Commentary

Keep 'em separated

The Suns can't survive against the Lakers if they let Gasol and Bynum play together

Updated: May 17, 2010, 6:28 PM ET

By Tom Haberstroh | Special to ESPN Insider

More than three weeks have passed since the Los Angeles Lakers or Phoenix Suns lost a basketball game, but that will change for one of them Monday night. Phoenix might be the more explosive and dynamic squad, but the formidable size of the Lakers' frontline should have Suns fans worried.

Most teams would be lucky to have one 7-footer on their roster who wields an offensive repertoire worthy of a double-team, but the Lakers are fortunate enough to have two of them. Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum represent a two-headed matchup problem for any NBA team, but Gasol and Bynum start a crisis on the court against Phoenix. The Suns lost two of three games against L.A. this season in which both bigs were healthy. A closer look at the lineups shows why the Suns will want Bynum and Gasol playing together as little as possible.

To see why the Lakers are so much more effective agains the Suns with Gasol and Bynum in the game together, and what the Suns can do to counter, you must be an ESPN Insider.