Andrew Bynum Dominates In Laker Win Over Timberwolves

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The final buzzer sounded and Andrew Bynum, with a towel over his shoulders, elbows bent with fists tightly closed in front of his chest, approached his teammates coming off the floor with that childlike, Christmas morning smile. He greeted each player one by one with, “We got a win. We got a win.” It’s only been two losses since their last victory, but Bynum and his team have gone through a lot this week – embarrassing losses, trade talks continuing to swirl around their most prominent players, players venting to the media about their state. He knows they didn’t add any more championship banners with this win, and they didn’t get the road trip record they had anticipated when they left L.A. But they did win tonight, and they won playing the right away…in the second half anyway.
For a team trying to recover from back to back losses to two awful teams, the purple and gold sure came into tonight’s game with very little energy or purpose. What opposing team wouldn’t take advantage? Not the Timberwolves, who ran off a 16-6 lead in what seemed like a blink of an eye, as the Lakers sludged through the first quarter, looking poised to help Minnesota break their 18-game losing streak against them. All this without the services of Kevin Love, who sat out tonight’s game due to back spasms.
The Lakers looked listless on defense, failing to communicate, and thereby giving up uncontested layups and dunks. The rebounding reflected the effort (or lack there of), and the Wolves capitalized with a 12-2 advantage in second chance points. On offense, the Lakers were even worse, unable to hang on to the ball long enough to make a play. They had seven turnovers in the first 12 minutes alone and 11 for the half. It was one careless pass after another, and though they cut a 14-point Minnesota lead going into the half, there was still so much to adjust if they wanted to get out of Minnesota with a win…and they did just that.
They played a second half that looked the exact opposite of the first, which in essence means, they played how they should have been playing in the first place – with energy, ball movement, aggression and a little bit of smarts didn’t hurt either.

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It is March 9, 2012 and the (23-16) Los Angeles Lakers are in Mill city for a matchup with the vastly improved (21-19) Minnesota Timberwolves. The Lakers return home to the ‘twin cities’ where the franchise began in 1947 in the NBL. The Lakers, with George Mikan, won five championships calling Minneapolis, Minnesota home.
The Lakers had the appearance of a team turning the corner and playing with some momentum and swagger after a huge win at home over the Miami Heat. At 17-2, the Lakers tied for the second best home record in the league, but after 39 games played this season, 20 away from Staples Center L.A. have come out on top only six times.
The Lakers are not the same team on the road as their shot selection wavers, their execution falters and the reserves are not playing with confidence. The Lakers are playing in the finale of a forgettable three-game road trip, two terrible back-to-back performances, including a disappointing overtime loss to the Pistons and then losing to the Wizards after surrendering a 21-point lead.
Kobe Bryant is not solely to blame, but merely one of the culprits, shooting 17-57 over the last two games. The Lakers could greatly benefit from going back to running the triangle offense.

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After yet another road loss that saw the Lakers fall to 6-14 away from Staples Center, Andrew Bynum was asked if the Lakers problems are fixable?

If we can be real with each other. Yeah.” Bynum said.

Alright Bynum, lets keep it real.
Kobe Bryant finished the night 9 for 31 from the field (29%).
Bynum shot the ball just eight times, one less attempt than the amount of shots Bryant had from the three-point line.
Bynum made six of his eight field goals (75%).
As someone who has watched the majority of Kobe Bryant’s games over his 14-year NBA career, that may have been the worst 2nd half I have ever seen him play.
He was 3 for 18 in the 2nd half (17%). Many of his shots were forced; he rarely (if ever) looked to pass.

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Well at least they beat the worst team in the league (Charlotte Bobcats). Then again, that was at home, inside the comforts of Staples Center where the Lakers are 17-2; a record that is almost disposable when placed against the team’s 6-14 record on the road. It’s one thing to lose to the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Miami Heat, the second and third best teams in the league. It’s an entirely different concept to lose to the Detroit Pistons and the Washington Wizards, the seventh and third WORST teams in the league.
After winning their first three games after the All-Star break, it appeared the Lakers were finally starting to gain some traction. They looked and played like a good, solid team completely capable of making a significant run in the post-season. The bench was starting to contribute, Metta World Peace was finally producing, Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol looked unbeatable as a pair, and Kobe Bryant was playing like an MVP. But just like the large leads they so easily create, that feeling of accomplishment fades when carelessness, apathy and overconfidence sets in; when the well-being of the parts overrides the well-being of its sum, resulting in nothing but embarrassment and loss.
This was probably the Lakers’ most manageable road trip in the season, especially after such improved play going into it; one where they could have come home 3-0 after defeating two bottom-feeding teams and then one who they have beaten twice this season already. Instead they’re 0-2, with the result of Friday’s game appearing almost meaningless in the grand scheme of things.

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13-26 – The Detroit Pistons are 13-26, almost the exact opposite of the Lakers’ record to date, and the Lakers STILL could not pull together a game to defeat them. After allowing the Pistons just 17 points in the first quarter on 33% shooting, and then driving up their lead to 12 points in the second quarter, the Lakers lost focus and allowed the Pistons a run that ended in a 28-17 disadvantage going into the half.
After a concerted defensive effort and focus in the third quarter, the Lakers appeared poised to finally run the Pistons over and head on down to Washington, DC to stomp on the lowly Wizards. Instead they opened the fourth quarter on the bad end of a 10-2 run and just couldn’t keep their foot on the gas long enough to make the drive worth it. Each time they gained any sort of lead, they’d allowed the Pistons to get right back into it, needing a Kobe Bryant buzzer beating jumper to force overtime.
All they had to do was play smart, if even in the closing minutes of the final 12, but it was one poor decision after another – being three points ahead with less than two minutes left in the game but continuing to attempt three pointers instead of higher percentage shots that could pad the lead further; not closing in on Rodney Stuckey who scored on back to back possessions; throwing behind the back passes when every possession should have cherished and capitalized on. In the end, the game was a hot mess that didn’t need to be one.

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It is March 6, 2012 and the (23-14) Los Angeles Lakers start a three-game road trip in the largest city in the state of Michigan, Detroit, on a cold 40-degree day that feels like 30 due to 23-34 mph winds to match up with the (12-26) Pistons. The Lakers have won eight of their last 10 games and are coming off a signature win against the Miami Heat.
Kobe Bryant set the tone doing most of his damage early with Dwayne Wade guarding him scoring 18 first-half points while burying D. Wade in the post. Head Coach Mike Brown preaching defense has paid off, on Sunday, the Lakers held the Heat to just 37.5% from the field.

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World Peace had arguably his best game of the season as he scored 17 points, on 60% shooting. He also grabbed 7 rebounds, 4 steals, and 3 assists.
Although he filled up the stat sheet, he also did a great job defensively on LeBron James. He was asked after the game how he was able to contain LeBron James when no other player this season has been able to:

“I’m going to answer this as honest as I can, I’m one of the best defensive players ever. I’m one of the best defensive players to ever play on the wing.” Artest said. “I think that’s the answer. Sometimes media hides away from that fact. [I'm one of the best] especially in the last decade.”

World Peace also talked about his offense:

“I was shooting nine percent from the three [point line] earlier [this season]. I could of easily gave up on myself and deferred, but that’s not my character. I gotta keep on goin.”

In the last two games, World Peace is averaging 16 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.5 steals per game. He is also shooting 52% from the field, and 40% from beyond the arc.