When the Los Angeles Lakers drafted Andrew Bynum 10th overall in 2005, their vision was for the 7-footer to become a franchise player.
The future hasn't always looked so bright for Bynum and the Lakers, given the multitude of injuries and continued lack of maturity. But with an aging Kobe Bryant continuing to carry the load, Bynum's value in Los Angeles is as high as ever.
Bryant may still have the star power and the killer instinct needed to win an NBA title, but it's Bynum who will be the key to any championship hopes the Lakers possess this season.
A first-time All-Star in 2012, Bynum finally played nearly a full season -- missing just six games, his fewest since 2006-07 -- at an elite level on both ends of the floor.
Bynum put forth the highest scoring and rebounding totals of his career, with 18.7 points and 11.7 rebounds, and he played the most minutes of his career, averaging 35.8 per game. His numbers across the board were outstanding and he finally established himself as a forceful presence inside, finishing behind only Dwight Howard (14.5) and Kevin Love (13.3) in rebounding during the regular season.
Sure, the temper flared up at times, and he even decided to jack up some ill-advised threes now and again, but Bynum remained a steady presence in the Lakers lineup all season. And now he's raising his game to a whole other level in the playoffs.
In Sunday's Game 1 against the Nuggets, the Lakers built an early 27-14 lead and never looked back. Kobe's ability to get to the basket, scoring 31 points on the night, certainly helped maintain the lead but it was Bynum's all-around effort that truly kept Denver at bay.
Bynum not only scored 10 points and pulled down 13 rebounds on the night, but he also showed why he's firmly in the conversation for defensive player of the year honors. Bynum recorded his first-career triple-double by tying an NBA playoff record with 10 blocks in the Lakers 103-88 win.
It's that type of performance that GM Mitch Kupchak and the Lakers saw in Bynum, when first selecting him to be their big man of the future, seven years ago. And it will be that same level of contribution and intensity that will be key to another Lakers championship run this postseason.
Kobe Bryant will continue to be the offensive foacl point for the Lakers, that's almost a given. He's a born scorer and a deadly finisher, fixed firmly in the conversation with Michael Jordan as the best closers in NBA history.
When considering the number of quality wing players in the league, though, Kobe's importance becomes a little more diluted. Bynum, on the other hand, gives the Lakers an asset that not many teams in this year's playoffs have -- a dominant big man.
The Spurs have Tim Duncan. the Clippers have Blake Griffin. The Heat have Chris Bosh. Heck, the Celtics have Kevin Garnett, albeit an aged version. While each of those guys are solid, productive players none of them can quite produce at the same level and more importantly none can defend Bynum. And with Dwight Howard out for the playoffs, thanks to season-ending back surgery, there isn't another center in the league that can keep up with Bynum.
After Sunday's game, Bynum spent some time reflecting on his performance and the potential impact he could have on the Lakers this postseason.
"It's the only way really possible for me to get a triple-double - through blocked shots," Bynum said of recording the franchises first triple-double since Magic Johnson in 1991. "If I play good D, we'll win games. I think I'm just going to be as aggressively as I can defensively to contest their shots."
And contest he did in Game 1. Bynum likely won't see that same output again as the series rolls along, or in the rest of the playoffs for that matter, but his stern defensive presence will certainly propel LA's championship chances.
Kobe Bryant is still the best player on the Lakers roster. He'll still score 25-plus a night and find a way to impact the game late, displaying the ever sought after clutch gene in big moments. He's still your stud.
Pau Gasol, who was the most important big man on LA's back-to-back championship teams in 2009 and 2010, will still play a vital role in the Lakers run this postseason as well. He's got a strong defensive presence of his own, plus he has the versatility of playing in the paint or netting his sweet mid-range jumper from the elbows.
But it's Andrew Bynum who ultimately holds the key to any potential Lakers championship.
If Bynum lets his immaturity and selfish nature get the best of him, the Lakers will fall and fall hard. But if Bynum continues to perform at the elite level he displayed in Sunday's 15-point drudging, then the Lakers could compete with and feasibly defeat any team in the NBA in a seven-game series.
The ball is in Bynum's court, now. Literally. It's time to see whether he makes the smart pass or decides to jack up the unnecessary 3-pointer.
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