Lakers' Bynum, Bryant appear ready to return Sunday

Andrew Bynum practiced Friday for the first time since straining his left Achilles tendon March 19 and pretty much guaranteed he would play in Game 1 of the Lakers' first-round playoff series Sunday against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

[Muffin man]

Who are you talking to fatboy? Get a life

[Sammy]

some things never change for you sillizar

[DrPhil]

The x-factor is Russell Westbrook. If Kobe can hold Westbrook down, the Lakers can take any losses from Artest guarding Durant. What Durant does best is creating space and shooting long two's. Artest has to body Durant up; and if Artest fouls out, Shannon Brown has to fill in the gap. All the other players on the Lakers team are way too slow to try to contain Durant.

[lakers355s]

JR Salazar wrote:

<quoted text>
The paper is touting Durant as the Kobe protege. But I agree with you, Westbrook needs to be neutralized. I'm taking the Lake Show in 6.

durant is badass and very fun to watch though... i like the kid. lakers in 5!

[lakers355s]

DrPhil wrote:

The x-factor is Russell Westbrook. If Kobe can hold Westbrook down, the Lakers can take any losses from Artest guarding Durant. What Durant does best is creating space and shooting long two's. Artest has to body Durant up; and if Artest fouls out, Shannon Brown has to fill in the gap. All the other players on the Lakers team are way too slow to try to contain Durant.

agreed. however, westbrook is not just kobe or d fish's assignment. the big men (bynum/gasol/mbenga) need to prevent westbrook's slashing & driving and make him a shooter. also, our 6'4" guard (shannon) wil not be guarding the longest 6'9" forward in the league...
go lakers.

[Kratos_1]

lakers355s wrote:

<quoted text>
durant is badass and very fun to watch though... i like the kid. lakers in 5!

Agreed. Durant rocks!

But ffcvck em' tommorrow!:D

[Showtime]

Kratos_1 wrote:

<quoted text>
Agreed. Durant rocks!
But ffcvck em' tommorrow!:D

I just hope Kobe's injuries will not keep him from playing excellent brand of ball, we also need bynum to at least play decent.

[lakers355s]

and now mbenga will miss some games with an eye injury???

wtf!?!?

[Sammy]

lakers355s wrote:

and now mbenga will miss some games with an eye injury???
wtf!?!?

Eye injury? poor fella

[Showtime]

lakers355s wrote:

and now mbenga will miss some games with an eye injury???
wtf!?!?

I didn't hear about that, but I am guessing phil is not too worried, I doubt Mbenga was gonna be in the rotation all that much anyway, with Bynum, gasol and Odom and possibly powell, I think we got enough big man, however. We still have many questions about chemistry, how well kobe and bynum will play, and when is Sasha gonna come back? Lukily we go against a inexperienced Thunder team.

[lakers355s]

Showtime wrote:

<quoted text> I didn't hear about that, but I am guessing phil is not too worried, I doubt Mbenga was gonna be in the rotation all that much anyway, with Bynum, gasol and Odom and possibly powell, I think we got enough big man, however. We still have many questions about chemistry, how well kobe and bynum will play, and when is Sasha gonna come back? Lukily we go against a inexperienced Thunder team.

yeah i heard dj had some injury during practice today that required emergency eye surgery or something. he may not be back until 2nd round. i'm just a little worried about our big man depth with dj now sidelined and drew barely coming back. home teams are 4-0 so far, let's keep the trend going!

[Showtime]

lakers355s wrote:

<quoted text>
yeah i heard dj had some injury during practice today that required emergency eye surgery or something. he may not be back until 2nd round. i'm just a little worried about our big man depth with dj now sidelined and drew barely coming back. home teams are 4-0 so far, let's keep the trend going!

Well I look at it like this, if they cant even beat a inexperienced (but good) thunder team, which is nowhere near the biggest threat in the playoffs, then we have no business even sniffing the 2nd round, I believe it won't matter much,as long as the lakers come to play and don't fall asleep they will be fine, I just wish they would turn that switch on and keep it on.