The Lakers will make the playoffs and probably finish in the top four in the Western Conference, securing home-court advantage for the first round. They might even play the Suns again in the first round.
So, the last bit of intrigue heading down the stretch is:
When is Andrew Bynum coming back?
One possible answer:
Soon.
Bynum ran wind sprints at practice today for the first time since hurting his left kneecap Jan. 13. He had been running on the Lakers’ low-gravity treadmill, but this was the first time he got on the court and ran with full impact. The $75,000 treadmill simulates low gravity conditions and removes much of the pounding of normal running, thus aiding the recovery of a player with a bum kneecap.
Phil Jackson said Bynum would join the team for its trip next week to Sacramento and Portland. Bynum will participate in practices and shootarounds, although how much work he does remains to be seen.
Sounds like he might be ready to play late next week. How much he plays and how effective he can be after such am extended layoff are questions for another day, however.