Andrew Bynum Injury: Update on Lakers Star's Ankle Injury
So much for Andrew Bynum going an entire season (compressed or otherwise) without an injury.
The All-Star center for the Los Angeles Lakers left in the second quarter of Sunday night's game against the Golden State Warriors at the Staples Center with a sprained left ankle after landing on the foot of teammate Josh McRoberts.
Update: Wednesday, April 4 at 10:00 p.m. ET
Andrew Bynum is ready to go, and just in time for the Lakers to try prove they are kings of the Staples Center against the Clippers.
Mike Trudell, of Lakers.com, tweeted out the news.
"Andrew Bynum will start tonight.
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) April 5, 2012"
Update: Wednesday, April 4 at 11:20 a.m. ET - by Wes O'Donnell
The Lakers take to the court against the, dare we say "rival", Clippers tonight in Los Angeles and will hopefully get their star center Andrew Bynum back in the lineup.
According to Kevin Ding of the Orange Country Register, Bynum is going to to "try" to play tonight.
Last night's absence was only the first of the season for the notoriously brittle big man so the Lakers are always a bit nervous when he misses time, but Ding also reports that he was walking well with his ankle taped before and after the game against the Nets last night.
Tonight's showdown with the Clippers could prove vital for playoff positioning.
Update: Tuesday, April 3 at 9:10 p.m. ET
After ruling himself out of the Warriors game, Bynum's coach Mike Brown made it official. Lakers.com's Mike Trudell tweeted out the news.
"Mike Brown confirms that Andrew Bynum will not play tonight. Instead of Murphy, McRoberts will likely start at PF (Gasol C).
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) April 4, 2012"
UPDATE: Tuesday, April 3rd at 4:50 p.m. ET
Andrew Bynum will not play in tonight's game, according to ESPN Los Angeles' Staff.
""Bynum did tell the website, though, he will not play in Tuesday night's game after suffering a moderate sprain of his left ankle in the first quarter of a game against the Golden State Warriors on Sunday.
The sprain did not require an MRI on Monday and X-rays on Bynum's ankle were negative, but Bynum did not participate in the Lakers' shootaround on Tuesday. Bynum used the shootaround time for treatment, which included anti-inflammatory medicine.
Lakers coach Mike Brown had said Bynum's status would be a game-time decision.
'I can't play,' Bynum said while wearing tape around his left ankle. 'Hopefully (Wednesday against the Clippers).'"
"
UPDATE: Tuesday, April 3rd at 2:45 p.m. ET
Bynum might be back in the Lakers lineup tonight, but he did not spend his afternoon participating in the team's shootaround, according to Mike Trudell of Lakers.com.
"Andrew Bynum (ankle) did not participate in shootaround, instead getting treatment, as expected. He's a game time decision.
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) April 3, 2012"
The Lakers will start a back to back tonight against New Jersey before going "on the road" to play the Clippers tomorrow night.
Considering the fact that Bynum is still being talked about as a game-time decision is good news. The Lakers need to make sure that he is healthy heading into the playoffs.
The team is clinging to the No. 3 spot in the western conference right now, but being healthy is more important than that spot.
UPDATE: Monday, April 2nd at 5:10 p.m. ET
The Lakers have gotten good news on Bynum's ankle injury. Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times has the latest:
"Bynum's sprained left ankle was not considered serious enough for an MRI exam as a follow-up today. He's officially listed as day-today.
— Mike Bresnahan (@Mike_Bresnahan) April 2, 2012"
Feel free to breathe a huge sigh of relief, Lakers fans. Knowing Bynum, this could have been a lot worse.
The Lakers' next game is tomorrow against the New Jersey Nets, and then they play again on Wednesday against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Even if Bynum is able to go, it wouldn't be a huge surprise if the Lakers held him out of action against the Nets so they could play him against the Clippers. They can beat the Nets without Bynum. Beating the Clippers without him wouldn't be so easy.
UPDATE: Sunday, April 1st at 10:55 p.m. EDT
Lakers sideline guy Mike Trudell reports that X-rays on Bynum's ankle came up negative, though he won't return for the remainder of Sunday's game:
"X-rays were negative on Bynum's ankle, & LAL are calling it a "moderate" sprain. But he won't return tonight.
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) April 2, 2012"
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According to Lakers sideline reporter Mike Trudell, Bynum was taken to the locker room for X-rays shortly after suffering the injury:
"Andrew Bynum sprained his left ankle, landing on McRoberts. He's getting x-rays in the back right now. Report to follow.
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) April 2, 2012"
Kobe Bryant and company will certainly keep their fingers crossed and hope for the best from Bynum. As much of a knucklehead as he's been over the years and into this season, he's still an integral cog in the Lakers' winning machinery, and more so now than ever.
The 24-year-old center is averaging career highs in points (18.3 PPG) and rebounds (12.1 RPG) while manning the middle for LA alongside Pau Gasol.
With him, the Lakers boast a pair of seven-footers capable of taking over games in stretches and throwing lob passes to one another.
Without him, LA is little more than a two-and-a-half-man team, with Kobe, Gasol and newcomer Ramon Sessions doing an inordinate amount of the heavy lifting.
The Lakers can ill-afford to lose Bynum for any significant stretch of time, especially with less than a month standing between now and the start of the playoffs and only a one-game cushion separating them from the cross-hall Clippers for third place in the Western Conference.
