Power Rankings: Without Bynum, Lakers could see flashback to dark days

Updated Jan. 15

For the next two months, life in Lakerland is going to look awfully similar to how it has been over the past few years. There will be brilliant nights from Kobe Bryant. There will be nights where he's criticized for trying to do too much. There will be thrilling wins. There will be unexplainable losses.

It could be a long, cold winter for Kobe and the Lakers. (AP)

As strange as it sounds, the absence of 20-year-old Andrew Bynum, the center Bryant so badly wanted to discard at this time last year, affects L.A. that much. Deemed out roughly eight weeks with a dislocated left kneecap and bone bruise, Bynum will be forced to sit and watch as his Lakers struggle without his imposing presence inside.

Already, the Lakers have had to suffer through the final possession of victories over Memphis and Seattle, two of the less difficult teams in the Western Conference. Opponents have had free reign in the middle thus far, with L.A.'s remaining big men unable to provide any resistance at the basket. In recent losses, Pau Gasol and Nick Collison looked like Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell.

"The process of us monitoring the season for eight weeks without him," said coach Phil Jackson, "as big an influence as he's been, is going to be difficult."

There's an understatement. Jackson can always be counted on to correctly assess situations and use the right vocabulary to capture the essence of what's happening with his team. In this instance, the term monitoring is a good one. Massaging, managing and manipulating would also work.

Bryant needed 44 shots to score a season-high 48 points in order to help L.A. survive in Seattle against a team that managed 121 points despite failing to reach 100 since Dec. 29. The Lakers were lucky that Jeff Green and Kevin Durant are still too raw to correctly take advantage of opponents, because if those two weren't rookies, that game goes down as a loss.

Green was abused defensively, unable to limit Bryant the way he might be able to a few years from now given his length and athleticism. Durant was game in trying to match Bryant's heroics, but still lacks the know-how late in games that only experience can teach to realistically compete in that type of showdown.

In fairness to Bryant, he goes down as a hero for helping the Lakers survive, but had he scored 46 instead of 48 on those 44 shots, the media ultimately jumps all over him for not involving teammates more. All of a sudden, Jackson might be talking to him about being too "thirsty."

The soap opera is ready to start back up after a few weeks of tranquility. We don't need Hollywood's writers to come off their strike. This script writes itself. Bynum's legend and Bryant's scoring average will grow as the Lakers struggle to survive with Kwame Brown and Ronny Turiaf trying to cover the middle. Meanwhile, the team's record will suffer.

Hopefully, Bynum can pick up where he left off, because there are no guarantees that two months of inactivity won't curb his momentum and result in another season sacrificed to a first-round exit. Lakers fans need to enjoy being considered one of the elite teams in the league while they still can, because that might be coming to an end.

The week's Power Rankings:

Power Rankings
Current		Team	Previous
	1	Lakers · Trends	5
	Kobe Bryant tops 40 for 100th time; just 171 more to catch Chamberlain. ... Gasol (24 and 13 in season debut vs. Bulls) is best Lakers big man since Little Dipper -- Shaq.
	2	Magic · Trends	4
	Three nice wins dwarfed by one huge loss -- Jameer Nelson to knee surgery. ... New look, same result: Vince Carter outplays Rasheed Wallace in playoff rematch.
	3	Cavaliers · Trends	1
	Club leads by 17, then loses by 17 at Washington. ... Maybe this is why LeBron didn't pick 13 as his new number: Teammate Delonte West beat him to it.
	4	Hawks · Trends	2
	No. 1 in home record (7-0), No. 17 in home attendance. ... Shot of week is closest one: Josh Smith spikes home game winner vs. Rockets.
	5	Suns · Trends	6
	Shaq couldn't do this: New center Channing Frye has at least one 3 in all 14 games, 38 in all. ... 13 vs. 13: Nash leads Wilt in all-time assists 7,667-4,643.
	6	Nuggets · Trends	3
	Looking to move back up: Next five against Nets, Timberwolves twice, Knicks, Warriors. ... Nothing is automatic: Loss to Clippers was first since 2007.
	7	Celtics · Trends	7
	Non-elite team, non-elite star: Kevin Garnett is 72nd in league in scoring, 27th in rebounding. ... Celtics, Knicks go to overtime for 32nd time in history.
	8	Mavericks · Trends	10
	Erick Dampier out of the lineup, team goes on winning streak. Coincidence? ... Replacement center Drew Gooden goes 11-14-11-16 on boards in his first four starts.
	9	Trail Blazers · Trends	9
	Embarrassed club rebounds from loss at Golden State with 28-, 24-point romps. ... Warriors (108) only foe to reach 100 this month.
	10	Rockets · Trends	11
	Impressive aspect of 8-6 record: Rugged schedule that's included Lakers, Blazers twice apiece. ... Tracy McGrady returns to practice, says he's ready to go. Now what?
	11	Jazz · Trends	18
	Out of nowhere: Wesley Matthews starting, Jazz winning. ... Triumph at San Antonio is first in 10-plus years.
	12	Bucks · Trends	15
	No Andrew Bogut, no defense: Grizzlies, Spurs average 105 after just three of Milwaukee's first 10 foes top 100. ... Michael Redd returns vs. Spurs, goes 1 for 6 from line.
	13	Heat · Trends	8
	Team losing (four of six), but Michael Beasley's numbers picking up (19.7 points, 10.0 rebounds last three). ... Last two wins: 1-pointers over Nets, Hornets.
	14	Spurs · Trends	14
	Matt Bonner (23 points) an unlikely star in win over Bucks. ... It's a long season: Team won't rush Manu Ginobili (groin) back.
	15	Thunder · Trends	17
	Sixth Man Award nominee: James Harden drops in 24, 25 points in consecutive games off bench. ... Another comeback looms: More knee surgery for Shaun Livingston.
	16	Raptors · Trends	12
	Two Western trips, same results: Win first game, lose rest. ... Jarrett Jack picking up steam: 17 points vs. Heat, 11 assists vs. Magic.
	17	Bulls · Trends	13
	"Circus Trip" turning into circus: Club drubbed by Lakers, Nuggets, Blazers. ... Best No. 13 center in game today: Gotta be Joakim Noah.
	18	Hornets · Trends	23
	New coach winning with new look: Marcus Thornton and Darren Collison excel during three-game streak. ... Finally a break in schedule: Two apiece vs. Kings, Timberwolves in 11-day stretch.
	19	Bobcats · Trends	20
	First win of Stephen Jackson era: He's nailed with technical in victory over Pacers. ... Jackson factor? Gerald Wallace held to 11 points in three of new teammate's four games.
	20	Pacers · Trends	16
	Losing streak has silver lining: Mike Dunleavy is cleared to return to practice. ... Tar Heels coach Roy Williams watches Tyler Hansbrough lose in North Carolina homecoming.
	21	Wizards · Trends	24
	Club's three wins followed by 11-, 12-, 19-point losses. ... One problem: Gilbert Arenas is averaging 20 shots in past six games, making 34 percent.
	22	Pistons · Trends	19
	Tough trip, rough outcomes: Losses to Lakers, Blazers, Jazz, Suns. ... How the mighty have fallen: Someone named Jonas Jerebko is starting at forward.
	23	76ers · Trends	22
	How to blow possible upset: 10-point fourth melts late lead vs. Cavs. ... Improvement noted: Elton Brand averaging 19.7 points, 10.3 rebounds in last three after 9.8, 5.3 in first 10 games.
	24	Kings · Trends	21
	Club survives scare: Tyreke Evans' middle finger is sprained, not broken. ... Streaky team has three-, four-game losing skids sandwiching four-game winning run.
	25	Clippers · Trends	25
	Go figure: Baron Davis shoots 4-for-21 combined in wins over Nuggets, Timberwolves. ... Another Clippers low: Broadcasters ejected for comments about Grizzlies' Hamed Haddadi.
	26	Warriors · Trends	26
	Making new friends: Injured Raja Bell leads spirited effort at Boston, then leaves for wrist surgery. ... Just thinking of Mark Cuban makes Don Nelson sick; he sits out Southwest trip.
	27	Grizzlies · Trends	27
	Lightweight champ: Team beats Timberwolves, Clippers, 76ers, Kings in 10-day stretch. ... Nobody hotter than Rudy Gay: 41 for 72 (.569), 25.5 average in last four games.
	28	Knicks · Trends	28
	Winning can be comical: Nate Robinson shoots at wrong basket in victory over Nets. ... Sad state of Allen Iverson: Even Knicks say he's not worthy.
	29	Timberwolves · Trends	29
	Team has failed to score more than 87 points in the last six games (all losses). ... No holiday treat: Second and final showdown with Nets looms Dec. 23.
	30	Nets · Trends	30
	Better days ahead: Devin Harris returns in loss to Knicks. ... Looking for first win? Club visits Sacramento during weeklong Western trip.