Everything's back in play for the Lakers
MARK HEISLER / ON THE NBA
The honeymoon is over as Andrew Bynum goes out for eight weeks, bringing their surprising start to a screeching halt. Where they go from here is based on Kobe Bryant's reaction to circumstances.
There went the kneecap felt 'round Lakerdom.
Here's a test for Lakers fans who are limping around today in sympathy with Andrew Bynum: What does his knee injury mean for the team's chances?
A) There goes first place in the West.
Pro basketball: The text accompanying an illustration of Lakers center Andrew Bynum's knee injury in Tuesday's Sports section said that Bynum suffered a partial dislocation of his left kneecap. The text should have said the kneecap was briefly dislocated and popped back into place.
Knee diagram: A drawing of the anatomy of the knee that accompanied a Section A article Saturday about a reporter's knee surgery was incorrectly labeled. The diagram, which showed the front view of the left knee, labeled the lateral meniscus as the medial meniscus ("medial" refers to structures on the inside of the knee). This error also occurred in a graphic with a Jan. 15 article in Sports about Andrew Bynum's knee injury.
B) There goes first place in the Pacific.
C) There goes home-court advantage in the first round.
D) There goes the season.
E) There goes the franchise.
F) All of the above.
The answer is, all of the above.
Everything is back in play from the happy ending fans dared to imagine to one as dire as the organization faced last summer when the sky seemed about to fall.
The Lakers Miracle, otherwise known as this season's start, lasted until Bynum went down Sunday, a sobering reminder of how thin the ice is under them in their peculiar situation.
Since Bynum is expected to return and the Lakers are expected to lock him up with a contract in the summer, with Kobe Bryant locked up through 2009, their big pieces are still in place.
However, their honeymoon is over and some of their big pieces have a tendency to move around.
With the Lakers playing 27 games in the eight weeks Bynum is expected to miss, nothing is safe.
One-half game from first place in the West when Bynum left, they're only four ahead of No. 10 Utah, a rising power that won 51 games last season.
If hard times ensue, how will Bryant, who has dodged all questions about rescinding last summer's trade demand, react?
With Bynum's becoming a more major force monthly, they had a comfort margin. From now on, it will be more about Bryant's play and all about Bryant's attitude.
If they lose and Bryant's unhappy, how will the Lakers, who seemed on the verge of buckling in October when he tried to become a Chicago Bull, react this time?
No one should be in doubt about the stakes in Bynum's comeback.
Forget this season. Forget everything except the fact that Bynum is the No. 1 reason -- or the top 10 reasons -- that Bryant has for reconsidering his intention to leave.
How was this for a turnaround?
May: Bryant lets three fans record him ranting about not trading Bynum for Jason Kidd.
October -- Bryant's agent Rob Pelinka tries to broker a deal sending him to Chicago.
Nov. 20 -- Bynum, who spent nine games backing up Kwame Brown and then Chris Mihm when Brown was hurt, makes his first start in Indiana, scoring 17 points with 10 rebounds.
