Andrew Bynum's Mini-Mutiny Included Trying A Three, Pouting

There has to be some reason why Andrew Bynum thought it would be a good idea to chuck up a three-pointer with plenty of time on the shot clock in a close game against Golden State. These are the Lakers, and they spend more time sending each other passive-aggressive messages than actually playing basketball.

Bynum was in rare don't-give-a-fuck form last night, playing defense like it was optional and generally being a goof. But putting up a three completely mystified the fans, announcers, and his coach: Mike Brown immediately benched Bynum and kept him there for most of the rest of the game, a 104-101 Lakers win. After the game, Brown was political, saying he sat Bynum to avoid throwing the team's rhythm off. Bynum was unrepentant.

"I don't know what was bench-worthy about that shot," Bynum said.

"I guess ‘Don't take threes' is the message, but I'm going to take another one and I'm going to take some more, so I just hope it's not the same result. Hopefully, I make it."

Even more indicative of a rift was Bynum, sitting with his head down at the end of the bench, refusing to join the huddle during timeouts. But he's got an answer for that one too, one I'm sure will thrill Brown:

"He took me out of the game, so I sat where he put me."

So what's this about? Presumably Bynum has some sort of issue with Mike Brown which has bubbled to the surface and will no doubt fester for the rest of the season. Or perhaps he was trying to make a point about one of his ball-hogging teammates. But remember that Bynum made a last-second three at the end of Sunday's game, the first of his career. Isn't it entirely possible, the Lakers being the Lakers and Bynum being Bynum, that he really just wants to start shooting from outside?

Lakers soap opera, episode 50: Andrew Bynum shoots a 3 [Bay Area Sports Guy]