Andrew Bynum leaned over, his chest heaving, struggling for breath from his first minutes of game action in nearly a month. Other than being out of game shape, Bynum displayed little rust in teaming with Pau Gasol to dominate the middle in the Los Angeles Lakers' 87-79 victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder in their playoff series opener Sunday. Bynum ignited the Staples Center crowd into a frenzy with a monster one-handed "poster" dunk over a defenseless Nenad Krstic in the second quarter that pushed the Lakers' lead to 17.
Gasol scored 19 points, Bynum added 13 and Kobe Bryant had 21 points on 6-of-19 shooting after missing four of the final five regular season games to rest his swollen right knee and broken right index finger. Kevin Durant led the Thunder with 24 points on 7-of-24 shooting in his playoff debut (way under the 30.1 average of the NBA's youngest-ever scoring champion) while former UCLA star Russell Westbrook added 23 for the young Thunder.
However, Bynum made all the difference for the Lakers. He returned from a 13-game absence because of a strained right Achilles tendon, teaming with fellow 7-footer Pau Gasol to pull down a combined 25 rebounds and deny the Thunder key second-chance baskets. Bynum also tied his career playoff high with four blocks. History is on the Lakers' side against the NBA's youngest team (average age of 25 years and 42 days). When coach Phil Jackson wins Game 1 of any series, his teams are 45-0. Game 2 will be on Tuesday at the Staples Center.
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Dwight Howard was slapped, scraped, pushed, punished and overall abused physically. His frustration overflowed so much that he was sidelined with foul trouble for a majority of the game. Superman was grounded, but luckily for the Orlando Magic, they had Mighty Mouse healthy for the playoffs. Jameer Nelson scored 24 of his 32 points in the first half, and the Magic nearly blew a 22-point lead with Howard out before beating the Charlotte Bobcats 98-89 in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series Sunday. After missing the first three rounds of the playoffs last year recovering from right shoulder surgery, Nelson is healthy again and ready to redeem his dismal NBA finals performance.
Vince Carter was 4 for 19, finishing with 12 points and fouling out late. Howard had nine blocks but was limited offensively. Gerald Wallace had 25 points, and Stephen Jackson played through a hyperextended left knee to finish with 18 points in the Bobcats' first playoff game in franchise history. Charlotte swarmed and slapped Howard on every opportunity near the rim. The Hack-a-Howard approach left the All-Star with five points and seven rebounds, and he was 1 for 6 on free throws and if the Magic want to continue to win, Howard has to rise above the physical play and he has to shoot a better percentage from the free-throw line. He also has to stay out of foul trouble because the Magic suffered without him.
Wallace's free throws trimmed Orlando's lead to 85-80 late in the fourth, and had the Bobcats on the brink of a stunning upset. Howard then returned with a put-back dunk, Mickael Pietrus had a 3-pointer and the Magic eventually went ahead 92-84 to put the game out of reach. Charlotte's gritty comeback attempt at least provided them with some hope that this best-of-seven series might not be so lopsided when it resumes Wednesday in Orlando. That also gives Jackson, who will have an MRI on Monday, an extra day's rest.
Peace and Much Love to Ya :)
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