Lakers center Andrew Bynum limited by knee injury
Reporting from Boston -- Andrew Bynum will be tired of a lot of things by the time the next couple of days come to a close.
To name a few: ice, electro-stim machines and questions about his swollen right knee.
The Lakers center played only 12 minutes in Game 4 of the NBA Finals, collecting two points and three rebounds in the Lakers’ 96-89 loss to the Boston Celtics.
He didn’t look strong Thursday, but said he was optimistic about playing Sunday in Game 5.
“I’ve got two days to get some treatment, pump a little bit of the swelling out,” he said.
Knee specialist David Altchek, Bynum’s personal doctor, might come down from New York to take a look at the knee this weekend.
“There’s a lot of swelling,” Bynum said. “It was tough, I couldn’t really go. I didn’t have any strength in the leg.
“I definitely could have helped. I think they got a lot of layups.”
Bynum has been a defensive force in the middle in the Finals, averaging 13.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.7 blocked shots before Thursday.
He had been able to push past torn cartilage in the knee over the last six weeks, but he reached his limit Thursday, taking two points and two rebounds in the game’s first 6 minutes 30 seconds but only one rebound the rest of the way.
He aggravated the knee injury in Game 3, landing off balance after blocking the shot of Celtics center Kendrick Perkins.
It didn’t look good for Bynum early in Game 4, when his shot was blocked from behind by Celtics forward Kevin Garnett. He answered by making a six-foot turnaround over Perkins, but then was knocked down on a screen and called for a three-second violation.
He played only 1:50 in the second half, staying behind in the locker room when the third quarter began to try to get some last-minute treatment on the knee. His absence was felt.
“He’s been so effective, just blocking shots and rebounding,” Lakers forward Pau Gasol said.
“Those two things alone are a big plus when he’s out there for us.”
The franchise had been supportive of Bynum, if not impressed by his resiliency, since he was initially injured April 30 in the first round against Oklahoma City.
Bynum had almost 21/2 ounces drained from the knee last week before the Finals began.
“Andrew’s grown so tremendously in this area over the last three years,” Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said. “He’s learned to play with discomfort.”
It didn’t quite happen Thursday.
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Times staff writer Broderick Turner contributed to this report.
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