L.A. Lakers: Kobe Will Win His 6th Ring If Bynum Is the 2012 NBA Finals MVP

Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant may still be the best player on the team's roster, but center Andrew Bynum is arguably wresting away the distinction of the Lakers' most dominant player.

I say arguably because Bryant is having an amazing season in his 16th year as a professional, and the fact that he is capable of leading the league in scoring despite the abundance of youth and talent surrounding him in the NBA is impressive.

However, at this point in his career, Bryant doesn't seem to be as interested in individual accolades as he is in adding to his ring count, and if this is true, then Bryant must understand that Bynum represents the best chance of helping him realize that goal.

Bynum's emergence as a bona fide NBA star may trump Kobe's historic season as the lead story in a year that has been filled with drama for the Lakers, and the addition of point guard Ramon Sessions guarantees there is more to come.

Before Sessions arrived, Bynum was already having the best season of his professional career, but the presence of a pick-and-roll point guard who looks in the post first has helped elevate Bynum's game to elite status.

Bynum is averaging 18.3 points per game, 11.9 rebounds and is shooting 58.3 percent from the field, which ranks second in the NBA.

Bynum's efficiency from the field suggests that he should be the Lakers' first option on offense, but his recent performance against the Los Angeles Clippers confirms it.

In that game, Bynum—who was returning after missing one game due to an ankle sprain—completely obliterated the Clippers front line, scoring 36 points, grabbing eight rebounds and shooting 13-of-20 from the floor and 10-of-12 from the free-throw line.

The Lakers' 113-108 victory over the Clippers was a clear illustration of the simplicity of coach Mike Brown's offensive strategy, and it could be a blue print for the Lakers' path to the 2012 NBA Finals.

Brown will never be considered an offensive genius, but if the Lakers can emulate their performance against the Clippers in the postseason, he doesn't have to be.

There is nothing profound or complex about constantly feeding the ball to Bynum in the paint, but the consequences of adopting this strategy do have a profound effect on the team.

And the most glaring effect may be Kobe accepting the role of the Lakers' second offensive option.

Kobe's detractors will say that his ego will prevent him from conceding that responsibility to Bynum, but Sessions really takes that decision out of Bryant's hands.

Sessions appears to be the perfect fit for Brown's offensive vision, and while adhering to his coaching philosophy will diminish Bryant's role, it shouldn't affect his impact if he buys into it.

In fact, it will make Bryant a better and more efficient player.

Bryant scored 31 points on 13-of-19 shooting from the field, and the attention to Bynum in the paint gave him more open looks than I have seen Bryant get in a long time.

Kobe still managed to hit a few of his tough signature shots throughout the contest, and in the game's closing minutes, he was still the player who assumed the role of putting the Clippers away.

But Bynum was the player who the Clippers had absolutely no defensive answer for, and when scanning the field of potential playoff opponents for the Lakers, there are few, if any teams that have players that can match Bynum's rare combination of size and skill.

The pace of the game slows down in the postseason, and a premium is placed on each and every possession, and that makes a player like Bynum indispensable.

If the Lakers victory over the Clippers is any indication, this version of the Lake Show is much better when the offense flows through Bynum, and if the Lakers hope to make noise in the postseason, they will have to milk that advantage.

The prospects of reaching the NBA Finals are a little better for the Lakers than they were before the deal that brought Sessions to Los Angeles. But in order for Bryant to earn his sixth NBA title, Bynum will have to win his first NBA Finals MVP award.