Andrew Bynum last night.

[nickagneta]

For all the pre-season hype, the $17 million a year asking price by his agent for an extension, for Charles' pre-game idiocy about Bynum not getting love and Oden getting all the attention and how Bynum had to say "Whoa, big fella, you still have to earn it around here! I'm the older guy here", or something to that effect, Bynum appeared to have laid a giant egg in his return last night.

I will admit, I didn't see the game and only the box score. I will also admit that I am not the biggest believer in this kid's game just yet. Yes, he oozes potential but until I see some production during big games late in the season versus good teams or in the post season, color me unimpressed.

Considering he didn't play against Oden in the second half and against a hobbling Oden for much of the first half, I'm pretty sure the pre-season prognosticators did not have this opening night box score in mind when they were lavishing praise on this kid all offseason and crowned the Lakers 2008-09 Finals Champions because of his return:

28 MIN, 4-10 FG-FGA, 3 REB, 5 PF, 8 PTS.

Yeah, probably not!! Wonder what will happen when he has to play against a center with experience who doesn't break down physically at a moments notice?

[Big Ticket]

I agree with what you're saying, and remember that exact comment by Charles/Kenny/Reggie... don't remember which it was, but do remember thinking "This is Bynum's conference?  Didn't he get hurt for most of last season after showing nothing more but potential??".

Look, Bynum has the tools to be a dominant player.  You know who else has incredible "tools"?  Gerald Green.  Also, yeah, Bynum has had some fantastic games in his early career.  You know who else has had some great single game performances?  Gerald Green.

My point?  Let's wait til Bynum shows some consistency, more a year at least, before we crown him the King of Western Centers or anything like that.

[Redz]

A buddy of mine who is about as obnoxious a Laker fan as you could imagine (maybe it's just that he's the only Laker fan I'm near on a regular basis) started in on the "Let's see what we can do with a FULL team this year.  What would you guys have done without KG." crap the other day.  Don't even get me started on trying to compare KG.  The man is clearly delusional about his Lakers from the start.

Anyhow, I told him

1) The Celts basically played without Perk
2) Maybe the Lakers don't make it to the Finals with a healthy Bynum.

Who knows?

[Who]

Bynum looked a little tentative out there. He had 4-5 lob passes to the rim which he made nothing off, either mishandling the pass, mistiming his jump or missing the shot/dunk.

Still nowhere near game shape. Body is fit, but there's no match sharpness. Mind and body are not in line. Decisions making was poor.

[Bankshot]

Didn't Perk own Bynum in head to head matchups?

[yall hate]

one game.

anyone can have an off game.  how about if we give the kid a bit larger of a sample size before we make judgments about him.

[RebusRankin]

Didn't Perk own Bynum in head to head matchups?

Yes, he did.

[ACF]

Didn't Perk own Bynum in head to head matchups?

I think Perk held Bynum to 6.5 ppg
last season, if I remember correctly.
So yeah, "own" is a pretty good word
in this context.

[JHTruth]

Bynum is still a very young, raw player. I still have yet to see any sort of polished offensive game from him at even the level of Perk's for example, and we all know Perk is no Hakeem. Unless he's catching lobs for point blank dunks, he's useless on offense.

Now defensively, he can be a factor, bur he has a long, long ways to go before he's a Finals difference maker..

[NoraG1]

one game.

anyone can have an off game.  how about if we give the kid a bit larger of a sample size before we make judgments about him.

Well, the media and supposed experts have already judged him as the reason the Lakers are going to win it all based on very little. With as much hype has he has gotten for doing very little you have to expect these kind of comments.

[Celtic]

I have never been sold on Bynum at all, and will continue not to be. Give the Lakers two Bynums in the finals last year and they still get killed. 17 mill for Bynum is laughable and they Lakers were wise not to bend.

More and more I love Perk, he is exactly what this team needs strong, defense, and intimidation. Bynum is just another soft finesse player on a squad loaded with them.

[Big Ticket]

one game.

anyone can have an off game.  how about if we give the kid a bit larger of a sample size before we make judgments about him.

This works both ways though... and he's had more "off games" in his young career than good games.  He's not at the point where a bad game means it was an off game.  He's just not to the point where you can expect consistent production.  One that happens, then the hype can be justified.

[crownsy]

one game.

anyone can have an off game.  how about if we give the kid a bit larger of a sample size before we make judgments about him.

two way street, considering he's being elevated to god like status and laker's diffrence maker based on 20 good games after a sluggish start to his career.

seriously, he was a joke before that 20 game stretch, then he gets injured and people act like he's shaq.

he has all the tools to be very good, but, as ticket said, so does GG. if he's good for an entire year, i'll start to care about him.

[Birdbrain]

I have never been sold on Bynum at all, and will continue not to be. Give the Lakers two Bynums in the finals last year and they still get killed. 17 mill for Bynum is laughable and they Lakers were wise not to bend.

More and more I love Perk, he is exactly what this team needs strong, defense, and intimidation. Bynum is just another soft finesse player on a squad loaded with them.

TP for like minds.  He's got the talent without the makeup to be dominant.  The Celtics would be worse without Perkins and with Bynum.

[Roy Hobbs]

I think people are being *way* too hard on Bynum.  He put up very good numbers in his second year, and last year was having a breakout season. 

He's 21 years old, and yet he already plays NBA level defense.  He's also coming off a major injury, and will -- like every other recovering player -- need some time to get back into the game, both physically and mentally.  Lastly, he plays in an offense that isn't suited to his strengths, and yet in the past he's looked very good.

I'm not going to throw his under the bus after one game where he shoots 40% and has a weak rebounding night.  I don't like the kid because he's a Laker, but I think a lot of folks are denying his obvious talent.  The only questions for me are his health status and his role in the offense.  On pure talent, Bynum is a player.