Laker fans rejoice, Andrew Bryman is HERE!

[WayOutWest]

I don't know WOW.  He shows flashes of being more than just an average player.  Tonight for example he looked AWESOME.  Granted they are playing the Clippers and they are light in the wallet.  Still, impressive. 

42 - 15 - 3

He went up against a team who's front line has been DECIMATED!!!  Give me a break.  IMO Jordan showed as much potential as Bynum, in fact Jordan showed more considering the shot blocking.  Gasol and Bynum could not stop a 4th string rookie bench scrub so I'm not to happy about the performance.  Hopefully this will get Bynum going but I think the combo of his attitude and Gasol's presence will keep him about where he's been all year, if he's able to duplicate last seasons 13/10 he'll be just and fine and pretty much what I've expected from him since day 1.

Can you tell me the last time Brendan Haywood dropped 42 points, snatched 15 rebounds, and had 3 blocks in one game?

Don't worry, I'll Wait....

He would have done it the first time he faced the Clippers this year, but he's probably out for the season.

He's never done it in his career.

The Clippers have never been without a starting front line durring BOTH their careers.....until now.....

[westkoast]

I don't know WOW.  He shows flashes of being more than just an average player.  Tonight for example he looked AWESOME.  Granted they are playing the Clippers and they are light in the wallet.  Still, impressive. 

42 - 15 - 3

He went up against a team who's front line has been DECIMATED!!!  Give me a break.  IMO Jordan showed as much potential as Bynum, in fact Jordan showed more considering the shot blocking.  Gasol and Bynum could not stop a 4th string rookie bench scrub so I'm not to happy about the performance.  Hopefully this will get Bynum going but I think the combo of his attitude and Gasol's presence will keep him about where he's been all year, if he's able to duplicate last seasons 13/10 he'll be just and fine and pretty much what I've expected from him since day 1.

Can you tell me the last time Brendan Haywood dropped 42 points, snatched 15 rebounds, and had 3 blocks in one game?

Don't worry, I'll Wait....

He would have done it the first time he faced the Clippers this year, but he's probably out for the season.

He's never done it in his career.

The Clippers have never been without a starting front line durring BOTH their careers.....until now.....

So you are telling me never in Haywood's career he's never gone up against soft front lines?

[WayOutWest]

I don't know WOW.  He shows flashes of being more than just an average player.  Tonight for example he looked AWESOME.  Granted they are playing the Clippers and they are light in the wallet.  Still, impressive. 

42 - 15 - 3

He went up against a team who's front line has been DECIMATED!!!  Give me a break.  IMO Jordan showed as much potential as Bynum, in fact Jordan showed more considering the shot blocking.  Gasol and Bynum could not stop a 4th string rookie bench scrub so I'm not to happy about the performance.  Hopefully this will get Bynum going but I think the combo of his attitude and Gasol's presence will keep him about where he's been all year, if he's able to duplicate last seasons 13/10 he'll be just and fine and pretty much what I've expected from him since day 1.

Can you tell me the last time Brendan Haywood dropped 42 points, snatched 15 rebounds, and had 3 blocks in one game?

Don't worry, I'll Wait....

He would have done it the first time he faced the Clippers this year, but he's probably out for the season.

He's never done it in his career.

The Clippers have never been without a starting front line durring BOTH their careers.....until now.....

So you are telling me never in Haywood's career he's never gone up against soft front lines?

Soft ones?  Sure.  Missing ones?  Dunno....

If one game makes a player then there are a ton of players to praise in the league......

[westkoast]

I don't know WOW.  He shows flashes of being more than just an average player.  Tonight for example he looked AWESOME.  Granted they are playing the Clippers and they are light in the wallet.  Still, impressive. 

42 - 15 - 3

He went up against a team who's front line has been DECIMATED!!!  Give me a break.  IMO Jordan showed as much potential as Bynum, in fact Jordan showed more considering the shot blocking.  Gasol and Bynum could not stop a 4th string rookie bench scrub so I'm not to happy about the performance.  Hopefully this will get Bynum going but I think the combo of his attitude and Gasol's presence will keep him about where he's been all year, if he's able to duplicate last seasons 13/10 he'll be just and fine and pretty much what I've expected from him since day 1.

Can you tell me the last time Brendan Haywood dropped 42 points, snatched 15 rebounds, and had 3 blocks in one game?

Don't worry, I'll Wait....

He would have done it the first time he faced the Clippers this year, but he's probably out for the season.

He's never done it in his career.

The Clippers have never been without a starting front line durring BOTH their careers.....until now.....

So you are telling me never in Haywood's career he's never gone up against soft front lines?

Soft ones?  Sure.  Missing ones?  Dunno....

If one game makes a player then there are a ton of players to praise in the league......

Oh I am not saying one game makes a player.  What I am saying is writing him off so early, like you sorta did here, is not fair.  When a player still has the potential to give you 20-10-2 I don't think you deem them average.

[WayOutWest]

Oh I am not saying one game makes a player.  What I am saying is writing him off so early, like you sorta did here, is not fair.  When a player still has the potential to give you 20-10-2 I don't think you deem them average.

I don't think he has the potential for 20/10, therefore I deem him average.

[Lurker]

Oh I am not saying one game makes a player.  What I am saying is writing him off so early, like you sorta did here, is not fair.  When a player still has the potential to give you 20-10-2 I don't think you deem them average.

Here are a few stat lines from another LA center when he was in his 4th season

vs Cleve           19 pts  11 reb  0 blks
vs Toronto        16  11  3
vs Memphis        27  8  1
vs San Antonio   20  12  3
vs Boston          27  15  2
vs Chicago         30  16  3
vs Houston         26  11  2
vs Washington    22  11  2
vs Sacramento    23  10  4
vs San Antonio   26  17  1


BTW this guy averaged 11.1 pts  8.1 reb  1.8  blks


And we all know how much potential that the Kandiman showed right up until he no longer was in the league.

[westkoast]

Oh I am not saying one game makes a player.  What I am saying is writing him off so early, like you sorta did here, is not fair.  When a player still has the potential to give you 20-10-2 I don't think you deem them average.

Here are a few stat lines from another LA center when he was in his 4th season

vs Cleve           19 pts  11 reb  0 blks
vs Toronto        16  11  3
vs Memphis        27  8  1
vs San Antonio   20  12  3
vs Boston          27  15  2
vs Chicago         30  16  3
vs Houston         26  11  2
vs Washington    22  11  2
vs Sacramento    23  10  4
vs San Antonio   26  17  1


BTW this guy averaged 11.1 pts  8.1 reb  1.8  blks


And we all know how much potential that the Kandiman showed right up until he no longer was in the league.

That was the last full season he played with out being injured.  After that came the knee and back problems that pretty much pushed him out of the league.

Not exactly fair to imply what you are saying based on that small sample.

[WayOutWest]

BTW this guy averaged 11.1 pts  8.1 reb  1.8  blks

How does 11.5 pts, 7.5 reb and 2.0 blks sound?  Another LA center who had "potential" until the end.  Big Ben turned out to be Baby Ben but he had a few monster games himself.

He had a 16/9 and 14/10 season but that was his peak.

[westkoast]

Again...Kandi lost his "potential" after that season as he couldn't even finish one out.  He went on to miss 50+ games over the next 3 seasons due to injury.  The following year he spent 60% of the season on the bench so how are you guys discussing his potential till the end?

He never bounced back from his injury.  I think Bynum is doing a decent (tho I did expect more) job of bouncing back from his.

[WayOutWest]

Again...Kandi lost his "potential" after that season as he couldn't even finish one out.  He went on to miss 50+ games over the next 3 seasons due to injury.  The following year he spent 60% of the season on the bench so how are you guys discussing his potential till the end?

He never bounced back from his injury.  I think Bynum is doing a decent (tho I did expect more) job of bouncing back from his.

Again, he's not even putting up Baby Ben numbers and Benoit was considered a "bust".

[Lurker]

Again...Kandi lost his "potential" after that season as he couldn't even finish one out.  He went on to miss 50+ games over the next 3 seasons due to injury.  The following year he spent 60% of the season on the bench so how are you guys discussing his potential till the end?

He never bounced back from his injury.  I think Bynum is doing a decent (tho I did expect more) job of bouncing back from his.

But what if he suffers another injury?  At THIS point in time Bynum's career isn't any more impressive than Kandi.  And just because he has "potential" doesn't mean jack.  One outstanding game does not mean that he will have the drive, determination or work habits to become anything more than a journeyman center. 

There are lots of players who have/had the potential to put up 20/10 but how many actually become that player?

[westkoast]

Again...Kandi lost his "potential" after that season as he couldn't even finish one out.  He went on to miss 50+ games over the next 3 seasons due to injury.  The following year he spent 60% of the season on the bench so how are you guys discussing his potential till the end?

He never bounced back from his injury.  I think Bynum is doing a decent (tho I did expect more) job of bouncing back from his.

But what if he suffers another injury?  At THIS point in time Bynum's career isn't any more impressive than Kandi.  And just because he has "potential" doesn't mean jack.  One outstanding game does not mean that he will have the drive, determination or work habits to become anything more than a journeyman center. 

There are lots of players who have/had the potential to put up 20/10 but how many actually become that player?

If he does, he does.  We both do not know if he will.  He has bounced back from his injury much better than Kandi did.  His injury was actually even worse than Kandi's was.   Bynum's career so far has been more impressive than Kandi's first few years.  He has much better foot work than Kandi does.  If you want to be Reality and strickly look at stats, sure I agree.  He also has a diminished role due to the team being stacked.  If he was on the Clippers I bet he would have much better numbers.  What do you think he would have had tonight if he played in the 4th quarter?  He was at 15, 11, and 4 before hitting the pine.    His foot work is better than Kandi as is his rebounding.  The attitude sucks but that is something that is easier to correct than to teach a big man to have good foot work.  Kandi never showed the foot work Bynum has in his last two seasons.  I got to see him just as often as I get to see Bynum for a long stretch of time there.

I think he showed what he is able to do tonight against your team.    He played solid against one of the best big men in the league.  When he gets in a groove he can play well.  After taking a verbal lashing from Kurt Rambis 5 games ago he has responded with some quality basketball.  How many centers do you think are better than Bynum? 6? 7?

[Lurker]

Again...Kandi lost his "potential" after that season as he couldn't even finish one out.  He went on to miss 50+ games over the next 3 seasons due to injury.  The following year he spent 60% of the season on the bench so how are you guys discussing his potential till the end?

He never bounced back from his injury.  I think Bynum is doing a decent (tho I did expect more) job of bouncing back from his.

But what if he suffers another injury?  At THIS point in time Bynum's career isn't any more impressive than Kandi.  And just because he has "potential" doesn't mean jack.  One outstanding game does not mean that he will have the drive, determination or work habits to become anything more than a journeyman center. 

There are lots of players who have/had the potential to put up 20/10 but how many actually become that player?

If he does, he does.  We both do not know if he will.  He has bounced back from his injury much better than Kandi did.  His injury was actually even worse than Kandi's was.   Bynum's career so far has been more impressive than Kandi's first few years.  He has much better foot work than Kandi does.  If you want to be Reality and strickly look at stats, sure I agree.  He also has a diminished role due to the team being stacked.  If he was on the Clippers I bet he would have much better numbers.  What do you think he would have had tonight if he played in the 4th quarter?  He was at 15, 11, and 4 before hitting the pine.    His foot work is better than Kandi as is his rebounding.  The attitude sucks but that is something that is easier to correct than to teach a big man to have good foot work.  Kandi never showed the foot work Bynum has in his last two seasons.  I got to see him just as often as I get to see Bynum for a long stretch of time there.

I think he showed what he is able to do tonight against your team.    He played solid against one of the best big men in the league.  When he gets in a groove he can play well.  After taking a verbal lashing from Kurt Rambis 5 games ago he has responded with some quality basketball.  How many centers do you think are better than Bynum? 6? 7?

Yes, he played well against the Spurs...and has for the last 3-4 games as you mention.  But will he need to be verbally lashed regularly to continue producing?  Neither of us know.  But even if he doesn't improve any more; then barring injury he is a solid starting center in the league. 

Of course there probably isn't more than 5-6 centers better than he is but then there probably aren't more than 7-8 true centers in the league.   

[westkoast]

Again...Kandi lost his "potential" after that season as he couldn't even finish one out.  He went on to miss 50+ games over the next 3 seasons due to injury.  The following year he spent 60% of the season on the bench so how are you guys discussing his potential till the end?

He never bounced back from his injury.  I think Bynum is doing a decent (tho I did expect more) job of bouncing back from his.

But what if he suffers another injury?  At THIS point in time Bynum's career isn't any more impressive than Kandi.  And just because he has "potential" doesn't mean jack.  One outstanding game does not mean that he will have the drive, determination or work habits to become anything more than a journeyman center. 

There are lots of players who have/had the potential to put up 20/10 but how many actually become that player?

If he does, he does.  We both do not know if he will.  He has bounced back from his injury much better than Kandi did.  His injury was actually even worse than Kandi's was.   Bynum's career so far has been more impressive than Kandi's first few years.  He has much better foot work than Kandi does.  If you want to be Reality and strickly look at stats, sure I agree.  He also has a diminished role due to the team being stacked.  If he was on the Clippers I bet he would have much better numbers.  What do you think he would have had tonight if he played in the 4th quarter?  He was at 15, 11, and 4 before hitting the pine.    His foot work is better than Kandi as is his rebounding.  The attitude sucks but that is something that is easier to correct than to teach a big man to have good foot work.  Kandi never showed the foot work Bynum has in his last two seasons.  I got to see him just as often as I get to see Bynum for a long stretch of time there.

I think he showed what he is able to do tonight against your team.    He played solid against one of the best big men in the league.  When he gets in a groove he can play well.  After taking a verbal lashing from Kurt Rambis 5 games ago he has responded with some quality basketball.  How many centers do you think are better than Bynum? 6? 7?

Yes, he played well against the Spurs...and has for the last 3-4 games as you mention.  But will he need to be verbally lashed regularly to continue producing?  Neither of us know.  But even if he doesn't improve any more; then barring injury he is a solid starting center in the league. 

Of course there probably isn't more than 5-6 centers better than he is but then there probably aren't more than 7-8 true centers in the league.   

That is what I am worried about.  We already had a big man who needed his ego poked to motivate him to play up to the level his game was at.  Believe me no one is more frustrated with that attitude right now then myself.

I agree he is not a super phenom, next coming of Kareem/Shaq/Duncan/KG whomever but he is more than a serviceable center.  Much better than most teams have right now, no doubt.

[WayOutWest]

I agree he is not a super phenom, next coming of Kareem/Shaq/Duncan/KG whomever but he is more than a serviceable center.  Much better than most teams have right now, no doubt.

Being a journey man center is better than most teams have right now, that's not saying much.  You have to keep in mind that he's NOT playing better than the two notorious LA big men, Benoit and Kandi. 

I'm glad to see that Bynum is "teachable", he's not making as many of the same mistakes as he used to make.  Bynum still needs to learn quite a few things on defense and a needs to stay focused.  As far as offense he needs to develop 3 moves, "bread and butter", "back up bread and butter", and "go to" move.  Too often I see Bynum not sure about what  he's going to do or he lets defensive players push him off his spot. 

WK, I'm glad to see you are comming around to my way line of "serviceable center" thinking.  I'm so proud of you....