Is Bynum the Best Center in the NBA?

After Andrew Bynum led the Los Angeles Lakers to victory in overtime against the defending champion Dallas Mavericks, many are wondering if Bynum has become the best center in basketball.

Bynum scored 23 points and pulled in 16 rebounds on 9/24 shooting and 0 blocks against the Mavericks, helping the Lakers sweep the season series 4-0 against Dallas, the team that swept the Lakers out of the playoffs last season.

And this follows the 30 rebounds, 16 points, and 2 blocks Bynum had in a 98-84 win over the San Antonio Spurs, only the 2nd 30+ rebound game in the last 15 years. As well as Bynum’s 30 points and 3 blocks in a victory over the Denver Nuggets on Friday.

This season, Andrew Bynum is putting up great numbers across the board.

Bynum 2011-2012

PPG / RPG / FG% / BPG
18.6 / 12.2 / 55.8% / 1.95

Bynum Highlights:

Leading the league in rebounding is the Orlando Magic’s Dwight Howard with 14.5 rpg. Bynum is the 2nd leading rebounding center in the NBA behind Howard.

Leading the NBA in points per game is the Lakers Kobe Bryant, but Dwight Howard is the leading scoring center in the NBA at 20.6 ppg. The Utah Jazz center Al Jefferson (19.4 ppg) is 2nd and Bynum (18.6 ppg) is the 3rd leading ppg center in the league.

The league leaders in field goal are usually big guys. The New York Knicks’ Tyson Chandler leads the league in FG% with a scorching 67.4% by a large margin (about 10%) over the competition. Howard, Marcin Gortat (Suns), and Bynum are 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, respectively.

The Denver Nuggets’ JaVale McGee leads NBA centers in blocks per game with 2.31 bpg, while Oklahoma City Thunder power forward Serge Ibaka leads the league overall with 3.63 bpg. Howard is 3rd with 2.15 bpg, and Bynum is 6th with 1.95 bpg, behind the Clippers’ DeAndre Jordan and Indiana Pacers’ Roy Hibbert.

Marc Gasol of the Memphis Grizzlies leads NBA centers in assists with 3.2 apg. Howard is 6th and Bynum is 9th in assists among centers. 3x Defending Defensive Player of the Year Dwight Howard leads centers in steals per game with 1.50, while Bynum is 23rd.

The double-double race is a bit closer with Howard leading the league with 43 double-doubles, and Bynum following 2nd with 36 double-doubles.

Bynum may be the most unstoppable offensive center in the NBA, and he is among the best defenders in the league. Unfortunately for Bynum, Howard seems to just slightly outmatch him in every area.

So, while Andrew Bynum is having a fantastic season, it is a little premature to crown him king of the key.