Is Bynum the New Oden

by Anim8rguy on Nov 9, 2009 1:05 PM PST

He's injured again! Can we expect anyone to notice that Bynum is a walking rehab visit waiting to happen while Oden is healthy?

After the national game against Duncan, I'd say the Oden haters have finally gone away (although they will return if he gets hurt again in the next 10 years!). Still, we haven't really heard or seen much of the same type of negative press about Andrew Bynum being the brittle Mr. Glass.

While it is nice seeing Oden getting some props and respect, I'd like to see some folks actively start questioning whether Bynum is anything more than a waste of cap space. Oden's injury issues last season were freakish injuries that invloved some kind of contact with another player. Bynum just appears to be getting hurt by moving. He is getting paid a great deal of money at a young age to play very few games each season.

Tweet Comment 19 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Bynum is in LA. Oden is in Portland.

Therefore anything that goes wrong with Oden is pointed out a huge amount of scrutiny is made of it. If Bynum gets injured it is ignored because no one wants to talk about someone in LA being a bust.

IMO this is more to do with the market each respective plays actually plays for. I could be wrong. Oden has been beastin’ it out there and certainly is not getting any high praise from Simmons. But when Bynum goes down, all of sudden everyone bites their toungs.

"I don't always read blogs regarding the Trail Blazers
...but when I do... I read Blazers Edge."

- resurrect_ha28

by FiveOhThree-RipCity!! on Nov 9, 2009 1:13 PM PST reply actions

All sorts of mistakes on that one. My bad.

"I don't always read blogs regarding the Trail Blazers
...but when I do... I read Blazers Edge."

- resurrect_ha28

by FiveOhThree-RipCity!! on Nov 9, 2009 1:14 PM PST up reply actions

Bynum is just unlucky

I heard it from Lakers fans commenting under Blazers stories on ESPN

But slowly things happen that they cannot help and the Blazers Fellowship of the Ring begins to break apart

by Norsktroll on Nov 9, 2009 1:17 PM PST reply actions

This year is make-or-break for Bynum

His injuries have been largely overlooked the past two years because the team has done so well, plus he put up very good number both seasons before getting injured. But if he has a third year in a row missing significant time to injury, the patience will finally start to grow thin in Lakerland….

by socalblazer on Nov 9, 2009 1:30 PM PST reply actions

He's out a couple games with a bruised elbow, every player in the NBA, 'cept maybe Andre Miller, misses a few games with such things, including Brandon and LMA...

I don’t think Laker fans are either worried or exasperated with Bynum. To date, he has shown MUCH more than Oden on the offensive end (he was rolling before last season’s freak injury caused when Kobe accidentally hit him in the knee from the side) and this year he is rolling again…

The Lakers are stocked to the gills with bigs, and the pressure is not that great. Pau is a natural Center, rather than a PF, DJ Mbenga is a fully serviceable backup, Lamar Odom and Josh Powell are big enough to play low if they absolutely had to… Bynum is progressing well and putting up very nice stats (a ppg total that would have Blazer fans wetting themselves if Oden could achieve a comparable number).

Bynum looks fluid at his position, plays within the system, and one never gets the feeling that LA has to shut off their normal offense to “feed” him to get his confidence up; nor is he a worry to foul out on the defensive end, unlike some people.

Let me say, however, that the LA Center that gets no love is Chris Kaman, who is averaging twenty-three (23) TWENTY-THREE points and 9.9 rebounds this season, through 7 games.

Take that!

"A bizarre and extremely rare hybrid Blazer/Laker fan, Timbo has always struggled to contain the Beast Within, like Dr. Jekyll, Bruce Banner, or Ted Kennedy." — Miled Animal

by timbo on Nov 9, 2009 2:16 PM PST up reply actions

Just looked... Bynum is averaging 20.0 points and 10.6 rebounds this season...

"A bizarre and extremely rare hybrid Blazer/Laker fan, Timbo has always struggled to contain the Beast Within, like Dr. Jekyll, Bruce Banner, or Ted Kennedy." — Miled Animal

by timbo on Nov 9, 2009 2:18 PM PST up reply actions

Tyson Chandler style.

And we’ve all seen how he matches up with Oden.

Anyway, the point of this article isn’t to ask the question “Why does Bynum suck?”, but to wonder why Bynum is touted as being Mr. Awesome by many writers, yet never gets the same injury articles that Oden gets.

*Unless KP has a secret plan that makes this statement incorrect.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>

by staylost on Nov 9, 2009 2:31 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs

Oden is a #1 draft pick.

A number 1 pick being an injured bust is a much bigger story than 10th player picked is injured again.

I get the paper, so I don't care!

by Name's Ash on Nov 9, 2009 2:45 PM PST up reply actions

Dude ...

Bynum is pretty much awesome … If Greg were putting up the kind of stats he is and Bynum were putting up the numbers Greg is, you’d be reading nothing but Blazers fans gloating over the difference.

Greg isn’t bad, but Bynum is having an all-star kind of year if he keeps it up.

by nikolokolus on Nov 9, 2009 3:45 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs

Still missing the point, Nikolokolus

I’m not saying anything about performance — just about how the injury histories of the two prominent big men in the West are apparently viewed differently by many in sports media.

When Oden sprained his ankle in his first game, it was labeled as a setback, but when he chipped his kneecap during the season he was labeled an injury prone bust by many.

Bynum has had knee problems the last two seasons — I think — and he hasn’t been labeled the same way even though it seems to be more valid.

by Anim8rguy on Nov 9, 2009 4:04 PM PST up reply actions

sample size?

by 8volumesthick on Nov 9, 2009 6:04 PM PST up reply actions

That was my reaction last year

Especially when he struggled in the playoffs. However, he was roaring right out the gate this year, so the argument seems pretty weak. How many stretches of games does he have to put up crazy numbers before he actually deserves the respect that he gets nationally? I hate to agree with the Laker fans, but I think he’s the real deal. Oden has generally out matched him, so I’m not too worried for the Blazers’ sake, but it’s time Blazer fans sucked up and acknowledged that dude can play.

by fart on Nov 10, 2009 6:20 AM PST up reply actions

Laker fans/press were definately frustrated

last year during the playoffs. And so was Phil Jackson who gave Bynum less and less minutes over the course of the playoffs.

But I agree Bynums numbers and career has generally spiralled upward, despite some injury setbacks the past 2 seasons. Hopefully Oden can duplicate (minus the repeated injuries) Bynum’s progression. It would be great to see some epic Bynum-Oden confrontations over the next 10 years.

Chris Kaman definately gets no love (what Cliper does?). But he has definately been beset with repeated injuries throughout his career.

by socalblazer on Nov 9, 2009 3:20 PM PST up reply actions

I am a firm believer in karma. Let's not worry about fakerland,

just concentrate on our blazers and marvel at the growth of our big man. Do we really need to fan the flames of the haters and trolls by being smug about Bynum’s injury?

"B-Roy is the best shooting guard I have played against"

-Ron Artest

by premthegrem on Nov 9, 2009 1:53 PM PST reply actions 2 recs

Tough luck for Bynum hopefully the dude can get healthy and stay healthy.

by Escrote on Nov 9, 2009 2:15 PM PST reply actions 1 recs

Oden is the new Oden

Bynum is the Old Oden… in order for Bynum to be the new Oden, Bynum would have to dominate like the new Oden is doing, and since Bynum can’t stay healthy like the old Oden, Bynum has become the old Oden

Those who ignore the past are doomed to repeat it

by The Arkitect on Nov 9, 2009 2:25 PM PST reply actions

Diagram please

"The match in Los Angeles is a good opportunity to begin to demonstrate that we want to make war." Rudy Fernández (translated)

by G_dubs on Nov 9, 2009 6:09 PM PST up reply actions

Diagram here...

you can follow the logic:

by Sashland on Nov 9, 2009 10:08 PM PST up reply actions 2 recs

Remember...

GASOL hasn’t played a game yet and Bynum is/was playing 40mpg. While Bynum is good, and certainley better than Oden on the offensive end, Oden would undoubtedly see his production rise if Aldridge was injured, even with foul trouble just by the fact that he becomes the first option in the post.

by Grey Home on Nov 10, 2009 7:36 AM PST reply actions