Andrew Bynum Is Back and Ready for the Triangle

With Andrew Bynum's long and attritional knee injury finally healed, the Lakers add a long and brawny weapon to an already dangerous arsenal.

At seven-feet tall and 285 pounds, Bynum is big, even by NBA standards. Which means Phil Jackson can pair him with seven-foot Pau Gasol at power forward, put a bulky 6'7" Ron Artest at small forward, have 6'6" Kobe at the usual two-spot and play a towering 6'11" Lamar Odom at point forward. With Bynum back in the line-up, Los Angeles is not only one of the most talented and well-coached teams in the league, it's becomes the tallest as well.

And while Bynum's debut seven points, four rebounds, two blocks and one assist last night weren't exactly spectacular numbers, his impact and significance within Jackson's two decade old triangle offense was unmistakable. His huge frame kicked an already well-oiled machine into high gear. And, according to Jackson, Bynum is "nowhere near 95-100%" and still has more than half a season to get ready for the playoffs.

At the risk of sounding too cultist about the triangle offense, depending on size and ability, each player in the NBA has a certain amount of "gravity" that helps defenders and creates small offensive opportunities for teammates. You can think of the triangle offense as a dynamic and reactive system of movements designed to maximize and capitalize on these opportunities. Moreover, with this system revolving around prolific scorers like Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol (and Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen in the 90s), a player’s significance on offense can be less about points and assists than about the subjective spacing opportunities they create within the triangle.

For most of the players Phil Jackson has acquired over his career, and, in particular Bynum's, the triangle system waters down offensive weaknesses and augments strengths. Bynum may be slow and immobile, but he's large enough that he can't be given much space or allowed low-post positioning under the rim. Just mulling around the paint, he demands a huge amount of attention from a defense already scrambling to keep track of Kobe and Gasol. The result is that in the Lakers’ offense, Bryant won't capitalize on Bynum double teams, he'll capitalize on the extra foot of space created by his defender merely hedging on Bynum. Plus, when Gasol and Bryant do get double teamed, Bynum is big enough to catch a lob and can finish with power given the slightest window to the rim.

Like I said, the best team on the planet just got bigger, and a whole lot better.