Image via WikipediaAnthony is a transcendent talent and one of the best basketball players in the world. But all of his immense abilities wouldn’t have necessarily made the Lakers any better than if they had lost Bynum in the trade.
Bynum had three rebounds in the first 74 seconds of the game, include a rim-rattling dunk to start off the Lakers’ scoring. It was a statement the Spurs would struggle inside — and they did.
His height, especially when combined with Pau Gasol, remains the Lakers’ biggest single advantage over the Spurs. And it was never more apparent than in the first quarter, when Bynum personally matched the Spurs in rebounding and sparked them to a 17-8 advantage.
Although he scored only four points (on two shots), he grabbed 17 rebounds and blocked three shots and altered several more. And those numbers were accomplished in 26 minutes, 34 seconds as he was hampered at times with foul trouble.
“His length is superior,” San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. “So is Pau. Together, they are a heck of a defensive tandem down there. They do a great job and that’s why they are NBA champions the last two years.”
http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2011/03/06/five-quick-takes-the-best-trade-the-lakers-didnt-make-pays-dividends/
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