By Broderick Turner
Los Angeles Times
December 14, 2010
The question wasn't whether Lakers center Andrew Bynum finally was going to play in a game or not after missing the first 24 games recovering from right knee surgery that he had in July.
Bynum had already answered that after practice Monday, saying he "definitely" was going to play against the Washington Wizards on Tuesday night.
The question was whether Bynum was going to start against the Wizards or come off the bench.
So Lakers Coach Phil Jackson was asked at the team's shootaround Tuesday morning if he had decided to start Bynum or bring him off the bench.
"Yes," Jackson responded.
So what is the decision?
"Well, we'll see what it's like a game-time, won't we?" Jackson said.
Jackson was asked if he had informed Bynum or if the seven-footer was in limbo.
"Andrew is not in limbo," Jackson said, smiling. "If you want to pry him for the information, maybe you can get it out of him."
Bynum left before the media could talk to him.
But Jackson did mention how Bynum has played well in eight-minute stretches, and in the past, those stretches came as a starter.
"I think he's excited to play," Jackson said. "The big key is his timing, his rhythm and catching and delivering the ball is still an issue for him.... I told him I think he's not ready in any form or level that we would say, 'OK, you're ready to go, as far as playing at a pace of 95-100%.' But there's no way he's going to get there if doesn't play."
As far as playing time, Jackson has a figure in mind.
"I'd love to see him play something like 15-20 minutes," Jackson said. "But we'll see."
In the past, Jackson said he would start Bynum to keep him from getting cold after warmups.
But Jackson changed his mind after the Lakers' training staff said it doesn't matter because Bynum can be activated as a starter or coming off the bench.
Having Bynum, Jackson said, gives the Lakers a defensive presence in the paint.
"I think our defense has been shoddy," Jackson said. "We're allowing penetration. Andrew is a shot-blocker that changes shots, and those two things change how often people want to come down the lane."
The flip side, Jackson said, is that teams will try to involve Bynum in high screen-and-rolls.
"But that's the thing that we have to figure out how to defend," Jackson said. "But it's that interior defense that has been porous and has cost us the ability to do things that gets run-outs and the kind of stops you need to get the opportunities in the open court."
The Lakers won't see Wizards rookie point guard John Wall, who won't play because of tendinitis in his right knee.
-- Broderick Turner in Washington
