Bynum’s return no slam dunk

The day Lakers’ fans have been hoping and praying for is almost here. Tomorrow night at the Sensational Staples Center, Andrew Bynum will be in the Lakers’s starting lineup.

After practicing with the team since the Lakers returned from their seven-game road trip, Bynum has been lobbying Phil Jackson to allow him to rejoin the team.

According to sources, after last night’s win in Sacramento, Jackson finally acquiesced and called Bynum to tell him that he would be in the starting lineup against the Denver Nuggets Thursday night.

The starting lineup? He’s not coming off the bench?

That’s right. And if the sources are correct, therein lies the rub.

Bynum is not a quick start, but the Nuggets are. Bynum is not at the top of his game, but the Nuggets have won seven straight and are fighting to keep the number two playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Earlier this year, it took Bynum a full two months to workout his inconsistency. Over that span, he was averaging 14 points and 8.2 rebounds. But in the dozen games before he went down with a torn MCL, Bynum’s averaged had shot up to 20.8 points and 8.7 rebounds.

So, which Bynum is more likely to play Thursday night? The inconsistent Bynum or the dominant one?

My guess is that it will be the inconsistent Bynum and not just Thursday night but until the end of the regular season at least.

If Bynum starts, that means Lamar Odom sits. Over the years, Odom has been one of the most inconsistent Lakers of all time. But not this year.

On the year, Odom is averaging 11.3 points and 8.3 rebounds. In the last dozen games his averaged has climbed to 15 points and 9.6 rebounds. Over the past five games, Odom is averaging 16.4 points and 10.2 rebounds.

With so much at stake for the Lakers in their final six games, shouldn’t Jackson start Odom and work Bynum in off the bench?

If the Nuggets get off to a fast start and Bynum a slow one, it may not be possible for the Lakers to catch up like they did last night in Sacramento. With red hot J.R. Smith averaging 20.2 points over the last five games for Denver, the Nuggets are not a team to experiment against.

The Lakers won their first two games with Denver, but in the last one in Denver, the Nuggets got the upper hand, 90-79.

With all the minutes that Pau Gasol has put in this year, it would make far more sense for Bynum to come off the bench and relieve Gasol rather than start beside Gasol and have Odom on the bench.

The other important aspect is that the starters have been playing together without Bynum for the past 32 games. Whatever symmetry they have achieved could be rattled with Bynum in the starting lineup.

Odom is playing great basketball as a starter. He has been consistent and can be counted on to provide a double-double night in and night out. Don’t shake things up. You know the old adage: if it ain’t broke, why fix it?

What has been broken up until last night’s game in Sacramento is the second unit. They may have broken out of their funk last night or they may lapse right back into their inconsistency. A dire shot in the arm like Bynum coming off the bench with them may be just what the Bench Mob needs.

If nothing else, Bynum could compete with Sasha Vujacic to see who can get the most dunks in a game.