DSC02201 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)For once, Kobe Bryant smiled. For once, Andrew Bynum frowned.The Lakers' two best players appeared to trade roles. Bryant usually remains stoic and serious during the NBA playoffs. Bynum often appears carefree.
Yet, the circumstances surrounding their differing body language actually revealed how they are resembling each other.
The Lakers' 104-100 Game 2 victory Tuesday over the Denver Nuggets featured Bynum scoring a playoff career-high 27 points on 12-of-20 shooting, yet he sat there at his locker unhappy. He hardly sounded thrilled about collecting nine rebounds and two blocks after tying an NBA playoff record in Game 1 with 10 blocked shots along with his 13 rebounds.
"I left a lot there," Bynum said. "I need to do better. I want to be perfect."
Bryant sat in the interview room moments later nodding his head and smiling when a reporter relayed to him about Bynum's self-critical comments. He clearly understood his teammate's sentiments.
"He expects greatness out of himself,” Bryant said. "He believes that he can have monster games on a consistent basis like he did the last game, so it’s a great thing to hear."
It's surreal to see how much their dynamic has evolved. It was only five years ago, after all, when Bryant demanded the Lakers' front office trade Bynum for Jason Kidd. Similar to what many Lakers felt, Bryant hardly had the patience to see Bynum develop when he wanted to win at that present moment.
I had longly touted the Lakers' need to keep Bynum because of his distinguishable size, but the praise came with some reservations. The Lakers should still remain open in trading him for Dwight Howard. They shouldn't keep Bynum as their franchise player because his extensive injury history remains unpredictable.
Bynum has proved Bryant wrong for his impatience. He's also evaporated skepticism, including from yours truly, that he could surpass Howard as the NBA's best center and proved he's taken the necessary steps to remain healthy.
http://www.latimes.com/sports/lakersnow/la-sp-ln-la-andrew-bynum-critical-of-his-own-play-20120502,0,1826406.story?track=rss
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