Alson Wong wrote:
>
http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/insider/columns/story?columnist=thorpe... > Friday, January 11, 2008
> Scouting Report: Examining Bynum's breakout season
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----
> By David Thorpe
> ESPN.com
> Andrew Bynum has arrived as a serious contributor to the Lakers. How
> is he doing it? How can he continue to develop?
> Let's take a look:
> Early offense
> The Lakers play at the fifth fastest pace in the NBA and Bynum is a
> beneficiary of their style and speed. He rarely races down the floor,
> choosing instead to run methodically rim-to-rim (even in transition)
> and looking to make contact with his defender inside. He occasionally
> sets a drag screen for the guard but even then he heads right to the
> paint afterward hoping for the quick lob.
> Because the Lakers shoot so well -- they have six guys who shoot
> better than 36 percent from 3, plus Kobe Bryant at 34 percent -- Bynum
> is left alone in the paint. He's difficult to deny because of the
> threat of the spin lob (made famous by Shaq), so he can normally get
> to where he wants to go on the blocks.
> I wouldn't label him a "bucket getter," nor is he the second-coming of
> the "Big Fundamental," but he is certainly capable of maneuvering for
> his jump hook. He is effective going over either shoulder (though he
> still prefers finishing with his right hand), and doesn't really favor
> moving in one particular direction. He faces up about 15 percent of
> the time, but tends to make one move before reverting back to his back-
> to-the-basket stuff.
> Ironically, considering Bynum is not a speedster running the floor, 47
> percent of his shots come within the first 10 seconds of the offense
> (82games.com). In comparison, consider that Carmelo Anthony plays
> small forward for the super-fast Nuggets (No. 1 in pace) and gets 44
> percent of his shots in the first 10 seconds.
> Credit Phil Jackson and the Lakers for recognizing that Bynum is most
> effective when the defense is still getting set, while part of that
> number also comes from offensive rebounds. Still, as defenses retreat
> worrying about Kobe, it's often Bynum who hurts them.
> He has greatly improved his finishing moves, using his long arms at
> full extension to score or get fouled in traffic. He is not soft in
> the paint, and seems to prefer contact on many instances -- the sign
> of a maturing big.
> Intangible growth on offense
> Kareem Abdul-Jabbar deserves much praise for Bynum's development. Most
> impressively, Bynum has learned how to use his size, speed and length
> in a far more productive way. Just as Shaq excelled because he had
> both the body and the mind-set to use his body, so it is with Bynum.
> He has a different body, but a similar mind-set.
> According to 82games.com, Bynum dunked for just 15 percent of his
> baskets last season, and 81 percent of those were assisted. This means
> he was set up for the dunk most of the time. This year, he's getting
> 30 percent of his baskets off dunks, and only 68 percent are assisted.
> Simply put, he's hunting dunks on people and doing it effectively.
> Big men who like to play inside should prefer dunks whenever possible,
> it is the highest percentage shot and draws the most fouls. Settling
> for anything less in many cases is a sign of physical or mental
> weakness.
> Bynum is not an overpowering athlete, but he has learned that his long
> arms can reach the rim quicker than defenders often realize. Watch the
> accompanying video and you'll see some examples.
> In John Hollinger's pre-season scouting report, he wrote this about
> Bynum: "& he'll pass out of the post even when he has an advantage,
> and needs to learn to get more aggressive." Not anymore.
> He's also been impressive in his ability to make plays with the ball
> as a passer or dribbler. Bynum can now score from almost anywhere
> inside the 3-point line by using just one dribble to get to the rim.
> Or escape trouble.
> According to Hollinger's stats, his turnover ratio is down and his
> assist ratio is up, helping to build confidence both within Bynum and
> his teammates. He still makes the unfortunate pass sometimes, looking
> for the "special" play instead of the steady one, but in time he'll
> play with more discipline and connect on the special play a little
> more often too.
> On defense and the glass
> The Lakers were a poor defensive team last season, 24th in defensive
> efficiency. This year they rank No. 7 (allowing five fewer points per
> 100 possessions compared to last year). All good defenses start with a
> strong interior presence; Bynum is making a difference on both ends of
> the floor.
> Players as talented as Bynum must learn that their teams need them in
> games and not on the bench sitting with foul issues. This is a
> difficult challenge to navigate for young players, especially 7-
> footers who are expected to be a force inside. But Bynum is performing
> beautifully in this area.
> Compared to last year, he's playing almost seven more minutes per game
> and getting almost a half a block more per game (up to 2.09), while
> his fouls are down to less than three per game. He's not a shot-
> blocking phenom, yet he ranks ninth in the league. More importantly,
> as the best shot-blocker/alterer the Lakers employ, he's staying out
> of foul trouble and on the floor.
> He's improved in the area of defending ball screens as well, using his
> massive wingspan to slow down the dribbler and cut off passing lanes
> without being foul prone.
> On the glass, he's active and his strong hands enable him to pull down
> 50/50 balls with regularity. He also seems to be more engaged in the
> whole process -- rebounds start with "want to" and Bynum has that now.
> His rebounds per game are up significantly, as are his rebound rates,
> and he's averaging a double-double for the first time in his young
> career.
> How good can he be?
> Bynum is 21st in the league in PER at 22.08. He's ahead of stars like
> Tracy McGrady and Shawn Marion. And he's sixth among centers, behind
> only two other players who play exclusively as 5s (Howard and Yao).
> Oh, and he just turned 20 in October and is at least two years younger
> than everyone above him on the centers list.
> If Bynum makes just marginal strides in his next two years, he could
> grow into a dominant player. And if, by 21, he makes the same
> phenomenal jump he's made this season, we could be talking about one
> of the top two true centers in the league next year.
> In what areas can Bynum improve? For starters, he never runs a pick
> and pop; he always rolls to the rim. But that can change. He's also
> not an explosive leaper, though he's far from growing into his
> athletic peak.
> And while he's improved in his ability to get buckets, we can expect
> better scoring numbers as his playing time increases and his
> experiences and reference points expand. He's averaging 12.9 ppg and
> getting only 27 percent of his shots after the 16-second mark of the
> shot clock. As his game grows, so will his opportunities as a go-to
> guy in crunch time.
> Lastly, big men almost always develop late. So imagine if Kareem, who
> averaged over 26 ppg at the age of 33, can school his most successful
> pupil on the game's deadliest offensive weapon -- the sky hook. With
> the skyhook, and more of the offense flowing through him in the years
> to come, Bynum has the potential to become a big-time scorer.
> But in the meantime, he'll be a very strong force on a very strong
> team, making his fans, coaches and one teammate in particular very
> happy.
> David Thorpe is an NBA analyst for ESPN.com and the executive director
> of the Pro Training Center at the IMG Academies in Bradenton, Fla.,
> where he oversees the player development program for NBA and college
> players. To e-mail him, click here.
> PLAYBOOK: SIDE PICK-AND-ROLL
> This is the most devastating play in the Lakers' arsenal, and it often
> features Bynum with Kobe. Defending Bryant is the toughest challenge
> on this play (see last year's Kobe breakdown), but Bynum's improved
> talent makes this action even more difficult for opponents to diagnose
> and stop.
> On side pick-and-rolls, Bynum's defender must first work to slow Kobe,
> leaving Bynum for a moment and trusting that the second defender down
> low (often marking Lamar Odom) can rotate and compete for space with
> Bynum as he rolls.
> The main challenge, then, is contending with Bynum's length -- Bynum
> can get his hands above the rim from a surprisingly long distance. And
> quickly. So as the second big rotates over to Bynum, oftentimes Kobe
> will immediately throw a soft pass toward the rim, where Bynum can
> extend his long arms and flush home a dunk. It is an exquisitely timed
> play, one that a player with shorter arms simply could not make nearly
> as often.
> Bynum does not have to get the dunk off the lob to be an effective
> scorer. His improved hand strength enables him to make the catch in a
> crowd, come down while protecting the ball and then finish the play in
> many cases. According to 82games.com, his field goal percentage on
> close shots is 53.8 percent, and most of those shots are coming with
> bodies draped over him.
> Bynum's ability to finish these passes with regularity forces
> opponents to be extra sharp on their rotations, and means they can't
> just lie in wait for Kobe's drives.
> According to Synergy Sports, Bynum generates 10 percent of his offense
> as the "rollman." His ability to make plays above the rim sets up most
> of his offensive success. -- Thorpe
Great analysis. One of the things Bynum will have to do as he matures
is learn how to be successful when there is no early offense; i.e.
how to be patient holding the ball
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