If you’re a Lakers fan, you’re in a deep funk about Andrew Bynum’s injury. No, Chris Mihm isn’t going to be Andrew Bynum, an immensely promising young center.
But Lakers guru Tex Winter was much impressed by Mihm’s progress at the end of last season in coming back from injuries of his own that had derailed his career for more than two years. Winter wanted to see if Mihm could help the undermanned Lakers in the frontcourt during their NBA Finals matchup with the Boston Celtics.
Mihm played a little in Game 5, almost three minutes. He fouled twice, turned the ball over and missed a shot, all to be expected from a guy with two years of rust on his game. That Phil Jackson even played him indicated how challenged the Lakers were during the championship series. They were searching everywhere for an answer.
But Tex liked everything he saw from Mihm in practice last spring, and the coaches reportedly also see much to like in Mihm’s practice performances this year.
Plus he has a history. He started for the Lakers and averaged 10.2 points and 6.3rebounds in the 2005-06 season. So there’s reason to believe that he can now take a bigger role and help with the frontcourt chores. Mihm says his foot feels fine.
If Lakers fans are patient, they may be rewarded by watching him provide some veteran depth. As team executive Mitch Kupchak says, it is a deep team. Now it’s time to give that depth a chance to work.
KOBE
When he was a young player, Kobe Bryant admitted to me that he was absolutely thrilled by those moments when he could score 50 or more and dominate a game. “I just want to be the man,” he said at the time.
Few players have that singlular ability, and it’s a testament to a mature Bryant that he’s been willing to harness that power and set it aside for the good of the team. It’s also good every now and then to walk that dog again, to prove that should he need to, he’s always capable of turning any game, in any arena, on its head.
Phil Jackson has played a large role in helping Bryant understand the need to curb his immense personal power. But dating back to his early experiences with Michael Jordan, Jackson has also held a certain understanding, a certain awe, for those moments of unrestrained greatness. Perhaps no coach has greater experience at dealing with immensely talented forces such as Jordan and Bryant.
Just from observation, I’d say that Jackson’s approach with Bryant, as well as his respect for Bryant, have matured to just about the same feelings Jackson had for Jordan. This is not a perfect stasis. It never is with such a force of talent. But it seems to be evolving toward those superbly balanced moments like Jordan enjoyed late in his career.
If that’s the case, that’s a just reward for Bryant. He’s certainly done all the work necessary to inhabit such status. Of course, it’s not nearly as sweet if it doesn’t come with championship success, so there’s much to be determined about all that.
THE BLOG
I’m so busy working on my Jerry West book. It’s a fantastic story. I literally can’t wait to get the words on the page each day. But it’s not without pressure. I’m writing about the Logo, one of the most powerful people in basketball. There are great untold stories about this great player and figure in basketball history (he’s literally the symbol of the game seen round the world). So I haul that burden each, along with the 150 media students I teach at Virginia Tech. I have a full agenda, but I am going to try to post on this site at least every three days, even if it’s just a brief observation about the Lakers.
Cheers
