Saturday Sports Select : Andrew Bynum will break your heart (if you think he's the missing piece)

I think you're crazy if you think Andrew Bynum's presence automatically makes the Los Angeles Lakers the favorites to win the title. Yeah, Bynum's big (7-0, 285 lbs) and bad (tough with skills, 13.2 points, 10.2 rebounds and 2.1 blocks in 28.8 minutes last season), but this guy's coming off major knee surgery and has played six playoff games his whole career. If you're counting on a 20-year old that has played 11 minutes a game and averaged 4 points in those six playoff games to take you to the promised land, then you're out of your mind.

I'm sure Bynum will produce if given the opportunity, but the Los Angeles Lakers haven't addressed a fundamental problem. I saw Kobe handling the ball way too much last season, especially in the NBA Finals. And when Kobe Bryant handles the ball a ton, he is a flatout liability. It doesn't have anything to do with his basketball or ballhandling skills - he's a sublime talent - but his passing instincts are questionable, and the Boston Celtics exploited that til no end.

I saw too many instances of Kobe in the finals trying to break double and triple teams by himself and ending up shooting crap shots that airballed or barely grazed him. If the Lakers don't get Kobe a true point guard who is like a coach on the floor (Derek Fisher doesn't count), then expect the Lakers to get bounced out - again.

I see some talent, but no point guard.

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