Andrew Bynum has been key for the Lakers this series, occupying and scoring some on Kendrick Perkins on offense (so Perk isn’t pushing Pau Gasol around) and protecting the rim on defense. He is the key reason the Celtics are shooting below 50 percent at the rim -- on layups and putbacks -- in the last two games.
He’s also hurt. Worse.
Bynum has been playing through a torn meniscus throughout this series, but said it got worse in Game 3, as Dave McMenamin reported at ESPNLosAngeles.com.
Bynum said he first bothered the knee in the third quarter while chasing down a loose ball.
“I stopped real hard and I just felt like a twinge,” Bynum said. “I notified the training staff and everything so I came out then.”
"[I felt a twinge] again on that block on Perkins,” Bynum said. “I think it was just quick movements and sudden things I feel it and then the pain normally goes away and it did.”
Bynum also called himself questionable for Game 4 on Thursday.
Bynum only played three minutes in the fourth quarter, but Phil Jackson said that was more due matchups and the good play the Lakers were getting out of Lamar Odom -- for the first time this series -- than Bynum.
The Lakers will need an even better game from Odom on Thursday if Bynum is unable to go.