Buy N' Him

Bynum's development has closed the gap
between him and Howard.

The Los Angeles Lakers are committing to Andrew Bynum, at least for now.

After months of speculation and trade rumors, Bynum stayed put at this year’s trading deadline, and had his $16 million option for next season picked up Tuesday. It’s the fourth year of $58 million contract extension Los Angeles signed him to in October 2008, despite missing most of the season with a dislocated kneecap.

Los Angeles had until June 30 to pick up the option, otherwise Bynum would become a hot commodity this summer. He has played in 41 of the Laker’s 45 games this year, missing the first four not by injury surprisingly, but serving a suspension he was slapped with following the team’s Game 4 loss in Dallas a year ago.

But in his season debut against the Denver Nuggets, Bynum tallied 29 points and 13 rebounds, setting the stage for the year to come.

Bynum, who is just 24-years-old, but in his seventh NBA season, is enjoying a banner campaign. He is averaging career-highs in points (18.1) and rebounds (12.9).

Those numbers saw him be selected to his first All-Star team, starting for the Western Conference in Orlando. He’s posted 31 double-doubles this season, including ten straight and in 16 out of his last 17 games.

During that streak Bynum recorded his first career 20/20 game.

On Feb. 6, in the Laker’s 95-90 loss to the 76ers, and on the same night Kobe Bryant passed Shaquille O’Neal for fifth on the all-time scoring list in his hometown of Philadelphia, Bynum scored and grabbed 20 points and rebounds each.

Once urged by Bryant to be traded for Jason Kidd and six years of waiting, Bynum is developing into the player Los Angeles always thought he would be.

He was most recently named the Western Conference Player of the Week, averaging 27.5 points and 14.8 rebounds over a four-game span. And while Bynum is clearly the best center in his conference, he has a long way to go to be the best in the league.

That title belongs to the Magic’s Dwight Howard.

For the last eight years, Howard, who will stay in Orlando through the 2012-13 season after waiving his opt-out clause, has become the NBA’s next dominant center.

Throughout that time, he has averaged 18.4 points per game, along with 13 rebounds and two blocks. Not to mention his record three straight Defensive Player of the Year Awards.

This season has been no different.

Howard is totaling 21.1 PPG, 14.8 rebounds and 2.2 blocks on a Magic team that is currently the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. But it’s not just Howard’s on the court presence that sets the two apart, but his ability to stay on the floor.

Since being drafted with the No. 1 overall pick in 2004, Howard has played in 616 of the possible 623 regular season games. He has started 615 of those and missed as many as four games in a season.

On the other hand, Bynum was drafted just a year later with the No. 10 pick in the draft. In the 540 games the Lakers have played since that time, Bynum has only played in 376 of them, mainly due to various knee injuries.

They have gone head-to-head 16 games in their careers, including the postseason with Howard showing almost every time why he is the best at his position.

Against Bynum, Howard has averaged 18.8 PPG, 13.4 rebounds and 2.9 blocks. Compare that to Bynum’s eight points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.7 blocks.

However in those games, Howard has complied 18.6 more minutes and 4.3 shot attempts than Bynum, giving him the slight advantage. But Bynum has continued to work hard and improve, fairing better in their more recent matchups.

In Bynum’s last three games against Howard and the Magic, he has totaled 12.3 PPG, 13 rebounds and 2.3 -- a significant upgrade from his career totals versus Orlando. That could be attributed to the extra minutes (28) and shot attempts (10.3) he is receiving.

And despite what the numbers say, Bynum’s Lakers have won nine of the 16 games, including four in the 2009 NBA Finals.

If things stay they contractual are, Howard and Bynum will both become free agents following the 2012-13 season.

But I’d expect the Lakers to sign Bynum to a contract extension in the near future as they look to continue the tradition of the franchise's dominant big men with a spot open on their Mount Rushmore, joining Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Shaquille O’Neal.

There's no disputing who the best center in the game is, but maybe a swap isn't as likely as it once was in Los Angeles.

Superman Does it Again

Howard has developed into the best big
man in the NBA.

Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard captured his third consecutive Defensive Player of the Year Award Monday.

Howard will become the first player in NBA history to win the award three times in-a-row. There is no question that Howard has been the best defensive player in the NBA the last couple of years with his shot blocking ability and being able to alter opponents shots around the rim.

Along with being named the top defensive player in the NBA in 2011, Howard could add another piece of hardware to his collection at the end of the season.

Howard has been in the Most Valuable Player discussion most of the NBA regular season and rightfully so. He is enjoying his most consistent year of young seven-year career. The 265-pounder averaged 22.9 points per game along with 14.1 rebounds this season.

Both of those are well above his career averages.

Howard led the NBA in trips to the foul line, averaging 11 free-throw attempts during the regular season. With Howard's overwhelming production, the Magic secured the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference with a record of 52-30.

It's not a stretch to say without Howard Orlando might not even be a playoff team.

Even though Chicago's Derrick Rose is the most deserving of the award, Howard is finally getting the reconition he deserves.

The 6-foot-11 center showed why he was the best defensive player in the NBA this season yet again, averaging 2.4 blocks and a career-high 1.3 steals per game. Drafted with the first overall pick by the Magic back in 2004, Howard has been a top five player in the NBA since his arrival and continues to impress his piers.

Orlando suffered a tough loss Saturday night at home against the No. 5 seeded Atlanta Hawks, 103-93, but Howard gave it his best effort, leading the away with 46 points and 19 rebounds.

The Magic have a tough road ahead if they want to appear in their third Eastern Conference Finals in as many years. It's a goal that plan to meet, but Orlando will first need even up the series at a game apiece on Tuesday night to get there.

Howard can become a free agent after the 2012 season and will be sure to draw a lot of interest from many NBA teams on the open market.

The Magic will need to show the 25-year-old Howard they get back to the NBA Finals, like they did in 2009. If they don't, that could be kryptonite that sees their beloved Superman fly out of town.

Bynum Rising to the Elite

A healthy Bynum could almost assure a
Laker three-peat.

The Los Angeles Lakers have gone an NBA best 10-1 since the All-Star break and Andrew Bynum has been right in the center of it all.

Los Angeles went into the break losing three straight at the hands of two sub .500 teams and the Orlando Magic. A lot has changed since then with the 'Lake Show' cruising in the second half.

And Bynum rising to be one of the most elite centers in the NBA.

There is no argument that Orlando's Dwight Howard is the best at his position in the NBA, but Bynum creeped a little closer to his status Monday night.

Bynum and the Lakers outplayed the Magic, coming away with a 97-84 victory on their home floor. In 28 minutes, Bynum outplayed Howard grabbing 18 rebounds while Howard was able to track down 15 in almost 43 minutes of play. The former first-round pick also blocked four shots, three of them coming against Howard. What a difference a month makes for Bynum and the two-time defending NBA champions.

Bynum has been the difference for the Lakers since the break with his defense and enegry on both sides on the floor. In the eleven games since the break, Bynum has averaged 13 boards and brought his season average up 1.9 blocks per contest.

Still only 23, Bynum seems to be reaching his full potential that the Lakers thought he would when they drafted him with the 10th overall pick in 2005. Despite Bynum says his knee is not fully healthy from his offseason surgery, he sure is playing like it. With Bynum playing at an elite level, the Lakers look even better than their previous title runs each of the last two years.

The size and length the Lakers now bring to the table increase their chances even more to three-peat. Bynum showed his heart last June, playing the entire postseason on a bad knee and now seems to have taken his game to the next level.

If Bynum plays this way rest of the way and can stay healthy, you can almost bet on Los Angeles this postseason.