Maybe all those tears being shed in South Beach are in anticipation of the pain Andrew Bynum will be bringing to town in two days time. The Altered Beast is on the loose. Since the All-Star break the Lakers haven’t lost and a lot of that credit goes to the inspired play of Bynum.
Tonight in Atlanta Drew continued his stellar play with another dominating performance.
These days Bynum owns the paint like Charlie Sheen owns the headlines. Though Sheen boasts of tiger blood, Drew might just have acid coursing through his veins with the way the opposition is avoiding him.
As we’ve come to expect lately Bynum beasted on the boards pulling down 16 rebounds. He also continues to be that dominant defender in the middle needed for the three-peat push. Altering countless shots and blocking three, Drew was a force.
But what made tonight so much different was that he was a threat on offense as well.
The coaching staff has been so focused on getting Bynum to concentrate on defense and rebounding that he hasn’t been much of a factor on offense. Not that he was needed to help drop buckets, not with Kobe, Pau and Lamar in form. Tonight, however, Bynum was amazingly efficient scoring 16 on 8 of 10 shooting.
Let’s just be honest. If Bynum is on his game the way he’s been lately there is no chance of another team hoisting the Larry O’Brien this year.
In fact with the way the Lake Show is rolling you wonder if there’s any chance of them tasting defeat again this season.
Ok, so that is far fetched. But what is a definite reality is making it 9 wins in a row. Make no mistake Miami is going to be up for this challenge. But if Bynum remains in Altered Beast mode and the Lakers keep executing on offense and playing this inspired defense, there is an 80% chance of tears being shed in South Beach.