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A rare sight in the playoffs; Bynum doing work

I find it really difficult to evaluate Bynum right now. 

Earlier this year, I’d say he was untouchable. He certainly has the capability to put up big numbers.

But he has also been frequently injured. He has yet to be healthy and effective in a playoff series. Which is a problem in itself: is he injury-prone? Gary Vitti, after examining Bynum’s body, concluded that he’s susceptible to leg injuries (Greg Oden seems to be a similar case). 

On the other hand, guys like Dwight Howard are built solidly, like the bulletproof Karl Malone.

Injuries interrupt a player’s development. It seems that Bynum always has to go back a little, rediscover the fundamentals of the game, before regaining some momentum in his game. But injuries have been a stumbling block for him, no question.

But what troubles me too is that Bynum said his struggles are mental, not physical. If that’s the case, then the problem lies deeper: a lack of confidence, focus, and even motivation. That’s troubling, because he’s been with this team too long to go through this again – these were all problems earlier in his career.

Then last week, he qualified (or contradicted) that by saying his knee WAS bothering him. Which is confusing: are his problems mental or physical? Both? What really is going on? And there seems to be a problem between him and Phil Jackson, after he obliquely demanded more minutes, equally obliquely criticized Phil Jackson’s defensive schemes, then equally obliquely took it all back. 

There are just so many things going on with Bynum right now.

On one hand, I’d say no center has more potential in the league than Bynum. Even more than Dwight Howard (Bynum has better size, a naturally softer touch). 

But then again, I’m wondering whether our team could be better served with a dependable, high quality big man veteran than Bynum, who hasn’t been reliable at all.

Take for example last year. If we had Luis Scola in the Boston series, we might have a championship already – and be in better position to win this year. And possibly the next 3-4 years. 

Let’s say Bynum gets past his injuries, mental issues, and becomes reliable in the next couple years. Does a Bynum-centered team have more championship-winning potential than a Kobe-centered team? Extremely doubtful, because Kobe is almost unequivocally considered a top 10 player of all time, certainly top 25…but Bynum? Right now, he’s closer to Kwame Brown than Tim Duncan.

At this point, we don’t NEED to move Bynum, because I think the fact is that even without him, we can contend for a championship with Kobe, Pau, Odom, and Ariza. 

But there is the possibility that our team would be (and would have been) better if we had a more reliable player. 

One thing that I’ve been impressed with is that some players are built for the playoffs. Rugged, sacrificing, balls-to-the-wall, even a little dirty, just willing to do whatever is necessary to win. 

And these guys aren’t necessarily the all-stars – but can make a bigger impact in the playoffs.

Bynum will have to prove that he can stay injury-free and be reliable month-to-month. But I think the Lakers have invested way too much into Bynum to give up on him any time soon (money, Kareem, etc.). The Lakers tend to hold onto players way past their due date, so if Bynum turns out to be a bust, just know that the Lakers will give him every chance until he’s nearly an untradeable contract.

Andrew Bynum is still out for roughly another 2 months…again putting in doubt his availability for the playoffs. 

His rehabilitation should involve a new treatment involving the athlete’s own blood to heal injuries, as reported by the New York Times:

“The method, which is strikingly straightforward and easy to perform, centers on injecting portions of a patient’s blood directly into the injured area, which catalyzes the body’s instincts to repair muscle, bone and other tissue. Most enticing, many doctors said, is that the technique appears to help regenerate ligament and tendon fibers, which could shorten rehabilitation time and possibly obviate surgery.”

Takeashi Saito, a pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers, underwent platelet-rich plasma therapy to heal a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament. Instead of being out for a year after surgery, he recovered in 2-3 months.

Hines Ward, the Pittsburgh Steeler’s receiver, suffered a grade-2 MCL (medial collateral ligament) sprain. While originally predicted to miss 5-6 weeks, Ward underwent the blood injection treatment and came back in two weeks to play in the superbowl. Equally important, he avoided offseason surgery on his knee. 

Andrew Bynum also injured his MCL on his right knee. The Lakers didn’t reveal what level sprain it was, the 8-12 week recovery time hinted at a level 2 or 3 sprain. A level 2 is a partial tear and is somewhat disabling. A level 3 is a complete tear and often requires surgery. Considering Bynum and the Lakers’ optimism, minimal swelling, and Bynum’s relative mobility (he now walks without a crutch and took some pregame shots yesterday), his injury appears to be a level 2 sprain, which is what Hines Ward suffered.

I hope he does receive this cutting edge blood injection treatment, because it would mean not only a faster recovery time for the playoffs, but also a good way to avoid surgery.

What’s troubling is the fact that Bynum prefers to work with his own people rather than the Lakers. The difference in medical opinions between the Lakers’ medical consultants and Bynum’s personal doctors on the East Coast caused some problems last year, especially since Bynum’s extension was at stake. 

This may be an ongoing problem. According to the OC Register’s Kevin Ding, Lakers trainer Gary Vitti revealed that Bynum would be susceptible to knee injuries due to his body (knock knees and wide pelvis).

All this should call for perhaps a more comprehensive approach to Bynum’s condition. Jordan Farmar does Yoga for better balance and body control. Perhaps Bynum should follow suit; at this point, he’s undoubtedly injury-prone, with 3 major knee injuries in the past 5 years. 

I just hope Bynum’s personal trainer and doctors are open to these ideas. Blood injections to help him heal, then daily Yoga or dance sessions to prevent injuries.

He’s a gangly, awkward big man with an odd gait. In contrast, Shaq, despite his massive size, had great mobility, footwork, and body control. Probably the best in history for a 300-pound, 7-footer. That’s probably why Shaq’s been relatively durable over his career, despite frequently being out of shape.