Gasol is a stud!

[TheMACHINE]

Did you guys see those DOMINANT jump shots! This guy is top 50 for sure!

:rolleyes

I wont even mention the fact that Odom attempts shot blocks without jumping.

:rolleyes

[MavDynasty]

:lmao Kome with his chucker mode. I thought this was going to be his "dominant" game.

[DAF86]

Yeah, that guy you have at shooting guard is pretty good too. He always delivers in the finals.

[4>0rings]

Send him to the Spurs then.

[Smooth Criminal]

Luke has guarded 6 Pierce shots this series that I recall.
He hasn't put his hands up once

[Josepatches_]

Send him to the Spurs then.

This.

Trade him for Bonner.

And The Spurs will be the NBA champions in 2011

[TheMACHINE]

Yeah, that guy you have at shooting guard is pretty good too. He always delivers in the finals.

oh..you're talking about last years finals MVP right?

[lefty]

Gasol is a pussy

[Giuseppe]

The Collusion Principle on temporary hiatus.

tee, hee.

[Killakobe81]

The Collusion Principle on temporary hiatus.

tee, hee.

LOL, Cully

This from Kevin Ding:

Let’s review Gasol’s big-game history so far this postseason, which overall has certainly been better than either of the previous two.

- Game 6 vs. Oklahoma City: The Lakers need to win on the road to avoid facing elimination in Game 7. Gasol has nine points on 4-of-11 shooting in 39 minutes. To his credit, he does reach nine points by coming up with the winning tip-in of a Bryant miss, but Bryant has to carry the Lakers with 32 points; no other Laker scores more than 11.

- Game 6 vs. Phoenix: Again, the Lakers need to win on the road to avoid facing elimination in Game 7. Again, Gasol has nine points. This time he shoots 2 for 9 in 41 minutes. Bryant, however, scores 37 points and Ron Artest steps up as the second fiddle with his high as a Laker, 25 points.

The Lakers had a similar situation last postseason in the second round vs. Houston. They lost Game 6 in Houston with Gasol held to 14 points – without a single free-throw attempt – in 43 minutes. (Forced to Game 7, the Lakers won easily at home with Gasol scoring 21 points albeit with five turnovers.)

Gasol also averaged just fewer than two blocks last postseason. He has averaged a little better than two blocks this postseason. But in the aforementioned road Game 6’s and the just-played Game 5 in Boston, he averaged 0.75 blocks.

It’s not easy to be great with the pressure on and the fans against you. It doesn’t mean Gasol is not a true All-Star. It’s not that he can’t play on the road, either: He averaged exactly 18.3 points home and away this season, shooting 54 percent home and 53 percent away.

It just takes a little extra grit and spit to come through against such extreme adversity.And even though he’s a champion now, these are days when you have to remember that Gasol never won a playoff game before joining Bryant.

Not a playoff series, but a single playoff game. Gasol went 0-12.

Gasol is fortunate the Lakers didn’t get blanked in these three games in Boston. It was a pretty weak week for Gasol.

He had 13 points in Game 3 when Derek Fisher saved the day. Gasol upped it to 21 points in Game 4 but tied Shannon Brown with a team-worst minus-9 point-differential ratio. Then Gasol delivered just 12 points on 5-of-12 shooting in Game 5 with no blocks after averaging 3.6 blocks previously in the series.

All through the week, Gasol was muscled farther and farther away from the hoop by the Boston defense and never did consistently establish his presence inside. He absolutely did not outplay Kevin Garnett in the matchup that Phil Jackson said entering the series was the one to watch, and Gasol wasted his opportunities to use his agility and creativity to drive when Boston went to older (Rasheed Wallace) and slower (Kendrick Perkins) defenders on him.

“They do a good job pushing you out of the post,” Gasol said after Game 5.

He acknowledged this much: “I’ve got to find a way to get better looks.”

So the Lakers have lost back-to-back games. The famous stat about Gasol’s impact on the Lakers used to be that they’d never lost three consecutive games since he arrived on Feb. 1, 2008.

That perfection went by the wayside this season with successive road losses to Miami, Charlotte and Orlando in March. But the Lakers need to prove that door-slamming ability again and not lose Game 6 after already losing Games 4 and 5 to Boston.

Fourteen times the Lakers have lost back-to-back games with Gasol, but only that one time have they not powered back to win the third. That’s partly because Gasol is a fixer who prides himself on problem-solving – hence his arrival in the Lakers’ weight room after being bullied in the 2008 NBA Finals vs. Boston.

Asked if it was Boston’s success or his failure this time, Gasol said: “I always blame myself more. I think I have the set of skills that allow me to play against different defenses.”

Gasol will have to wait to fix the potholes on his playoff road record.

He has pressing business at home right now.

MVP of the Lakers ... my ass

I wonder if all the Miamiheat, Dwade, BRhornets are finally ready to admit how moronic that crap was ...

Or some of thr spur fans with the "you guys dont give Pau or Odom enough credit cuz you Kobe fanbois"

Or even the still Pro-shaq Kobe hating Laker fans ...foolish.

[lefty]

LOL, Cully

This from Kevin Ding:

Let’s review Gasol’s big-game history so far this postseason, which overall has certainly been better than either of the previous two.

- Game 6 vs. Oklahoma City: The Lakers need to win on the road to avoid facing elimination in Game 7. Gasol has nine points on 4-of-11 shooting in 39 minutes. To his credit, he does reach nine points by coming up with the winning tip-in of a Bryant miss, but Bryant has to carry the Lakers with 32 points; no other Laker scores more than 11.

- Game 6 vs. Phoenix: Again, the Lakers need to win on the road to avoid facing elimination in Game 7. Again, Gasol has nine points. This time he shoots 2 for 9 in 41 minutes. Bryant, however, scores 37 points and Ron Artest steps up as the second fiddle with his high as a Laker, 25 points.

The Lakers had a similar situation last postseason in the second round vs. Houston. They lost Game 6 in Houston with Gasol held to 14 points – without a single free-throw attempt – in 43 minutes. (Forced to Game 7, the Lakers won easily at home with Gasol scoring 21 points albeit with five turnovers.)
So you have demonstrated that the Lakers NEED Gasol to play well in order ti win.

In the losses, he had bad numbers.

And when he plays well, Lakers win.


So he is the most important Laker; it doesnt matter if Kobe goes off for 250 pts, L.A needs Pau

[TheMACHINE]

So you have demonstrated that the Lakers NEED Gasol to play well in order ti win.

In the losses, he had bad numbers.

And when he plays well, Lakers win.


So he is the most important Laker; it doesnt matter if Kobe goes off for 250 pts, L.A needs Pau

and right now we need him and he aint showing up.

[Killakobe81]

So you have demonstrated that the Lakers NEED Gasol to play well in order ti win.

In the losses, he had bad numbers.

And when he plays well, Lakers win.


So he is the most important Laker; it doesnt matter if Kobe goes off for 250 pts, L.A needs Pau

no one disputes that fact ...i said the same thing ...

Problem is when people say well Parker or Manu is the MVP of the spurs (back when the Spurs were title contenders) it's ALMOST the same as saying Pau is MVP of the Lakers.

Tim brings it EVERY night (well used to) much like Kobe does ...of course when you have an all-time great doing what they do and then the supporting star bringing the same ...then you will win a great deal of the time.

It is NOT rocket science ...

[Killakobe81]

So you have demonstrated that the Lakers NEED Gasol to play well in order ti win.

In the losses, he had bad numbers.

And when he plays well, Lakers win.


So he is the most important Laker; it doesnt matter if Kobe goes off for 250 pts, L.A needs Pau

No but a great barometer for success he and Lmar when they play well to support Kobe we win simple as that ...

[Giuseppe]

and right now we need him and he aint showing up.

Ipso facto, we get relieve from the Collusion File, but, get cleaned out by the San Antonio Celtics.

I could just cry.

[Killakobe81]

In 2 of the Game 6 elimination games ...Kobe got 30 Pau was MIA ...Lakers can win against lesser teams with Pau being average ...because Kobe is Kobe.

Lakers can not beat the Celts with him playing like that ...

[Giuseppe]

In 2 of the Game 6 elimination games ...Kobe got 30 Pau was MIA ...Lakers can win against lesser teams with Pau being average ...because Kobe is Kobe.

Lakers can not beat the Celts with him playing like that ...

I hope the Collusion File is up and running about 9PM PDT tomorrow night.

[clambake]

this "collusion file" is about both teams, correct?

[Giuseppe]

this "collusion file" is about both teams, correct?

I don't do Collusion, Clam.

It's my religion.

[mingus]

the only thing that's been apparent so far this series is that Kobe needs not one but two real good post players by his side to have a shot at winning a championship because one voice yelling at him to get the ball in the post and play inside-out isn't enough.

[mingus]

Kobe showed absolutely no faith in his teammates with some of those shots that he took.

[TheMACHINE]

Kobe showed absolutely no faith in his teammates with some of those shots that he took.

as he shouldnt with the crap they pulled in the first half.

you just want him to pass so you can say he gave up and quit.

[lefty]

Kobe showed absolutely no faith in his teammates with some of those shots that he took.
Thats because they sucked

[mingus]

as he shouldnt with the crap they pulled in the first half.

you just want him to pass so you can say he gave up and quit.

his shot selection was shit. he was in a real, real nice groove but he needed to mix it up. there were some that he took that he wasn't going to make in which case he needed to pass.

[N4th4n]

Kobe showed absolutely no faith in his teammates with some of those shots that he took.

That is the problem that Laker fans totally over look. Basketball is the quintessential team sport. When Kobe does what he did last night in the third quarter he inhibits both cohesion and flow. The reason his team mates played so poorly in the second half is that Kobe TOOK THEM OUT OF THE GAME. It is a self fulfilling prophecy: Kobe deeply believes that his team mates will fail him so he shoulders 100 % of the responsibility, his team mates see this lack of faith and respect and give the fuck up.

[lefty]

So is Kobe going to throw Kupchak under the bus if they dont win the title?

Paging Jerry West

[TheMACHINE]

That is the problem that Laker fans totally over look. Basketball is the quintessential team sport. When Kobe does what he did last night in the third quarter he inhibits both cohesion and flow. The reason his team mates played so poorly in the second half is that Kobe TOOK THEM OUT OF THE GAME. It is a self fulfilling prophecy: Kobe deeply believes that his team mates will fail him so he shoulders 100 % of the responsibility, his team mates see this lack of faith and respect and give the fuck up.

Ok so explain to us why the teammates sucked the first half? And should Kobe have continued passing to them like he did in Game 7 of the Sun series in 2006? Or should he take over like he did when he went 7-9 in the 3rd? Please enlighten us.

[Giuseppe]

Ok so explain to us why the teammates sucked the first half? And should Kobe have continued passing to them like he did in Game 7 of the Sun series in 2006? Or should he take over like he did when he went 7-9 in the 3rd? Please enlighten us.

Why do you bother, MACHINE? They're not interested in a debate, they only want to bust balls. Don't give 'em the satisfaction of discussion. Bust their balls back.

[lotr1trekkie]

Gasol is a great second fiddle. He can't be the prime player ala Timmy Duncan.

[TheMACHINE]

Why do you bother, MACHINE? They're not interested in a debate, they only want to bust balls. Don't give 'em the satisfaction of discussion. Bust their balls back.

good point..alot of fucktards in this neck of the wood.

[mingus]

i'm not saying Kobe is all in the wrong. did they need him to score? yes. but he was not going to makie some of those shots. no chance. on those he should've passed. he didn't regulate himself.

[mingus]

Kobe's bad shot selected in that quarter led to easy buckets on the other end. watch the damn game. most of his shots were long and they were able to get out and run and not let LA's defense get established. Kobe could've prevented that from happening by giving it to Gasol in the post instead of taking some those impossible shots. Kobe in teh presser talked about the bad D in that quarter. he can thank himself for letting Boston get and run and score more easily.

[Giuseppe]

good point..alot of fucktards in this neck of the wood.

Exactly. The breaking point for them was the '09 ringage. Kobe got straightened out and there wasn't a thing they could do about it. And they knew it.

[TheMACHINE]

Kobe's bad shot selected in that quarter led to easy buckets on the other end. watch the damn game. most of his shots were long and they were able to get out and run and not let LA's defense get established. Kobe could've prevented that from happening by giving it to Gasol in the post instead of taking some those impossible shots. Kobe in teh presser talked about the bad D in that quarter. he can thank himself for letting Boston get and run and score more easily.

when was the last time Gasol scored in the post 1v1? He had 12 shot attempts....5 he made.....how many of those were put backs from misses and how many were jumpers? Since you watched the DAMN GAME, please let us know.

[mingus]

when was the last time Gasol scored in the post 1v1? He had 12 shot attempts....5 he made.....how many of those were put backs from misses and how many were jumpers? Since you watched the DAMN GAME, please let us know.

Kobe' shots were bad shots. some of those had absolutely no chance. giving it to Gasol in the post for potentially an easier score would've been smarter. i don't know how you can't agree with me.

[TheMACHINE]

Kobe' shots were bad shots. some of those had absolutely no chance. giving it to Gasol in the post for potentially an easier score would've been smarter. i don't know how you can't agree with me.

once again....when was the last time you've seen Gasol score in the post this series?

[TheMACHINE]

Hey, if it were not for Gasol the Lakers would have missed the 08 playoffs, never have won the 09 championship and wouldn't be in the finals right now. He's a great player for you guys and the Lakers fans should realize that everyone has a bad game. It's how he reacts to those bad games that counts.

how has he reacted?

Hold up..did you just say we woulda missed the 08 playoffs completely?

[N4th4n]

Why do you bother, MACHINE? They're not interested in a debate, they only want to bust balls. Don't give 'em the satisfaction of discussion. Bust their balls back.

You could not be more wrong.

You can't compare 07 to last night games, they have nothing in common.

I am going to take a step back. In the context of last nights game I do not think what Kobe did was wrong, it was however part of a larger endemic flaw in Kobe's game.

Last night Kobe had to shoot nearly every shot in the third quarter to keep his team in the game. His team mates were playing poorly and showing little to no heart. It was the only possible solution. However, they lost because Kobe's team mates KNOW WHO HE IS.

When Kobe puts on his leader face, passes the rock and looks all buddy-buddy it is simply a facade. He is using this persona as a means to an ends. His deep mistrust and disrespect of his team mates is being temporarily masked. That is why there is difference between Kobe taking over a game and JOrdan taking over a game. When Kobe takes over a game it is simple a re-assertion of his true self. He is taking off the mask. When Jordan took over a game he was adjusting and reading a situation. Jordan had the capability of re-adjusting within the game. Kobe cant do this.

When Kobe goes into this "chucker" mode his team mates check out of the game. When other great players go into this mode it often ELEVATES the level of play of their team mates. They become inspired. The Lakers only become defeated.

[Giuseppe]

Why you O & 42 so & so, you.

[Killakobe81]

Why do you bother, MACHINE? They're not interested in a debate, they only want to bust balls. Don't give 'em the satisfaction of discussion. Bust their balls back.

amen.

[N4th4n]

amen.

Cully is the king of the empty slogan. That was a funny comment coming from him.

[Giuseppe]

Cully is the king of the empty slogan. That was a funny comment coming from him.

Sure.

[TheMACHINE]

Weren't the Lakers the 7 seed before Bynum went down for the rest of the season and the lakers got Gasol? Things were so tight in that race, had the Lakers not gotten Pau it would have only been a couple weeks before the Warriors and Nuggest took the 7 and 8 seeds and the Lakers fell short. But instead in about 5 weeks with Gasol the Lakers got the 1 seed. 08 was easily the worst season in terms of seed placement confusion. The Warriors had 49 or 50 wins that season and still missed the playoffs.

Lakers were the 1st seed.

[Giuseppe]

.

You got a f'in' Award, Phi? This is pure horseshit. I'll be a monkey's uncle.

Kori!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[tdunk21]

Lakers were the 1st seed.

lakers were not 1st seed FYI.....after acquiring gasol lakers went 25-4 in the last 29 games securing the 1st place.....:lmao

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

Hold up..did you just say we woulda missed the 08 playoffs completely?


It's a logical point from a numbers perspective. It could very well be wrong, but there's some basis for that belief. Yes, at one point prior to the Gasol trade LA was in 1st place, but assuming Bynum + Ariza never came back and they didn't make any other trades, it woulda been awfully close.

Golden State won 48 games as the 9 seed and LA won 57 games, so it's a 9 game difference. The question is whether or not Gasol's presence on LA the last 36 games of the season made a 9 game difference.

LA had a 10 game stretch in between Bynum's injury and the Gasol trade. During this stretch, they went 5-5. Based off that and how bad LA had always been with Kwame starting at C, it's a safe assumption they're roughly a .500 team in 08 without Gasol or Bynum.

Going into Gasol's debut with LA, they were at 30-16. The rest of the way they went 27-9. Lets say instead of 27-9 they go 18-18, that puts them in a tie for 8th place with Golden State.

If one wants to fact check anything I said:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/LAL/2008_games.html

[TheMACHINE]

Exactly, because of Gasol. Without Bynum and Gasol that Lakers team would have been .500 and missed the playoffs. But Gasol/Memphis picked up Bynum's role and saved your season.


lakers were not 1st seed FYI.....after acquiring gasol lakers went 25-4 in the last 29 games securing the 1st place.....:lmao

January 14, 2008, The Lakers were 26-11. Two weeks later, they picked up Gasol for Kwame.

Please correct me if my FACTS are wrong.

[TheMACHINE]

It's a logical point from a numbers perspective. It could very well be wrong, but there's some basis for that belief. Yes, at one point prior to the Gasol trade LA was in 1st place, but assuming Bynum + Ariza never came back and they didn't make any other trades, it woulda been awfully close.

Golden State won 48 games as the 9 seed and LA won 57 games, so it's a 9 game difference. The question is whether or not Gasol's presence on LA the last 36 games of the season made a 9 game difference.

LA had a 10 game stretch in between Bynum's injury and the Gasol trade. During this stretch, they went 5-5. Based off that and how bad LA had always been with Kwame starting at C, it's a safe assumption they're roughly a .500 team in 08 without Gasol or Bynum.

Going into Gasol's debut with LA, they were at 30-16. The rest of the way they went 27-9. Lets say instead of 27-9 they go 18-18, that puts them in a tie for 8th place with Golden State.

If one wants to fact check anything I said:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/LAL/2008_games.html

good point, but its null since his belief was that the Lakers were in 7th place when Bynum got injured.

[TheMACHINE]

No, you're right, but you have to give Bynum more credit than that. More than half a season to go there is no way that Kwame Brown as a starting center does half of what Bynum does just by being on the court.

I understand, i was just refering to your point that the Lakers were in 7th seed, before Gasol showed up.

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

good point, but its null since his belief was that the Lakers were in 7th place when Bynum got injured.


:lol fair enough

[Ghazi]

When in doubt just trust what is the general knowledge.

Gasol was never the best big man in the NBA. Top 15 player.

Kobe was never washed up as some said after the OKC series. Top 3-5 player. Lebron/D-Whistle are 1/2 though, IMO.

[DAF86]

Yes, he is. He's the key behind the Lakers success. When he plays well the Lakers win, when he doesn't they don't. Best Laker throughout this playoffs, imho.

[HarlemHeat37]

Pau ended up with by far the best offensive rating for the Lakers during the playoffs, the 2nd highest PER behind Kobe, and he ended up with the most Wins Produces and Win Shares for the Lakers..

Pau leading those stats is actually comparable to Kobe's role during the 2001 and 2002 title..

If you believe Kobe wasn't a sidekick to Shaq, then there isn't much of an argument you can make that Pau is Kobe's sidekick, and not his 1a..