http://www.latimes.com/sports/basket...,4941960.storyBynum could now return two weeks from Sunday, Jackson said, which would give him up to six games with the Lakers before playoffs.
"I threw that out there [Tuesday] to kind of take everything off the table," Jackson said. "We're [now] saying it was three weeks as of [last] Sunday. It would give him a week -- four games, three games."
Or more.
The team initially said Bynum would miss at least eight weeks, although Jackson said Wednesday that "12 weeks was kind of like that outside parameter."
yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I just want him back in time for the Spurs Lakers preview. He won't be in game shape but I think he can still contribute. I'm guessing he comes back in at 60% of his former self ramping up to 80% throughout the Playoffs, that's all we need.
Great preview to the WCF I think.
Well, at last we know for sure that the Lakers were lying once. Which time is still up for debate until he actually comes back.
Trying to sell playoff tickets right about now. Not too hard to figure out which was a lie.
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/a...-jackson-derek
Bynum's return date still in flux
By KEVIN DING
SALT LAKE CITY — The date for Andrew Bynum's return from knee injury is one fast-moving target. Lakers coach Phil Jackson acknowledged Wednesday he doesn't really know how to hit it.
Jackson backed off his Tuesday night suggestion that Bynum would not return until the postseason — while reiterating that whenever Bynum does return, it is going to be too late to blend him in smoothly with the team for its playoff run.
Here was Jackson's take Wednesday: "I threw that out there (Tuesday night about being out until the playoffs) to kind of take everything off the table, like, 'OK ... the reality is that if he comes back and plays a Sunday game and a Tuesday game before the (regular) season's over, great. It's still not going to get our rotation and what we want (set); it's just going to be an exercise in kind of getting him back on the court to whatever. We're going to have to figure out how to play still at that time.
"That's something we'll have to wait and measure — see how active he is, see what his rehab is going to bring him as a player. So there are so many other things that are in the making that we just have to wait and see and be patient."
Jackson said the Lakers' internal understanding has been that the "outside parameter" for Bynum's return was 12 weeks — even though publicly it was framed simply as "at least eight weeks." Using the 12-week projection off the Jan. 13 injury date, Bynum should be back April 7 — with five regular-season games left.
Jackson intimated that Bynum could indeed play some of those games. But there are reasons for the Lakers, who have a more polished center in Pau Gasol now, to limit plans on what Bynum could bring: He's 21, with almost no significant playoff experience and expected rust from his injury layoff, and he only this season learned the subtleties of offensive spacing and defending without fouling.
Gasol, whose shift to power forward likely won't happen until next season, continues to report improvement in his sprained left ankle. He progressed to shooting some jumpers Wednesday but isn't expected to play until March 26, at the earliest.
"I want him to come back and do it the right way," Jackson said.
Nah, Laker Playoff tickets are always sold out no matter how good of a chance they have to win. Heck, even regular games are sold out.
If Bynum comes back April 6th:
Apr 6 - @Sacramento
Apr 8 - @Portland
Apr 10 - @Clippers
Apr 11 - Hornets
Apr 13 - Spurs
Apr 15 - Sacramento
Not a bad stretch, he gets to warm up for 4 games before the big showdown with the Spurs on the 13th. He'll probably play from the Bench, but that makes the bench a formidable machine...Bynum, Farmar, Turiaf, Machine, Luke.
Best news I've heard in awhile.
Come to think of it, it's hard to believe how many Lakers are out right now. It would be great to see the entire team together again.
1) Pau - Starter
2) Bynum - Starter
3) Trevor Ariza - Best perimeter defender after Kobe
4) Chris Mihm - Not sure what he brings but he's a decent big man
Oh good Bynum will be back so the Lakers can suck even more.
You really think the Lakers would have a problem selling playoff tickets if Bynum was out for the year?
C'mon now.
Many more stories about this, detailing Phil's reasoning for what he said originally. No need to rehash though - bottom line is LA should be healthy before the playoffs.
I ing hate the lakers
I like the Mavericks Cheerleaders....
Any production we can get out of Bynum is a bonus. More than likely he will come off the bench with the 2nd unit, which is what he was doing earlier in the season, and destroy the opposing teams backup centers.
What we know for a fact is that Phil Jackson is a bag.
Lets analyze more of what Phil said and try to determine if he's telling the truth or just playing with the fans/media, shall we?
On second thought, I've got better things to do.
Uh Oh ,You better get a T.O baby.The leagues worst fear is coming to fruition.
lol she looks like...I like the Mavericks Cheerleaders....
Keep the league guessing. Its called strategy.
What about when he said that Kobe's high school coach admitted that Kobe used to sabatoge games to make himself the hero?
Or when he called Kobe "uncoachable"?
Was he "keeping the league guessing" then?
Was that "strategy"?
Why were Celtics fans chanting MVP for Kobe last season?
How do you know they were Celtics fans?
btw - Here's a 192 page thread of Laker fans talking about how much they want KG:
http://forums.lakersground.net/viewt...er=asc&start=0
This is the funniest thing you'll ever read.
"Garnett to LA is Inevitable!"
Last edited by Gino; 03-20-2008 at 02:28 PM.
The Lakers have a better team now than they would have had if the Garnett deal happened. Thank God Garnett is not a Laker.
phils trying to tank to get rose
Im just as happy as you are.
It took the Celtics over 2 decades to get a team that could contend. The Lakers did it in 4 years. Incredible how far the Celtic franchise has fallen since the 1980's.
Amazing how the knee healed over night.
Better hope the Lakers aren't rushing him back...
The last thing the Lakers would do is rush Bynum back. He is a potential franchise player and has at least 10-15 good years left in the NBA. He isn't coming back unless he's 100%.
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