Much has been written about the woes of the Los Angeles Lakers in light of the team's four-game losing streak.
There's certainly reason for concern, considering that Kobe Bryant and company have not suffered this many losses in a row since Pau Gasol came to town.
That being said, it's still far too early to panic, what with a three and a half game lead in the Pacific Division and two season changes to go before the two-time defending champions need concern themselves with playoff positioning.
And, with starting center and all-around giant Andrew Bynum yet to play a single minute this season, the Lakers still are far from certain of what they'll have to work with in pursuit of a Three-Peat.
However, given the issues that have boiled to the surface in the cauldron of the regular season thus far, the Lakers look more and more as though they'll need a healthy and effective Bynum back in the middle if they are to send Phil Jackson off into the Montana sunset with his 12th ring (for his other big toe).
A Presence on The Defensive Interior
The one big thing the Lakers currently lack, which Andrew Bynum would provide the moment he sets foot on the court, is an intimidating defensive presence around the basket.
Nothing against Pau Gasol, who is a solid defender in his own right and has done an admirable job holding down the middle for the Lakers thus far, but center is not his natural position, especially on defense.
While Gasol may be more fundamentally sound than Bynum, he lacks the shot-blocking and sheer bulk that Bynum brings to the table in abundance.
Additionally, the Lakers' perimeter defenders, led by the aging Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher, have struggled to contain their quicker opposition, forcing them to give other guards space enough to shoot in order to keep them from driving into the lane without fear of getting their shots swatted back.
WIth Bynum, Bryant and Fisher, among others, will have greater license to play up on the perimeter and take more risks, with the long arms of Bynum ready in the middle to clean up any mess that should result.
In short, a healthy Bynum means better defense for a team giving up just over 100 points per game so far this season.
Give Pau A Break
As previously mentioned, Pau Gasol has done an extraordinary job overall managing the middle for the Lakers thus far.
Pau has been masterful, showing off his wide-array of highly-developed skills and establishing himself as the best power forward in the game with per-game averages of 20.4 points (on 53 percent shooting), 11.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 2.0 blocks.
But as nice as those numbers are, there is one that has many in Laker Land worried:
Pau's currently averaging more than 39 minutes of playing time per game.
Not exactly ideal for a guy who's 30 years old and has played in the Olympics once and the NBA Finals three times in the last three years.
Getting Andrew Bynum back in the fold will afford the Lakers' coaching staff the flexibility to give Pau more rest, while Bynum's presence on the defensive end would allay Gasol of his current bucket-guarding burden.
Essentially, the Lakers need Bynum back to ensure that they'll have a (relatively) healthy and rested Gasol for what will be another long playoff run if the Purple and Gold are to tie Boston in the championship record books.
Strengthen An Already Solid Bench
Once Bynum is deemed ready to play, all indications are that Phil Jackson will put him back in the starting line-up immediately, a move that will send Lamar Odom back to the bench.
A bench, mind you, that already boasts newcomers Matt Barnes and Steve Blake, as well as the ever-improving Shannon Brown—a group that the Zen Master himself has dubbed "The Killer B's".
In a way, Odom's move to the bench will be somewhat unfortunate considering how well he has played as a starter this year, posting averages of 15.3 points on 58 percent shooting, 10.3 rebounds, and 3.5 assists.
That being said, L.O. is the ideal candidate to be the "captain of the bench," after chaperoning a young Team USA squad to a gold medal in Turkey at the FIBA World Championships, using himself as a conduit through which his teammates can thrive.
Fortify The Front Court Rotation
The simultaneous returns of Odom to the bench and Bynum to the starting line-up will also serve to fortify what is currently an all too small rotation of front court players for the Lakers.
As good as LA's bench is, it still does not provide the coaching staff with much size with which to work.
And what little size it does provide is either too young (rookie Derrick Caracter) or too old and fragile (the currently-injured Theo Ratliff).
Bynum gives the Lakers the luxury of having two guys in the starting five who could potentially play center, affording the coaching staff the privilege of alternately switching out Bynum and Gasol to man the middle rather than forcing them to dig deep into the reserves.
Sizing Up The Competition
When it comes to bringing home another Larry O'Brien Trophy, Andrew Bynum's return is particularly important because Bynum furnishes the Lakers with a big body on defense to match up with the league's best and burliest.
From Dwight Howard in Orlando and Shaquille O'Neal in Boston in the East, to Tim Duncan in San Antonio and Al Jefferson in Utah in the West, the Purple and Gold will need someone thick through the chest to stand up to the ever expanding bounty of quality big men in the NBA if there is to be another victory parade down Figueroa Street this coming June.
And with past playoff performances against Howard and Boston's Kendrick Perkins, among others, Bynum has proven that he is the man for the job.
Healthy Bynum = Happy Lakers
As of now, there is no exact timetable for Andrew Bynum's return.
While Bynum has returned to on-court activities and is being worked, slowly but surely, back into the team's practices, the team doctors, as well as Andrew himself and the rest of the organization, are hesitant to push him to full speed before he is absolutely 100 percent healthy and ready, given his past history of recovering slowly from injury.
And as much as Lakers fans may want to see Bynum back on the court (at least in time for the Christmas Day game against LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and the Miami Heat), it is of the utmost importance that Bynum not return until he is absolutely prepared both physically and mentally.
Were the Lakers to rush Bynum back into game action, they wouldn't likely struggle as, say, the Chicago Bulls have since throwing Carlos Boozer into the fire after injury. This is in large part because Bynum, unlike Boozer, is comfortable in and familiar with the Lakers' offensive and defensive schemes.
However, a hasty return for Bynum would put his health, and the team's championship chances, in jeopardy.
Hence, as agonizing as the Lakers' recent struggles without Bynum have been and may be throughout the 2010-2011 regular season, the Purple and Gold must make sure that he is back to full strength before they can set their sights on closing out another Three-Peat.
