Nice pre-series summary.

Defence is the key, and I'm not sure how the Lakers can handle the Magic's outside/inside game. IUf the Magic hit the trey's like they did against the Cav's, the Lakers will find it tough. I think Derek Fisher will be a real liability to the Lakers in this series. He is too slow and will not be able to guard anyone on the Magic.

The Gasol/Bynum tandem against Howard will be intriguing.

it won't even be close. don';t know how Magic got pass the King in the first place - but now they meet the true and first King !! Magic lucky ta win 1 game - and that's if Kobe gets sick or dislocate a finger like he did vs the Rockets

They got past the cavs because they play a team game, and are not as one dimentional as the Cavs.

sorry gaytime but you need to wake up and smell your nappy.

I think you will find the first King was Jordan you oxygen thief

I guess Kendrick Perkins was a Bust this season as well then? 8ppg, 8rpg vs Bynum 14ppg, 8rpg. In fact, Bynum has had his best season to date! He has struggled in the first two series of the playoffs but looked comfortable against Denver doing what was necessary. He is also sharing the position with one of the best centers in the league. I would hardly say that is a bust. Also he will be very important in the finals trying to contain Howard.

That was a joke post right?

Your better than that KingJames, or at least i thought you were...

Bynum averaging 6pts and 3 boards in the play-offs, yeah, thats a bust.

He has played against the Jazz, minus their starting center, the Rockets, minus their starting center and the nuggets, whose 'center' is 6'10 on stilts. AND AVERAGED 3 FRICKIN REBOUNDS.

Swap Perkins and Bynum and the Lakers sweep the Magic.

Sam Perkins ;)

Lakers in 6

The other day you were saying Mo Williams was a bust when he ended up averaging 18ppg for the series and was an all star with his best season yet. Yeah massive bust!

As I said Bynum has had his BEST season to date. He struggled in the first two series but looked more comfortable with his role against Denver doing what was necessary including hard fouls.

I guess Kenyon Martin and Nene are a bust also since they only averaged 11ppg and 6 and 7 rebounds per game in the playoffs in DOUBLE the amount of time. So lets compare that:

6ppg, 4 rpg 17 minutes Andrew Bynum Current playoff Average

11ppg, 6 rpg 34 minutes Kenyon Martin
11ppg, 7 rpg 33 minutes Nene
12ppg, 8 rpg 34 Minutes Andrew Bynum time doubled!

Add the fact he is clashing for minutes/positions with one of the best centers in the league!

So no way in hell would anyone consider him a bust as he is now doing what is required of him!! Furthermore, he will be very important in the finals series and his numbers will more then likely increase especially if he gets more minutes!

Magic in 5. Split in LA, then three straight at home.

Never said Mo was a bust- he is just an ordinary player.

Playing well gets you minutes on the court, Bynum has not been a third as good as people hoped he would be. That makes him a bust for me in these play-offs.

Don't get me wrong- if the finals were against the clippers, he would carve!

He will be important in the finals though so you did get one thing right. Well done.

Mantis- i totally forgot the change in format for the finals! Makes it much tougher for the magic i think- required to close on the road (i can't see them sweeping the 3 game home stand) They are the road warriors though... i'll stick with magic in 6

quagmire you got slammed by kingjames in that little discussion, turned those stats back in your face! giggidy

My prediction, Magic will go up 3-2, but games 6 and 7 in LA will mean the Lakers will win in 7 :(

Not really boom it was just a disagreement of Q using the word "Bust" loosely. Bynum has under performed this playoffs I agree with that. However, he has been played more sparingly and used more as an Intimidator early. So they kind have found a new role for him in the post seasons.

It's just friendly Forum banter. At the end of the day we can all agree to disagree.

Slammed? Really. So you think Bynum is doing well because if you double his stats to match mintues played, he is equal to K-Mart and Nene?

So by your logic* M.Williams from the Spurs needs to get a max contract quick- he scores 64 points per 48 minutes!!!!

Thats nearly double Kobe!!!

Wow, you guys are just intellectual titans aren't ya ;-)

There is a reason he is saddled to the bench boys. He is a liability.

Lakers in five. Odom is the key IMO. If he plays like he did in the last game of the Conference Finals then the Magic won't even get one win.

You could be realistic Quagmire!

If Bynum had 34 minutes a game I could assure you he would get more then 11 points and 7 rebounds like Nene/Martin averaged.... If he didn't foul out that is :P

He isn't a liability he will play a big impact if Lakers are to beat the magic.

Agree Mutley- Odom and his inconsistancy is why this series is so exciting to me.

Will he start?

Yeah, 11-7 sounds about right... maybe more points now and then. He is just too slow right now and lateral movement is hurting him, which means fouls and limited minutes.

KingJames- do you start him or Odom?

That is actually a very interesting question.

I think Phil Jackson being the coach he is will stick to starting Bynum. It is a miss match him guarding Lewis but it will cause the same problem Lewis trying to guard Bynum. On the other hand, Bynum might be guarding Howard instead. Either way I think Phil will go with this as it has been working. Also Odom plays great off the bench while Bynum struggles to get going off the bench. I think they need Bynum on so him and Gasol can make Howard not get off to a great start while Odom can come on and give them the extra spark they need.

KingJames, Have to agree with Quagmire on this one. Whilst 'bust' might be too harsh too early given Bynum's injuries, he has been very ordinary in the playoffs. If giving hard fouls is his greatest contribution (you've been reading Adande's articles I see) , then the Lakers would have been better off saving their money and signed someone in the
PJ Brown mould who can actually defend, rebound and make hard fouls.

I hope he does have a good series because he will have to to contain Howard. Gasol has no hope, and I seriously would not be surprised if DJ Mbenga gets meaningful minutes because he is f*cking massive.

Oh dear KJ, oh dear. You can't just say that a guy who picks up early fouls, without doing anything else on the floor and gets glued to the bench thereafter would be doing more if he didn't pick up so many early fouls and wasn't glued to the bench. He hasn't even fouled out in a game yet, so it's not like Jackson doesn't have a choice whether he plays him or not.

He's averaging 3.6 rpg and 3.1 these playoffs. Marcin Gortat is averaging 3.3 rpg in 11 minutes per game. Marcin Gortat!

Even in the Denver series where he 'looked more comfortabe', he only averaged 8/3/1blk. And if all he can hang his hat on is the hard fouls, then he'd want to make sure they count, because he's not doing anything else to own the paint.

Blame it on Gasol, the knee brace, the lack of fitness, whatever, but he has been a bust so far these playoffs, no doubt about it.

As JA Adande wrote:
"The only noteworthy thing about Bynum's playoff numbers is they make a palindrome: 6.3 points, 3.6 rebounds."

thedoctor - I don't read any specific NBA articles actually. If someone mentions an interesting article such as the Lebron being a sook article then I might read that.

Better off saving their money and get a PJ Brown mold player, are you crazy!!!! Bynum is the future and you feel they should get a Brown type player because he has had two bad playoff series... okay then.....

Also Bynum is 15kgs bigger then Mbenga!

twenty four - If the coach said he was going to play him for 35 minutes. Then Bynum wouldn't go out there just to intimidate but that is his current role and he did that well against Denver.

He is basically averaging 4 rebounds a game in 17 minutes which isn't horrible considering he is clashing with Gasol at center. How effective would Derick Rose be playing 17 minutes with Chris Paul taking majority of the minutes. Not very effective at all.

The reason he has been playing limited minutes is because Gasol is out there and it is not suitable to play two centers. Against Orlando I think it will be a different story and Bynum will step up and maybe you guys will forgive him for having two bad playoff series then.

Do you think Phil is saying "OMG Bynum has been a bust this playoff series what are we going to do?" No because he is filling the role Phil requires him to now so there wouldnt be a problem with his performance from their end.

In that game 6 I saw him commit 2 hard fouls on Anthony early on which dictated the game from the start. I think that worked out more in Lakers Favour then him getting 7 rebounds that game to make you guys happy.

No Gasol and Bynum playing 35-40 minutes he would get 20 and 12!

Also I reckon Gortat could start for some teams in the NBA.

KingJames - never did I say the Lakers shouldn't have signed Bynum. My point about PJ Brown is in reference to your saying that Bynum had contributed through making hard fould in the Denver series. My point is, those are max contract hard fouls. Very expensive hard fouls.

There's no doubting that Bynum has not lived up to expectations and is playing poorly. Most interviews with him show that he knows it and needs to improve. At this point, Gortat has outplayed him. He was a major defensive contributor in the Cleveland series and played very well against Boston.

Bynum hasn't done what he's needed to because Phil would have played him more if he had. To say that Gasol's time dictates Bynum's is not accurate, because earlier in the season when Bynum was playing well, he was playing major minutes. And Gasol isn't going anywhere - he is clearly LA's second best player and untouchable IMO.

I think we both agree that is Bynum doesn't step up LA are screwed. Gasol can't guard Howard, and is Bynum plays soft like he has been, Howard is going to have Dunkfest 2009 during the Finals.

it don't matter about no Superman - who cares about Superman - just put him to the line and it's all over for Magic. Now nobody in Magic can guard Kobe - the best defenders - Battier, Wallace,Artest, Kiralneko couldn't get it done - who have Magic got ???
it's already in the bag boys n gals

I don't really think it matters what Bynum does, to me Odom is the key. So long as Odom shows up in at least 4 games the Lakers should win (even if Bynum is only good for six fouls).

NBA World Championships. Lakers = 14 Magic = 0
Kobe + Jackson = 12 rings - all of Magic = 0
bahahahaha

"The reason he has been playing limited minutes is because Gasol is out there and it is not suitable to play two centers".

KingJames, if Gasol is a centre and it is not suitable to play two centres, why the hell did the Lakers sign Bynum to a 5 year contract starting at $12 mill next season? That's one expensive sub!

Truth is, Bynum is meant to be their centre, with Gasol at PF. Truth is, Bynum has been playing so poorly (probably due to his injury/ fitness) that Phil has had to go to plan B with Gasol and Odom.

Fortunately for the Lakers plan B is pretty good. However, if Bynum had played well, both Houston and Denver would have been dispatched without a problem and NO-ONE would be picking the Magic to win in the Finals!

"Against Orlando I think it will be a different story and Bynum will step up and maybe you guys will forgive him for having two bad playoff series then".

For the Lakers sake he'd better play well, or Gasol is really gonna have his work cut out defending Howard by himself!

"Do you think Phil is saying "OMG Bynum has been a bust this playoff series what are we going to do?" No because he is filling the role Phil requires him to now so there wouldnt be a problem with his performance from their end".

I will bet you any money that 'hard foul merchant' is not the role Phil Jackson envisaged for Bynum at the start of the playoffs. Phil is simply working with what he has got, and that is a gimpy Bynum who is nowhere close yet to justifying the extension they gave him at the start of the season.

"KingJames, if Gasol is a centre and it is not suitable to play two centres, why the hell did the Lakers sign Bynum to a 5 year contract starting at $12 mill next season? That's one expensive sub!"

So even if they have Gasol you think they shouldn't have signed him?? The guy has massive potential!

"Phil is simply working with what he has got, and that is a gimpy Bynum who is nowhere close yet to justifying the extension they gave him at the start of the season."

What the hell you talking about the guy had his best season so far and is going to continue to improve. All you are doing is saying that based on how he has played in the playoffs so far. You would make a great GM!!! All other teams would get him in a second if they had a chance.

Also if you had Derick Rose and you played him 17 minutes with Chris Paul getting the rest of the minutes you tell me how effective he would be also? If there was no Gasol he would get 20 and 12. They might not be as good (for the moment) but he will be worth it in the future.

Gasol and Bynum worked during the season. Bynum has struggled in the playoffs and has now found a new role in the team for the playoffs. Next season he will get good minutes again and will improve into the dominate force that he is going to be.

Healthy debate boys and girls...maybe the kids should stay out of this one..ok playtime.
If Bynum's problem is he gets in foul trouble then he's going to average less minutes than what he has done the WHOLE playoffs! If I were Orlando, I would be going straight into Howard and tell him to go to work on Bynum and get him in foul trouble. Gasol is to slight of frame to guard Howard and will either let him scoe or get him in foul trouble too.
My guess is he will start Odom so he can guard either Turk or Lewis and then send the double from either the PG or the SG most likely Kobe who will guard Lee.I don't think Howard is that good a passer out of the post so they can afford to double and most times he tends to set up on the left hand side and go middle, so it's going to be easier to send the double from the opposite side.
Has anyone realised that these teams met twice this season and Orlando won both games? I will admitt that Jameer Nelson played in both those games and had a pretty big impact so it is slightly a different team. Both Fisher didn't do a very good job both games so Alston needs to step up in this series too.
It's going to be a fantastic series and I think a lot of people including the Lakers will underestimate Orlando. Remember also, the Lakers haven't exactly been dominating in these playoffs as everyone expected, is something going on in LA that we don't know about???

currently helping out in LA, I'll disclose this little bit...there were some hiccups back in late April with Vujacic and one other team member. Mbhenga and Morrison has also had their troubles.

Bynum's knee is not 100%; he actually lied during examination before the playoffs so he'll be cleared. And this has got under Jackson's skin a little bit, that's why Bynum's not playing that many minutes even when he was playing well. Another thing is he really hasn't been required that much either, so Phil kinda wanted him to get ready for now. There's been lot of work done over the last few days in film sessions and training, if things panout as planned I think people will be quite surprised with Bynum-Howard match up.

PS: Bynum definitely starting, defensively expect alot of zone from Lakers.

Bynum is definitely struggling this series, another stellar performance in game 3!!!

where were you to make that comment after game 1.

This one's on Phil, he should've taken Gasol out about 4~6min in the 1st qrt and insert Lamar. He sat on the bench for too long because Bynum was playing well, who shouldn't have been taken out in the first quarter.

KingJames I think you are deliberately trying to misread me. I was saying that your argument that Bynum is not playing many minutes because Gasol is out there is wrong. The reason I say this is because the Lakers paid Bynum $12 mill per season so that he and Gasol can START together. They have both been starting nearly every game this season. The reason Bynum is not playing many minutes is because 1) he gets into foul trouble and 2) because Odom is still flat out better than him on both ends.

I NEVER suggested that Bynum doesn't have good potential, nor did I suggest the Lakers shouldn't have signed him.

I do think that it was a big risk signing him to such a big contract before he had proved anything much. That risk may pay off down the track, but I hate seeing teams fork out so much for a guy before he has earned it. So often, players get their big contract and then coast to mediocrity. I hope the next collective bargaining agreement does manage to shorten contract lengths as Stern has proposed. It would definitely make for a more competitive, dynamic league.