The Lakers' loss to the Charlotte Bobcats the other night may have lasting effects for the team beyond just the single game. That's because Andrew Bynum and Trevor Ariza may both end up missing time due to incidents that occurred on Tuesday night.
Ariza sustained a concussion midway through the second quarter, when he was hit with a hard screen from the Bobcats' Juwan Howard. He was said to still be suffering the effects of the hit Wednesday, and will see the doctor again today before the team makes a determination on whether he'll be able to travel with them to Minnesota later this afternoon.
As for Bynum, he picked up a flagrant foul on Charlotte's Gerald Wallace. It was a play that definitely didn't seem dirty, but it did send Wallace to the hospital for 48 hours for observation. Wallace suffered a partially collapsed lung as a result of the hit. The league is reviewing the play, and if they deem it to be excessive, it could result in a suspension for Bynum.
Charlotte's head coach, Larry Brown, is one person who doesn't think the hit was intentional, and he also feels that based on Bynum's actions afterwards, no further disciplinary action should be taken.
"That kid waited at our bus, trying to get to Gerald, and he apologized to me,’’ Brown said. “If he had a history of that (rough play), I might feel different, but I just think it was a hard foul.’’
Unfortunately for the Lakers, it's not Brown's call, and there's a strong possibility that Bynum may indeed be suspended. If that ends up happening, and if Ariza can't make the trip, it would leave the Lakers fairly shorthanded for Friday's game against the much-improved Timberwolves.
