Lakers vs. Clippers: Andrew Bynum's Antics Latest Sign Lake Show is Slipping

The up-and-down roller-coaster ride of a season for the Los Angeles Lakers has been well documented since the lockout ended.

The 2012 season has turned into a soap opera with Kobe Bryant, Andrew Bynum and Mike Brown starring in leading roles. But while Bryant and Brown have had their moments all season, it's Bynum that's stepped up to take top billing in the never-ending saga.

Bynum is starring in his own production, titled "How to Destroy the Lakers," and his performance has been Oscar worthy.

It's all these antics from Bynum that will ultimately prevent the Lakers from reaching their full potential, as with only a 1.5-game lead over the Los Angeles Clippers, Bynum could play the major role in why the Lakers season could eventually begin slipping away.

On the court, the seven-year pro is having an outstanding season, averaging a career-high 17.9 PPG and 11.9 RPG, making his first All-Star game in the process.

Off the court, though, is where Bynum is single-handily destroying the Lakers.

He was a model citizen up until the All-Star break, but in the past few weeks he's turned into a ticking time bomb.

Bynum's immaturity first reared it's head again after being ejected from a loss against Houston on March 20. After receiving his second technical, he enjoyed himself by taking his time to leave the court, slapping the hands of fans on his way out.

Then there was the benching after taking a bad three-point shot and his promise to take more shots from behind the arc.

He refuses to take part in team huddles, commenting "I don't take part in the huddles," Bynum said. "I'm resting ... getting my Zen on."

Just a day later, T.J. Simers of the Los Angeles Times broke down Bynum's refusal to speak to Brown before games.

Finally, numerous sources confirmed to ESPNLosAngeles.com that Bynum recently was fined an undisclosed amount for "numerous infractions," including blowing off a meeting with Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak.

All of these off-the-court problems have happened in the last two weeks, prompting the question: Can the Lakers really count on Bynum's head to be on straight when they need him the most?

That answer is probably a loud no.

He's so talented, but he's never shown the ability to mature as a person. What Bynum has shown is that he's much more likely to be the reason a team breaks instead of becoming a major reason a team succeeds.

When it's all said and done the antics of Bynum will just add up to be way too much for any team to deal with.

The Lakers could end up paying the price for his childish behavior and it's sad, considering they are talented enough to accomplish so much more.