Weekly Game Write-Up

Weekly Game Write-Up

• 09-05-2009
• Saturday

Lakers vs.Celtics - Game 5

Bynum's is entering Game 5 recently de-gooed with two days rest. Who knows how he'll respond, but it stands to reason that this setting suits Bynum more than one day off and a cross-country plane trip before Game 6. Or two games' worth of banging and one day off heading into a theoretical Game 7 (assuming he's even available). The tricky nature of injuries -- not to mention the unpredictability of sports -- makes this a tough one to peg. But if I had to lay odds, Bynum will be most effective in Game 5, and the Lakers have to adopt a mind-set of maximizing a gift horse.

 

 * The Lakers are a net plus-13 with Bynum on the court and minus-9 without him. Adjusted over 48 minutes, the numbers aren't quite as jarring (plus-5.7 with, minus-5.2 without) but are still indicative of his ability to tip a game in L.A.'s favor.

    * In all four contests, whichever team won the rebounding battle won the game. Even with Bynum limping uncomfortably for 10 minutes during Game 4's first half, the Lakers trailed only 21-20 on the glass. Bynum grabbed only two, but his length and size makes loose balls tougher for Boston to track down. In the second half, when he played under two minutes, Boston snagged a whopping nine offensive rebounds en route to a glass war won 20-14. Coincidence? I think not.

 

Bottom line, rebounding can shift a game, and Bynum makes the Lakers better on the boards.

 

OUR PLAY: Lakers +3 (2 units)