Bynum Still Hurt When the L.A. Needs Him Most

Who would’ve thunk it. With four series left standing, it’s the Lakers -- the league’s top team for most of the season -- who are facing the biggest challenge. The Rockets are way physical, can check Kobe without leaving everyone else open, and have that little speedy guard that Derek Fisher just can’t keep up with. Oh, and now it’s official: Andrew Bynum is not himself, and can’t be counted on to provide that added size and strength this line-up otherwise lacks.↵
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↵From Lakers Blog:↵↵⇥There apparently isn’t any swelling or pain, but the Lakers center said Tuesday he lacks the explosion and strength he enjoyed before his knee injury. And that brace doesn’t help. “It’s just not ready,” he said. “I’m probably about 85-90 percent.” [...]↵⇥↵⇥“I just think it’s a timing thing; I just need more time to get it stronger,” he said.↵⇥

↵↵No huge surprise here, at least for anyone who has been watching Bynum. Granted, he’s been serviceable at times. But for him to say it outright suggests it’s probably even worse, and it’s coming when the Lakers couldn’t possibly need him more. The Rockets are inconsistent on offensive, and Kobe is capable of getting to the line more -- if either of those had happened in Game One, we wouldn’t be freaking out about this. In fact, while Houston presents a major match-up problem for Los Angeles, there’s no reason to think they’re the better team.↵
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↵The Lakers are a team that needs to prove tonight that they’re too big to fall victim to the obstacles the Rockets place in front of them -- instead of this being the time the presumptive West Coast champs get exposed (again).↵