Allanon]

My guess is Bynum's last game "18pts/11rbds/2blks" in 30 minutes is the beginning of a very nice run for Bynum.

I expect another very nice game for Bynum tonight since Odom is still out.

[IronMexican]

It was the Warriors. I expect more 10/10 nights for Drew, which I don't mind.

[YellowFever]

I don't mind his stats being down from last year because of the cir stances
(not being the 2nd option anymore, getting over the mental block having to overcome a season ending injury..etc..etc).

However, his mental toughness has been a huge dissapointment for me.
last year he go alot of his points from kobe penetrating and dishing for an easy alley-oop but this year kobe is not penetrating as much due to two huge bodies in the paint and the clogging up of the lane that does.

PJ wanted him to defend and rebound but obviously he wants something more from the offense than PJ is clearly willing to give him.

Don't complain about how you want more time at the end of games and how you want the ball more down low, just rebound and block shots and STFU.

If bynum avergaes 14 rebounds per game (which he is well capable of doing) I won't complain about the turn-around 15 footers he takes every so often.

As of right now, he is a dissapointment.

But I'm more dissapointed about his mental makeup rather than the numbers he puts up.

[daslicer]

I think lakerfans are taking this thread to personal. Bynum is not a bust but neither is he a superstar like lakerfans were hyping up this summer. I can attest to this because I had arguments with several of them on here about Bynum being an allstar. I basically said during the summertime he will be a solid player that gets in the range of 11-13 points 7-10 reb, and 2 blocks but nothing more which he is doing right now. Like I said during the summertime I don't ever see this kid being a 20-10 elite bigman its just not going to happen for him. Those type of players are very rare in this league. At best I see him getting 18-9-3 in that range. On top of that he strikes me as a guy who does have high basketball IQ which will also hinder his chances to be super great. Lakers basically got a bigman who is more in the mold of a Kevin Duckworth type of player then ever being the league of a Shaq,Duncan,Dream and I would say even Alonzo.

[Allanon]

Bynum with 20 points on 80% shooting in 30 minutes. I think he's a faster, stronger and more fundamental Tim Duncan.

[daslicer]

Bynum with 20 points on 80% shooting in 30 minutes. I think he's a faster, stronger and more fundamental Tim Duncan.

He did it against a bad team and its appearnet that you have been smoking some weed. When he wins 2 regular season mvps, 3 finals mvps, 4 les and makes All-nba and all nba defensive first teams 10 times, along with going to the all-star game 10 times soon to be 11 then we will compare Bynum. Duncan at Bynum's age was already an all-star along with with being on all-nba first team plus the defensive first team. You are the best definition of a myopian. Bynum has a long way to go before he is ever compared to Duncan. The only players Bynum should be compared to right now is Oden,Hibbert, etc.

[Allanon]

The Heat beat the Lakers about a month ago and they're a pretty decent team.

If Odom is out again versus the Heat, I think Bynum will have another 20 point night on Sunday. Maybe even 25-30 points if he can get 40 minutes.

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

Bynum with 20 points on 80% shooting in 30 minutes. I think he's a faster, stronger and more fundamental Tim Duncan.

I wasn't aware Tim Duncan cries when his coach benches him.

[Lakers_55]

My one gripe with Bynum is his expression. He sometimes looks like he is stoned, and not paying attention. He may need acting coach to teach him how to look focused. That could improve his game if he lives up to his look. Doesn't have to look mean, just involved with what he's doing.

Any thoughts on this?

[dirk4mvp]

Bynum with 20 points on 80% shooting in 30 minutes. I think he's a faster, stronger and more fundamental Tim Duncan.

So he's going to be a better player than Duncan?

[SmellyFeet]

So he's going to be a better player than Duncan?

you should realize by now that "70 wins, biatch!!" is trolling.

[cobbler]

My one gripe with Bynum is his expression. He sometimes looks like he is stoned, and not paying attention. He may need acting coach to teach him how to look focused. That could improve his game if he lives up to his look. Doesn't have to look mean, just involved with what he's doing.

Any thoughts on this?

It's just his demeanor. I know what your saying. It "appears" to be a cavalier at ude. I wouldn't put too much importance on it. The same was said of Robet Parish and Kareem in their days. By all reports you hear, he has developed a good work ethic. He is going to be fine an develop into a good player. Living up to inflated expectations by the media and myopic fans is a whole other issue.

[peskypesky]

Yeah the one loss was a beating, when Manu showed up.. When he's going good he is their 2nd best player. In all the losses last year, Manu didn't even show up.. No team can overcome their 2nd best player contributing next to nothing in a playoff series against another elite team..

Is it that Manu didn't show up...or was it that his ankle was ed up?

[Allanon]

you should realize by now that "70 wins, biatch!!" is trolling.

This smelly guy knows me best.

This must be a mistake. Bynum was supposed to be outplaying Tim Duncan by this time this season. I know it.. I mean every Laker Nut-Hugger on Spurs-Talk told me so last year..

[Kobe™]

Another wack thread
-_-