Lakers center Andrew Bynum finally watched his midair takedown ofDallas Mavericks guard J.J. Barea in Game 4 on Sunday and determined"it was terrible." The NBA also examined the play and came to thesame conclusion Tuesday.
The league suspended Bynum without pay for the first five gamesof 2011-12 "for making unnecessary and excessive contact" withBarea.
Bynum also was fined $25,000 for removing his jersey as he walkedfrom the court after his fourth-quarter ejection.
With the Lakers well on their way to a crushing 36-point defeatand a four-game sweep at the hands of the Mavericks, the 7-footBynum leveled the 6-foot Barea with a forearm that sent the Dallasguard crashing to the floor.
Bynum received a flagrant-2 foul and was ejected with 8:21remaining in the game. He followed teammate Lamar Odom off thefloor. Odom was ejected for a flagrant-2 foul for body-checkingDallas' Dirk Nowitzki minutes earlier.
Odom will not be suspended, according to league spokesman TimFrank.
Bynum issued an apology shortly after his exit interview withLakers general manager Mitch Kupchak and coach Phil Jackson. Infact, he interrupted the first question put to him to begin a meaculpa during his session with reporters.
"Number one, I want to apologize for my actions in the fourthquarter in Dallas," Bynum said. "They don't represent me, myupbringing, this franchise or any of the Lakers fans out there whowatch us and want us to succeed.
"Furthermore, and more important, I want to apologize to J.J.Barea for doing that. I'm just glad he wasn't seriously injured inthe event. All I can say is that it's terrible and it definitelywon't be happening again."
Bynum said he attempted to contact Barea to apologize personally,but hadn't reached him as of Tuesday morning. He wasn't sure ifBarea would get back to him because "I think he has bigger andbetter and more important things to do."
The Mavericks advanced to the Western Conference finals aftersweeping the Lakers and await the winner of the second-round seriesbetween the Memphis Grizzlies and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Theseries is tied at two victories apiece.
Bynum, asked about the change in tone, from unapologetic Sundayto remorseful Tuesday, said he got a chance to watch the replay anddidn't like what he saw of himself in the fourth quarter of a gamethat was out of the Lakers' reach.
"It was terrible, the whole sequence and the taking off of the(jersey)," he said. "Sometimes you have to man-up and own it. That'swhat happened. I don't think anything was going through my mind,actually, which is kind of why it happened.
"After I saw it, it was definitely embarrassing. It just looksbad."
The league agreed and imposed swift justice.
Gasol angry, disappointed
Pau Gasol denied rumors of a breakup with his long-timegirlfriend and also said his relationship with Lakers teammate KobeBryant was "absolutely fine, absolutely fine" as he did his best tosquelch two persistent rumors during the last few days.
Losing and failing to get a chance at winning a third consecutivechampionship were difficult enough for the 7-foot power forward tostomach, but Internet stories and speculation about his love lifeand friendship with his teammate angered him.
But that was nothing compared to his feelings about hislackluster play against the Mavericks. Gasol was no match forNowitzki in any of the four games and has shouldered the blame forthe Lakers' loss in the court of public opinion.
"The thing that makes me the angriest is not playing at my bestand not helping my team accomplish its goals," Gasol said. "I'm nothappy. I'm disappointed that I wasn't able to perform at my usualhigh level, but obviously I'm not playing alone.
"I think we have to really look deep into how we started, the upsand downs, the meaning of them and what we could have done betterindividually and as a team.
"It's unfortunate the way we ended up."
Victims of success
Ron Artest said he knew precisely why the Lakers faltered againstDallas. He said their minds were willing, but their bodies failedthem at the worst possible moment, and it had everything to do withtheir success in reaching three consecutive Finals.
"We were ready to fight, but I think our legs were gone," Artestsaid.
elliott.teaford@dailybreeze.com
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