Lakers center Andrew Bynum will finally make his first appearance of the season on Tuesday against the Washington Wizards, reports Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times.
Lakers’ Andrew Bynum To Make Season Debut Against Wizards On Tuesday
Bynum has been practicing for a couple weeks now, and has just graduated to five-on-five action. The young center came under fire because he waited to undergo arthoscopic knee surgery last summer until after he had attended the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and spent vacation time in Europe. He didn’t go under the knife until July 28, putting his recovery schedule right up to training camp.
Recovery went slower than anticipated, leaving the two-time defending champion Lakers without their starting center for the first 24 games of the regular season. Bynum’s absence has forced Pau Gasol, a natural power forward, to play huge minutes as the team’s only reliable center. Gasol is currently averaging a career-high 39.3 minutes a game.
While the Lakers have the league’s best offense so far, the team defense has suffered without Bynum. The Lakers are just 10th in the NBA in defensive efficiency, down from fourth last season.
When Bynum eventually returns to the starting lineup, it will likely push Lamar Odom, currently starting at power forward, back into a reserve role, where he flourished last season.
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