Los Angeles Lakers: Andrew Bynum's Temper Must Be Kept in Check

Ever since his younger days when Andrew Bynum took an infamous three-point attempt in New Orleans and got scolded by Phil Jackson, the seven-foot center has had some maturity problems. 

More recently, as he's emerged as one of the team's focal points, he's had a tough time bottling up his emotions in heated contests.

Bynum received his second technical foul late in the third quarter at Houston on Tuesday night. He was subsequently ejected and the Lakers were forced to play without their big in the fourth quarter and struggled getting rebounds late in the game.

It was apparent the Lakers needed Bynum, as the Rockets grabbed 16 offensive rebounds, with some of them even coming late in the fourth quarter. The Rockets eventually went on to win the ball game, sending the Lakers to Dallas with a two-game losing streak.

It's not a surprise to see a young player in his 20s to not be able to control his cool in front of emotional officials. That being said, Bynum is in his seventh season and is slowly becoming the most important player on the team.

He needs to keep himself under check, especially when he receives his first technical. And most importantly, if he wants to be the star of the Lakers, he needs to tone down his arrogance.

His immature and juvenile gestures after his ejection when he walked up to fans sitting courtside and gave high fives with a wide grin on his face were completely uncalled for.

Kobe Bryant used to fall into the same trap. He'd let his emotions get to him, but as he grew more experienced, he knew how to control himself when he was a technical away from being suspended for a game or from just being thrown out.

There is a certain craft into talking to refs, and Bynum is nowhere near in mastering it. His temper gets to his head very easily. This was evidenced by his takedown of J.J. Barea in the playoffs last season that resulted in a five-game suspension.

Bynum needs to realize his actions hurt his team. The Lakers started the season without Bynum and lost two games they could have won if they had him in the lineup.

After Bynum's temper flares cost him the game Tuesday, the Lakers blew a lead and lost a game they should have been able to win if Bynum were under the rim getting rebounds.

That's a total of three games the Lakers have lost because of bone-headed acts by the superstar center. 

While it's true Andrew Bynum is slowly becoming the best player on the Lakers on both sides of the ball, his emotions need to be mitigated when he wants to blow up. Rather than getting angry and earning himself technical fouls, he should channel his emotions positively, the same way he did when all those trade rumors were circulating around him earlier this season.

On a side note, Mike Brown's move to have Troy Murphy replace Bynum after his ejection was another turning point. The difference between the two is night and day. Murphy lacks the physicality that Bynum has and perhaps Brown should've put in Jordan Hill.

Hill played one minute in the third quarter and looked great, grabbing two rebounds. That in itself should've earned him a chance to show what he has in a close game, because Murphy hasn't all year long.

That being said, all of this would've been prevented if Bynum thought about the big picture rather than letting several choice words get him thrown out and cost his team the game.

The best news for Lakers fans is that Bynum is young. If Metta World Peace was able to change, so can Andrew Bynum.