Los Angeles Lakers fans, coaches, and players like have to love hearing Andrew Bynum talk about averaging 20 points and 10 rebounds per game this season. Where the complication comes in is when you starting doing the math in your head.

Let's see. Kobe's probably good for 30, Pau Gasol is a 20-point threat, Lamar Odom can get 20 on any given night and will average at least 15 . . .then there's Jordan Farmar, Vladimir Radmanovic, Luke Walton . . .oh! And Andrew Bynum! There are a lot of guys who can do good things with the ball in their hands, which means Bynum scoring 20+ is fairly unlikely.

"Not possible. It's not possible," Lakers head coach Phil Jackson told the Orange County Register. "There's just not enough offense for everybody to do that kind of stuff. "Ten rebounds, three blocks, some changed shots, maybe a charge a game. Those are the things that we want to see happen. That's going to make us a good team."

Now I am far from being a Lakers homer, but I would venture to say that if Bynum plays 75+ games and gives them 10 rebounds, three blocks, a charge, and maybe 10-15 points per game the Lakers will be an "elite" team, not just a "good" team. After all, they won the Western Conference last season with Bynum on the sideline for a large chunk of the season.

It far too early to start hanging more banners in Staples Center's rafters, of course. The West, which was at its all-time toughest last season, will be even tougher this year by all accounts. The Hornets will be better with James Posey, the Blazers will be a playoff team, Houston has Ron Artest, and teams like the San Antonio Spurs, Utah Jazz, Phoenix Suns, and Dallas Mavericks all believe they are contenders for the championship this season. No matter how well Bynum plays the Lakers are in for a huge challenge.

Still, you gotta love the enthusiasm and the attitude. Coach Jackson has always been high on those aspects of the game, and Bynum seems ready to fit right in with the Lakers' championship ambitions.

I, for one, don't believe you can ever be too optimistic.

Los Angeles Lakers fans, coaches, and players like have to love hearing Andrew Bynum talk about averaging 20 points and 10 rebounds per game this season. Where the complication comes in is when you starting doing the math in your head.

Let's see. Kobe's probably good for 30, Pau Gasol is a 20-point threat, Lamar Odom can get 20 on any given night and will average at least 15 . . .then there's Jordan Farmar, Vladimir Radmanovic, Luke Walton . . .oh! And Andrew Bynum! There are a lot of guys who can do good things with the ball in their hands, which means Bynum scoring 20+ is fairly unlikely.

"Not possible. It's not possible," Lakers head coach Phil Jackson told the Orange County Register. "There's just not enough offense for everybody to do that kind of stuff. "Ten rebounds, three blocks, some changed shots, maybe a charge a game. Those are the things that we want to see happen. That's going to make us a good team."

Now I am far from being a Lakers homer, but I would venture to say that if Bynum plays 75+ games and gives them 10 rebounds, three blocks, a charge, and maybe 10-15 points per game the Lakers will be an "elite" team, not just a "good" team. After all, they won the Western Conference last season with Bynum on the sideline for a large chunk of the season.

It far too early to start hanging more banners in Staples Center's rafters, of course. The West, which was at its all-time toughest last season, will be even tougher this year by all accounts. The Hornets will be better with James Posey, the Blazers will be a playoff team, Houston has Ron Artest, and teams like the San Antonio Spurs, Utah Jazz, Phoenix Suns, and Dallas Mavericks all believe they are contenders for the championship this season. No matter how well Bynum plays the Lakers are in for a huge challenge.

Still, you gotta love the enthusiasm and the attitude. Coach Jackson has always been high on those aspects of the game, and Bynum seems ready to fit right in with the Lakers' championship ambitions.

I, for one, don't believe you can ever be too optimistic.

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=10164

its not about them playing him as luc longly its that last year you only had 2 legitimate scoring threats now we have kobe pau bynum odom farmar sasha....the first half of the season was the kobe bynum show the second was more of a team effort until the finals but the celtics just had the better match ups and D.... yes he is talented but kobe set up alot of what he did he is still going to get his reps but he is now the 3rd option thats what phil said

"On offense, Bynum still needs to develop a signature move. He needs to generate more points on his own, rather than depending on lobs and drop-offs as he did so often last season. It wasn't as if Bynum simply overpowered people on the block or swung left and lofted a sky hook, to use the preferred methods of two great Lakers centers of the past, Shaq and Kareem."