Dan Duggan of the Boston Herald reports:
Ron Artest has been inconsistent, and Lamar Odom has been invisible. So, the Los Angeles Lakers have needed another player to step up in support of Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol.
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Few expected it would be Andrew Bynum, but the Lakers center has been a major presence in the first two games of the Finals.
Bynum’s playing time had dipped significantly after he suffered a slight tear in his right meniscus in the first round against Oklahoma City, but he’s made a resurgence against the Celtics. The 7-footer is averaging 15.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.5 blocks while shooting 62.5 percent from the field.
Bynum was a monster in the Lakers’ 103-94 Game 2 loss Sunday at the Staples Center, tying a career playoff-high with 21 points to go with seven blocks. He also logged a playoffs-high 39 minutes.
“I’m just out playing hard,” Bynum said. “I take my treatment and play hard. It is what it is with my knee. I’ve been telling myself that the whole playoffs.”
