Andrew Bynum pulled down 30 rebounds in the Los Angeles
Lakers’ road win versus the San Antonio Spurs. Big friggin deal!
According to ESPN’s stats department, Bynum is the fifth
player in Lakers history to accomplish the feat. I’ll say it again, big deal.
Why should it matter so much because he did it in a Lakers
uniform?
Kevin Love of the Minnesota Timberwolves had a 30-rebound game last
season and didn’t get as much fanfare as Bynum is getting for his rebounding
performance. Love even added 31 points to go with his 31 rebounds.
Dennis Rodman did it five times over the course of his
career and three of those came in the same season.
Now at this point I know I sound like a Laker-hater or
something and not to belittle Bynum’s accomplishment because it is rare but I do
think people are making a bigger deal out of it because he is wearing the
purple and gold.
Bynum is the biggest, most athletic person on the floor most
nights he plays and Wednesday night was no exception. Try doing it when your 6’6”
like Rodman was or 6’4” like Charles Barkley who also accomplished the feat.
Even Love is only 6’9” but he has made a regular occurrence out
of logging 20-rebound games during his career. He logged 30 rebounds and hasn’t
been in the league as long as Bynum or Dwight Howard, the two players you would
most expect to have this type of game.
But most feel that maybe this performance will provide an
awakening for Bynum who they hope is finally starting to tap into all of his
enormous potential. Bynum is getting better but don’t look for him start to
dominate until he finally gets a chance to come from under Kobe Bryant’s large
shadow.
Until then I will offer my congratulations to Bynum on his
feat. Nice performance big fella, now let’s see you do it again.
Roosevelt Hall is an NFL Blogger for The Sport Mentalist and an NBA Blogger for The Sport Mentalist 2. He is also a Sports Reporter for Pro Sports Lives. He can be contacted at RHall_TPFB@Yahoo.com and be sure to follow him on Twitter @sportmentalist.
Roosevelt,
ReplyDeleteI am writing to see if you would be interested in applying to write for FanSided NBA. For more information please email blaine.blontz@fansided.com.
Blaine