This news shouldn't surprise you, because the Lakers have been hinting at it the past month, but here it is in all its bare glory, straight from Andrew Bynum's mouth (err, Mike Bresnahan's Los Angeles Times story):"I doubt there's going to be a comeback this year," Bynum said Friday. "I've got to get my knee straight. At this point, I'd have to train for a good month just to be able to go out there and play."Again, it's expected, and you imagine the L.A. coaching staff and roster has figured out what they'll do without him. (Hell, they sure showed Denver they knew what they could do without him.) Of course, Utah's one of those teams in which you can use as many big bodies as possible, as Carlos Boozer is a beast. You'd feel a whole lot better about Bynum slowing down Boozer than you feel about Pau Gasol, yes?
L.A.'s defense has been much improved all around this year, with the interior and possibly point guard open to exploitation. Derek Fisher and Jordan Farmar have been very good defensively this season, but Deron Williams is a-whole-nother beast -- big and strong and physical. Of course, Utah can probably not dream of stopping Kobe nor Pau. Which is all to say this is going to be one hell-of-a offensive shootout, in all likelihood.
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Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 1)
1. You wish the Lakers had Bynum and Ariza at full health. It creates somewhat of a handicap in your mind for the purple and gold, which is amazing, given that they're still the favorites for coming out of the West.
Posted at 10:51AM on May 3rd 2008 by Ryne Nelson
2. Yes and they a name for that : Pau Gasol !
Posted at 11:48AM on May 3rd 2008 by frank
3. just hoping the Lakers can handle the Jazz...but then again, the west is tough this year...and as a sidebar...GO HAWKS...although I think they're toast in Boston, they had a great run...and put up more of a fight than Denver and Mavs combined...
Posted at 1:00PM on May 3rd 2008 by g
4. I am sorry but this Kid does not look that he wants to play at all ;
I wonder why LA got Gasol;
Bynum was not going to take LA to the promise land , for sure.
Posted at 8:54PM on May 3rd 2008 by frank