Big Drew is making me lazy. His game changing defense and rebounding are huge neon arrows screaming "Pick me! Pick me!" Instead of hoping someone else steps up and knocks Andrew off his recent ownership of POTW's, like I begged for when Kobe was killing the competition, I'm more than willing to give this award to Bynum forever. Pau Gasol had a pretty good week too, but I'm loving me some Drew.
Against Orlando, his great play against Dwight Howard made Lakers fans everywhere appreciate his growth as a dominant player, and gave Magic fans something to look forward to should Superman 2.0 push the button. Bynum's first quarter alone was good enough for me.
As Dex pointed out in the preview, tonight Andrew Bynum finally got a chance to show his new-found mettle against the man who is the gold standard for center comparisons in the league, Mr. Dwight Howard. And, with 11 rebounds and 3 blocks, Drew did not disappoint. Sure, I would have liked him to score more than six points, but Howard is a fearsome defender in his own right, so I can't fault Bynum for simply choosing to neutralize Howard instead of seeking his own offense. All in all, it was a pretty solid effort on the evening ... except it came in the first quarter!!
Against the Timberwolves, Andrew showed his nasty streak that we wish Pau Gasol had. Now, I'm never one to advocate flagrant fouls, and I don't approve of play that can injure another player, but the enforcer attitude that Bynum exhibits makes the Lakers not only talented but tough. He's not taking any bullshit, so opponents might think twice before testing the big fella. It resonates. I'd like to see Nic Batum try the crap he gives Pau on Bynum. I doubt it.
One thing I've always liked about Drew is his willingness to give the hard foul, but there's a line between hard and dirty, and he clearly crossed it.
Here's Drew's stats for the week:
10 points, 16 rebounds, 3 blocks per game in 30.5 minutes per game. He shot 7 for 18 from the floor for only 38.8% FG.