A Short Analysis of Andrew Bynum’s Renaissance

Since the All-Star break, the Los Angeles Lakers have clinched the Pacific division and secured the second seed in the Western Conference, while posting an NBA-best mark of 12-1 with their blossoming young center, Andrew Bynum, leading the resurgence of the champions.  While they just barely lost against the Miami Heat, in their return, the Lakers have gotten the best of the San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks, Orlando Magic and Oklahoma City Thunder, suggestive of their post-season level of play. With respect to Wins Produced, the rarity of Bynum’s play can be considered:

              Andrew Bynum’s Productivity the Last 30 Days or Past 12 Games

• In the twelve games, Andrew Bynum has increased almost all his major box-score statistics, in particular minutes per game, rebounds per game, and field goal percentage resulting in a WP/48 of .548 
• To put this in perspective, Arturo’s Silly Little Stats complied a list of players who produced at a mark of >.400, a list that includes Shaquille O’Neal and Michael Jordan
• While a small sample, his current mark of .548 is five times that of an average player (WP/48 of .099 is average) and his season WP/48 stands at .307, producing at a superstar level and best streak since the 07-08 season

Before the Gasol trade, and entering the 2009 season, the Lakers’ position among the elite was heavily dependent on the development of Andrew Bynum.  In short, while seemingly undermined, every injury, leap in play and trade discussion has revolved around the young center, and finally, it is possible this is the player everyone in L.A. has been waiting for; defensive-minded, imposing, a lineage from great big men in forum blue and gold.

While brilliant, the concerns are as usual. During his play, Bynum has mention pain in his knees. In such a small sample, yet against tough competition, there is doubt about sustaining such production, despite previously playing at star levels before. Ultimately, with Bynum’s commitment to “controlling the paint,” or defense, and assuming near perfect health, it is plausible to find Bynum leading the Lakers to their fourth consecutive NBA Finals appearance. 

Preparing for the ‘general war,’ the Return of the Bench Mob, and Life Without Mamba

Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, and Los Angeles Lakers’ owner Jerry Buss recently discussed his team’s off-season acquisitions, affirming those decisions to have addressed the weaknesses of the team. The apparent shortcomings of these Lakers team have been the inconsistent bench productivity beyond Lamar Odom, point-guard rotation, and stability at the center position. In response to such a dilemma, Buss signed Orlando Magic’s Matt Barnes, and veterans Steve Blake and Theo Ratliff. With the newly signed additions to the Lakers’ roster, they are poised to make a fourth straight NBA finals appearance, and possible three-peat.

Before assessing the improvement of the Los Angeles Lakers, it is important to discuss the productivity of their key reserves within the previous three years with respect to Wins Produced:

Although the Lakers have a formidable starting rotation, and front-court, the same could not be said of their bench. The only positive season the young Lakers bench was capable of assembling peaked in 2008, and since has declined despite maturation. To begin, in his 2008 campaign, Jordan Farmar was seemingly positioned to take over the point guard duties for the Lakers, but after a major knee surgery, he has not produced in the same fashion during the regular season. The most peculiar reserve is shooting guard, Sasha Vujacic, a player that invented himself as a sharpshooter with the Lakers. Although Vujacic posted a career high .437% in three-point field goals in 08, his true shooting percentage has consistently declined within the three years, along with almost every other major statistical category. While Vujacic did have minor injuries throughout his 2010 campaign, neither guard saw his productivity diminish as much as Walton, as his unfortunate season was plagued by injuries that often rose concerns about his future. Without Walton, Phil Jackson was not only forced to play Ron Artest excessive minutes, but also shifted Brown and Kobe Bryant unnaturally to the forward position. Worst, D.J. Mbenga, Adam Morrison, and Josh Powell offered very little in each regular season, almost costing the Lakers additional wins. In short, the Bench Mob was quite productive during their 07-08 season, but has since reach lows.

Nevertheless, with the departure of Jordan Farmar, and Shannon Brown playing little as a point guard, it is plausible that Steve Blake will be first off the bench in reserve for Fisher, a player looking to reduce his regular-season minutes as he enters his 15th NBA season. As reports suggest Walton may miss most of the 2010-11 season, the singing of small-forward Matt Barnes is essential to improving the Lakers, as he will probably be employed behind Artest and play substantial minutes.

The table provided is important to illustrate two aspect of the recent acquisitions of the Lakers’ roster. First, both Blake and Barnes offered more in 09-10 for their respective ball clubs than Artest and Fisher, so the Lakers have indeed found respectable reserves. Second, with such mediocre WP/48, both Artest and Fisher logged in an immense amount of minutes, so for the success of the team, it will be important for Barnes and Blake to actually take minutes away from the starters at their positions. Moreover, these players compliment the Lakers’ triangle offense and defense. Considering Blake has averaged a three-point field goal percentage of 41% in his last three seasons and Matt Barnes was ranked third in small forwards for rebounds per 48 minutes, the Lakers will ultimately receive a consistency they have not sustained in previous seasons.

Employing such productive players, the Lakers have possibly found effective resolutions for their weaknesses. Both new players will noticeably improve the bench of the Lakers, and will strengthen the stability of the roster as well. Although nothing was mentioned about veteran Theo Ratliff, it is with expectations of Andrew Bynum’s ever-improving play that Ratliff’s services will be limited. Truly, the return of the Bench Mob.

                                             Life Without Kobe Bryant?

Kamenetzky Brothers’ Land O’ Lakers blog on ESPN Los Angeles suggested the following:

• Even without Bryant, the Lakers still would have talent, size, and coaching
• The Lakers would win 52 games
• A Western Conference Finals appearance would be plausible, but reaching the NBA finals wouldn’t

I have previously noted that much of the Lakers’ success can be contributed to the front-court rotation of Gasol-Odom-Bynum, and with the newly assembled bench, as constructed, the Lakers would absolutely win at least 52 games. Although Kobe Bryant is an aging player who has shouldered three knee surgeries, within the last two post seasons, he has increased his production by an average of 24.6% from what one observed in the regular season. How he was capable of doing such a thing is uncertain, nor is there evidence to conclude he can do this always; however, without Kobe Bryant the Lakers really wouldn’t win in the NBA Finals, much less reach it either.

Where’s Roland When You Need Him?

Old Blood

Okie Dokie

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The Big Spaniard and Los Angeles History

The prospects of the Los Angeles Lakers have dramatically changed since the trade that bought power foward, Pau Gasol to L.A. Coming off of their repeat NBA championship run, and third straight Finals appearance overall, it is only appropriate one discusses the impact Pau Gasol has had on his new team and where he stands in Lakers history.

Before assessing the greatness of Gasol, one should consider the amount of NBA talent that filled the Lakers roster in years past. Without even considering Wins Produced yet, there is no doubt the Lakers have employed some of the greatest players at each position, from point guard to center; however, there has been seemingly less prominent starters at the power forward position. Although there have been a few iconic Lakers to start at power forward such as Happy Hairston and Rudy LaRusso, neither played during the advent of the NBA Turnover Era, so naturally, a proper assessment of their productivity would be difficult. So, with respect to Wins Produced these are the top ten L.A. Lakers power forwards since the 1977-78 season:

(list is an updated version of the table provided here).

On its own, the table provided isn’t really dynamic, but what could be concluded is. To begin, if one focuses solely on per-minute production, the top three Lakers are Gasol, Odom and Rambis. Furthermore, each of those three players produced a WP/48 in excess of .199 (average is .099), meaning while the three are not Magic Johnson, and despite my earlier claim about none existing “stars” at this position, the three are excellent Lakers. To add, while Gasol is the starting PF, he is also utilized at center, allowing Lamar Odom to log minutes at PF, so the front-court rotation of the Lakers is largely the basis of their success. In fact, if one considers the average win production by the duo, then one is viewing two of the top power forwards in the NBA.

According to Andres Alvarez’s Win Produced database, Pau Gasol bested a .310 WP/48, while also averaging a career best 11.3 rebounds a game during his 2009-10 campaign. Just to theorize, had Gasol played 2,999 minutes like he did the previous season, he might have produced an incredible 19.4 wins. In fact, when one examines Gasol’s box-score statistics as a Laker, his dominance as a front-court presence becomes more evident:

With respect to almost every statistical category, Gasol is …above average. While it is difficult to forecast how Gasol would match up against other power forwards in the NBA such as Chris Bosh, David Lee, and Carlos Boozer, it’s very probable that he is currently the best one playing today.

Yes, Gasol styles on the entire NBA, and there is very little superstars of the past (Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan) can actually do about it now. Of course, the dynamics of winning basketball should never be about a single player, and while Gasol is quickly becoming the greatest modern PF in Lakers franchise, much rests on the health of his teammates and himself; however, that is a story for another boring, uneventful Wednesday.

Joanna Newsom @ Orpheum Theatre, July 31st

For all the years I’ve attended concerts in Los Angeles, I’ve never once been to the Orpheum, an elegant venue rich with American music history. The architecture of the theatre truly affirmed its timeless appeal as a vehicle for the arts (lol whatever, but the downstairs bar is very welcoming).

I had previously seen Joanna Newsom—both times she performed Ys (2006) in its entirety—in concert before as a sixteen year-old, and at another time in Grass Valley with my friend during a trip across Northern California. Nevertheless, Newsom’s performance at the Orpheum was incredible. Typically, Newsom opens concerts with a song that has little accompaniment besides her voice, and this time was no different, as she opened with “81,” a song from Have One on Me (2010). I’ve always been partial to this introduction more so than the artist affirming their presence, for it allows the audience to naturally give attention to the artist, and perhaps allow them to establish an intimate or personal relationship with the artist.

Before her performance, I had the impression she had completely done away with what I would describe as “madding recitals” and now had perfected her own “Dylan melodramas.” However, her interpretations of songs from Milk-Eyed Mender (2004) and Ys that night only solidified her ability to balance her own psyche and the just course of music history. In other words, Newsom’s literal voice is among the most unique, and I feared convention would hinder her very innovating work. Perhaps it was the height of my high, but her performance of “Peach, Plum, Pear” broke me. It summoned a rush of feelings, all haphazardly causing momentary lapses of real concentration, but brought me to concentrated islands of yesterdays; it was tantamount to …space travel? In retrospect, it was unfortunate I was too self-conscious at the moment to weep.

(Thx 4 photos)