Andrew Bynum Will Break Out In ‘09-10
When Andrew Bynum told the media last month that he could be an All-Star this season, it’s fair to say that not a lot of people probably took him seriously. But so far in the preseason, the fifth-year center is backing up his words by averaging 20.4 ppg, 7.4 rpg and 1.2 bpg in the Lakers’ first five contests. If the preseason is any indication of things to come, than the rest of the league should be very worried.
Bynum came into camp in terrific shape. Earlier this month, Bynum told Dime about his intense track workouts over the summer and how hard he worked to get his strength and quickness back after a knee injury slowed him down in ’08-09. It looks like his offseason routine has paid off as all of his stats from his points to his free-throw percentage have gone up. His minutes per game have also increased in the preseason, yet his fouls and turnovers are down.
“Last year after I got hurt, I was kind of behind the ball the whole time. I was struggling to get up and down the court,” Bynum told the LA Times. “That’s my new focus this year, trying to be in shape, trying to stay in shape and get up and down the court. It will give me the most opportunities.”
Besides conditioning, Bynum’s offensive game has also been thrown into question but he has shown signs of improvement on that end as well. He has been running the floor, hitting short jumpers and has displayed a variety of different post moves. It has also been reported that he has spent less time working on his inside game with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar before games and after practices, which indicates he has been improving.
Bynum has definitely made a good impression on coach Phil Jackson, who has been critical of the center in the past. But Jackson has also told reporters that Bynum is still behind defensively.
“That’s an area that he’s working at,” Jackson said. “I’m much happier with it this year than I’ve ever been before. Screen-roll [defense] is an area in which it’s a work in progress with him.”
Now that Shaq is no longer in the conference and Yao’s hurt, there is room for Bynum to be an All-Star. But more than that individual accolade, Bynum’s progress means a lot to the team. If Bynum continues to take more of the offensive load for the Lakers, then it will lessen the scoring burden for Kobe and Pau and help save them for the playoffs. His improvement will also create open shots for guys like Derek Fisher, Sasha Vujacic and Shannon Brown. But overall, it will make the Lakers that much more dominant. Not just now, but perhaps in the post-Kobe era. Remember, the kid is still just 21 years old.
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October 19th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
control says:
This guy has to show shit before he talks shit.
I am guessing the only thing Bynum breaks is one of his knees. You can set your calender by it, he’ll be out for the playoffs.
October 19th, 2009 at 1:06 pm
Chris says:
Which bone will Bynum break first this year?
October 19th, 2009 at 1:10 pm
chebs says:
first
um all star
dey mite put dese guys in the center catagory
duncan
amare
boozer
October 19th, 2009 at 1:13 pm
Shrink This says:
Wishful thinking, I think, but I hope he can prove doubters like me wrong.
Now please post some more pictures of his visit to the playboy mansion…
October 19th, 2009 at 1:24 pm
LakeShow84 says:
Young Bynum will show whats up BEST BELIEVE..
With all the shit people been talkin on him this kid got a hige chip on his shoulders..
So barring Lamar slipping his foot under him or Kobe throwing himself into his knees the kid will have a SOLID year.. LIKE BREAKOUT TOP 3 CENTER IN THE LEAGUE YEAR..
@ Chebs
Anyone who votes for Boozer as a C should be slapped stupid.. And Amare?? I happen to remember a certain Christmas where Bynum ATE HIM ALIVE..
October 19th, 2009 at 1:26 pm
Mike says:
Al Jefferson will be an all star this year b4 Bynum then he has no shot of making it as a wildcard becuz D-Will and Durant should make it
October 19th, 2009 at 1:29 pm
scotsman says:
I hope he does break out this year because i drafted him in a couple of teams as a late round sleeper, lol.
Seriously though, i expect big things from him this year. Not including big injuries.
October 19th, 2009 at 1:38 pm
chebs says:
@@@@@@@
hey dere lakeshow 88
yea sum1 shud b slapped stupid..
how bout u
for being so rude
October 19th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
John says:
@ chebs
Actually you should be slapped stupid because you are stupid. Anyone that types like that is completely stupid. Un-real. Can’t you see the little red line appearing under all of your words? Learn to spell.
“dere” “shud” “dey” “mite” “dese” “catagory”
October 19th, 2009 at 1:53 pm
Mr. TKO says:
That seems a completely legit theory. for ya’ll people hating and saying that Bynum is injury prone, how are you injury prone when your teammates fuck you up by falling into your knees, it’s different if you’re all by yourself in your bed and fuck up your ACL or if you’re humping an exercise ball and break your wrist (lol) but freak accidents are FREAK accidents and don’t make you injury prone, it may mean that you’re unlucky as hell but not injury prone.
I sorta think it’ll happen this way bout Duncan becoming an all star center this year, but if he does I’m losing hella respect for him cuz he’s claimed for years that he is a pf and not a 5 despite the fact that he guards centers, plays the 5 position and is guarded by other teams centers. If that’s his story then he needs to stick to it, he better not decide that he’s actually a 5 the year that Yao is out for the season so that Timmy D won’t lose a starting spot to him.
If Timmy D stays out the center position, then I think AL bundy i mean Jefferson and Andrew “Playboy” Bynum have the best chance to start. Al jefferson is the best center for the west but he plays for Minnesota which means nobody knows who the hell he is plus the Timberwolves will suck again while I personally think Bynum is one of the best upcoming young centers and he plays for the Lakers which should help him a lot. Nene has an outside chance too, but I’m thinking “Playboy” will start this year.
By the Way, I’m actually surprised that Dime hasn’t picked up on the whole Chamillionaire vs MJ situation yet.
I was fully expecting to wake up this morning to the sounds of 50 people fighting over who could pop MJ’s Dick in their mouth first.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=798dSGws44A
October 19th, 2009 at 2:04 pm
George W Kush Sr says:
I’m just wondering which will come first, Bynum breaking another man’s ribs trying to avoid getting posterized or him breaking one of his own bones?
October 19th, 2009 at 2:11 pm
LAballer says:
lol yeah lakeshow..stop being so rude man..LOL
haters continue speaking while your team continues losing..
bynum def deserves the criticism you all are throwing his way..but i hope you also give him the props he will deserve as this year continues..
October 19th, 2009 at 2:13 pm
Reddi Red says:
oh ye of little faith.
i posted this before and i will say it again. i really believe that A.Bynum will have a very strong year this year. I’m talking 16pts-10rebs-1.5blks.
Lakers might win 65-70 games this year (providing no long term injuries) and I’m a stroooong Pistons fan saying this.
October 19th, 2009 at 2:21 pm
Big Aaron says:
Heard it all before with Bynum. Bored now. Go be Kwame Brown.
October 19th, 2009 at 2:22 pm
iannyb says:
Bynum is bound to blow up all the haters know that.lakers in five against whoever
October 19th, 2009 at 3:05 pm
Kermit the Washington says:
VERY scary that the “post-Kobe era” is starting to be in the conversation. I feel old. He’s 31 now, so…isn’t that like 1994-1995 Jordan? Time for one more three-peat run and that’s IT, huh? Wow.
October 19th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
Ian says:
lakeshow
how are people talking shit about him? when bynum is the one that needs to prove himself.
October 19th, 2009 at 4:36 pm
Cha-Ching says:
If Bynum can average 2.5 blocks and double doubles he is cool with me. He don’t need to score like that. Thats want Pau is for. Along with Artest locking down people at the small forward postion, LA repeats. Lamar and Luke “Skates” Walton are terrible guarding that postion. I went to the Bulls vs. LA game last year and Luke was getting done by Salmons, but not as bad as what Paul Pierce does to him. I could never understand why Phil sends Luke off like that.
October 19th, 2009 at 4:44 pm
rangerjohn says:
“If the preseason is any indication of things to come”
this line throws all validity out of this story 100%.
since when has the preseason EVER indicated anything other then which team has the best 13, 14, 15th man in the league.
October 19th, 2009 at 5:35 pm
Amar says:
if bynum was on milwaukee or some team other than the lakers people wouldn’t rep or hate him so much. he’s a young guy with a big body who hasn’t really been impressive save for sections of the regular season. all-star? stranger things have happened (tyrone hill was an all-star due to the dynamics of position voting by coaches) — i’m not a fan of bynums.
but he can be a very solid player down the line.
October 19th, 2009 at 9:01 pm
Claw says:
I think Bynum is a good player, but injury prone and can disappear and is not very consistent. He can be an All Star for a stretch and be a bench player the next week. If Amare, Gasol and Duncan are not considered centers he could get in just has to beat out Okafor and Al.
Don’t diss T. Hill, he was averaging around 14 and double digit boards for a couple of years with the Cavs.