Lakers versus Suns will always be about Shaq versus Kobe. But the real matchup on the court is Shaq versus Andrew Bynum.Yesterday, in advance of the Lakers heading to Phoenix to take on the Suns, Nate Jones reminded you of what happened the first time that Shaquille O'Neal and Andrew Bynum faced each other on the court, and predicted the two would both be ready for round two. So how did it turn out?
By all accounts, Shaq was the winner in the individual matchup, even though his team was beaten soundly by Andrew's. Shaq finished with 15 points and nine rebounds to Bynum's 10 and seven, and although the stats were fairly close, Shaq mostly schooled the youngster when the two went head-to-head. Defensively, he kept Bynum from getting easy looks inside, and he was also able to get Bynum into foul trouble by getting him to leave his feet on defense, which is something that Phil Jackson warned his center about beforehand.
"Like I said before the game, if you get up in the air on Shaq, you're gonna get in foul trouble, and he did, he got up on his toes," Jackson said. "He got moved around a little bit and got himself in foul trouble. Other than that, I thought he got some offensive opportunities, and did a good job when he got four fouls."
I asked Kobe Bryant how he thought Drew did against Shaq, and let's just say he was more respectful of Shaq's abilities than he was complimentary about those of his teammate.
"Not good," Kobe said with a chuckle. "Shaq's a load, man. I think it was good for him to kind of experience the strength of Shaquille and how physical he is, and how physical he can be in the post. It was a good learning experience for him, and, you know, he's gonna be fine."
Bynum himself was asked if he's noticed any changes in Shaq's game over the years, but after going up against him, Drew was feeling that Shaq is still definitely a force to be reckoned with.
"He's still hella hard to keep out of the paint, I don't know how much that has changed," Bynum said. "He's still dominant, he still gets the ball, and he still involves his teammates."
While Shaq was individually better in this particular matchup, like Kobe said, it was a good learning experience for Bynum if nothing else. Besides, who can physically stop a motivated and rested Shaq these days? The list is extremely short, and as long as Drew's Lakers came away with the win, he's probably not going to lose any sleep over being bested by Shaq.
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
What a statement by the Lakers. They are playing in Phoenix. Bryant and Gasol have off-shooting nights and Shaq outplays(?) Bynum, yet the Lakers still win easily. The Laker depth has to worry all of the other teams in the Western Conference.
"Hella"? I thought Bynum was from Connecticut, not NorCal. This is a much worse situation than getting pushed around by Shaq.
The Suns looked atrocious last night. They had nothing going on offense and looked like an "average" team. A plodding center; semi-explosive PF who doesn't get the ball enough because he doesn't pass it back (though Amare had one incredible dunk that started with him sprinting in from the 3 point line); a couple decent players designated to hit open shots and not try too much; and a PG who brings the ball upcourt, calls the play, and passes it along. There was no team or individual brilliance, no spark. The Lakers' ball movement and defensive pressure immediately mark them a step beyond their opponents, but every time Phoenix runs a play, it feels so mechanical. They're clearly not a bad team, but last night they looked nothing like a potential title contender, just a bunch of guys hitting their spots often enough to win against the mediocre competition.
Jersey. He's from Jersey.
I'm sure Bynum could care less about whether or not the Big Ego got the better of him if his team wins...Shaq on the other hand might think it's important to "school the youngster" since that's about all he has left to do because he got his last ring in Miami...Bynum and Lakers will be in contention for years...after D'antoni left and Shaq arrived, it'll be a cold day in hell plus a bunch of injuries on other teams before the Suns win it all
I went to the game and Shaq definitely outplayed Bynum. Having said that, as a Laker fan I didn't expect Bynum to be a dominant force, at least not yet. What I did find refreshing is how well Gasol played against Shaq. It seemed his main goal was just to stay between Shaq and the basket and simply get in Shaq's way. Shaq never really physically overpowered him.
I figured that between Kobe's past success against the Suns, the Lakers' overall team defense, and the Lakers 2nd unit, they could win comfortably. The Suns have NO depth and it's painfully obvious that Robert Sarver's miserly ways of trading away first round picks for cash will screw this franchise for years to come. Sean Singletary seems like he'll be a good player the more playing time he gets, but the Suns will get knocked out in the first round without the 2nd unit being able to carry their weight. I told my friends who are Suns fans that guys like Ariza, Farmar, and Sasha would be the biggest difference and they looked at me like I was crazy. Yet the second unit for the Lakers is who really put this game away for LA last night.