Bynum leads Lakers over Grizzlies in double OT
By Homer D. Sayson
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 14 Mar 2012
ANDREW Bynum may not be the best big man in the NBA right now, an honor that arguably belongs to Orlando Magic behemoth Dwight Howard.
But Tuesday night in Memphis, Bynum made an emphatic statement as the league's second-best center by notching 37 points and 16 rebounds as the Los Angeles Lakers won a 116-111 double-overtime thriller over the Grizzlies at the FedEx Forum in Memphis.
The 7-foot Bynum used the might of his 285 pounds to bully the Grizzlies down the paint. The 24-year old giant was virtually unstoppable, making 15 of 18 field goals. He shot 7 of 8 free throws and led a searing rally that pulled the Lakers out of a 72-55 hole in the third quarter.
"They (teammates) are trusting me now," Bynum told the Los Angeles Times. "They're just looking to give me the ball."
And the Lakers did a good job finding Bynum, who feasted on six dunks and six lay-ups. He also had his lion's share of four-footers and point-blank range gimmes.
As if Bynum wasn't tough enough to contain, the Grizzlies also had to deal with Kobe Bryant, who played like, well, Kobe Bryant --- lethal in many ways.
Kobe, the Black Mamba turned Masked Mamba, sizzled with 34 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists. He shot 11-of-25 field goals and 11-of-12 free throws. The only wrinkles in Bryant's armor were his three turnovers and three missed 3s.
Pau Gasol worked effectively beneath Kobe and Bynum's shadows. The 7-foot Spaniard logged 14 points, 8 assists and 5 rebounds while Steve Blake, Metta World Peace and Derek Fisher combined for 22 points to help the Lake Show notch a rare road win.
Memphis got big performances from Marreesee Speights and Marc Gasol, who combined for 45 points, 18 rebounds and 8 assists. But the Grizzlies couldn't cash in on their 116 filed goals, making just 42 shots, including a dismal 2-for-19 from 3-point range.
The Grizzlies had only a game total of 5 free throws against the Lakers' 34. And Memphis lost the rebounding battle, 51-47. But they did beat the Lakers in the assists department, 26-24, a small consolation for a team that let one big win slip away.
"We played a great game and should have won the game. We had a few mental lapses at key times. As I'm always telling those guys, it's the small things that win or lose games. We gave up a 3 when we were up three, and there was no reason to give up a 3," said a dejected Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins.
With their third consecutive win, the Lakers improved to 26-16 while the Grizzlies fell to 24-17.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Homer D. Sayson.
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