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.
a healthy Howard s all over Bynum..
Howard with the Lakers is clearly limited by back issues, system/chemistry issues, and potential at ude 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..
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.
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...
Holy cow!
Bynum better than Dwight? How the F did Dwight make it to the finals though?
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.
Turk and Shard hitting big shots?
Bynum or Howard is irrelevant, the problem is Kobe.
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.
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.
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.
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