L.A. Times: Reporting from Indianapolis — In his own, low-key way, Lakers center Andrew Bynum was critical of Coach Phil Jackson’s substitution pattern in the fourth quarter of tonight’s 118-117 loss to the Indiana Pacers.
Bynum was with the second unit of Jordan Farmar, Sasha Vujacic, Lamar Odom and Trevor Ariza when they blitzed the Pacers with a 17-0 run to end the third quarter to give the Lakers a 15-point lead.
Bynum was with that group when they built the lead to 16 early in the fourth.
But after that reserve unit turned the ball over four times in the first 2:44 of the fourth, made one of three shots and saw a 104-88 lead cut to 104-96, Jackson pulled Odom, Farmar, Ariza and Vujacic and replaced them with the starters.
Bynum stayed in with Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Derek Fisher and Vladimir Radmanovic.
But Bynum still was taken aback that the reserves were yanked. He had found his groove with that group during their run, scoring six of his seven third-quarter points.
“The second unit played well, got a 16-point lead in the fourth quarter. We were all taken out with six minutes to go in game,” Bynum said. “We didn’t get any rebounds [after that]. I don’t know what to say about that.”
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