Maybe Gasol is no longer the player he once was?

[midnightpulp]

Not a troll thread.

Despite an early outburst at the beginning of the season, Gasol has been simply a "very good" player and not up to the "best PF in the league" title that was given to him by the media and many fans alike.

I'm not denigrating Gasol here, but he's going to be 31 this summer, and big men do start slowing down around this age. Combine this with all the International basketball he's played and the 3 straight Finals appearances, and you have a recipe for a worn out player.

[j.dizzle]

Pau's vagina I mean hamstring is sore.

[TE]

He's wearing down just like Duncan.

[BRHornet45]

sons the dude gave Kobe 2 rings. He did his part.

[Giuseppe]

When he petered out after Game 15 I was alarmed.

[midnightpulp]

sons the dude gave Kobe 2 rings. He did his part.

Yeah, son. I know. But Duncan gave the Spurs 4 rings before he wore out in '08. Because of their size, big men simply don't recover and heal as fast as smaller players. A lingering hamstring injury will likely plague Gasol all year.

What's your take on Gasol this year?

[lefty]

Marc > Pau

[DJ Mbenga]

last yr when gasol had his hamstring problems i remember even when he came back it was about a month before he started moving well. there was a time when he couldn't hit a jumper but by the playoffs he was swishing them all. all those minutes in the regular season probably saved the lakers season but it has taken a toll despite bynums return.

[LkrFan]

It's on the Lakers guards - Kobe included - to be honest. Pau and Bynum shot 9/17 tonight. Bynum dominated Marc Gasol (he was 0-5 against Drew). The guards didn't reward him with more post entry passes. Pau started out with like 6 of the Lakers 1st 10 points. The guards didn't continue to feed him nearly enough.

Pau isn't the same as he was to start the year, but Kobe shouldn't shoot 5 more shots than his big men (officially) when they have an advantage in the post. Pau should have had way more than 8 shot attempts.

Once our guards get their heads out of their asses you will see the early season Pau return. Especially now because Bynum is taking on the big centers now.

[jjktkk]

Marc > Pau

Uhhhh, I see a reverse trade happening with Memphis and the Lakers. Marc for Pau, with the Grizz throwing in Gay to make the salaries matchup.

[jjktkk]

It's on the Lakers guards - Kobe included - to be honest. Pau and Bynum shot 9/17 tonight. Bynum dominated Marc Gasol (he was 0-5 against Drew). The guards didn't reward him with more post entry passes. Pau started out with like 6 of the Lakers 1st 10 points. The guards didn't continue to feed him nearly enough.

Pau isn't the same as he was to start the year, but Kobe shouldn't shoot 5 more shots than his big men (officially) when they have an advantage in the post. Pau should have had way more than 8 shot attempts.

Once our guards get their heads out of their asses you will see the early season Pau return. Especially now because Bynum is taking on the big centers now.

Your guards are needing to find a fountain of youth. Isn't Kobe starting to look like MJ with the Wizards?

[LkrFan]

Your guards are needing to find a fountain of youth. Isn't Kobe starting to look like MJ with the Wizards?Nah he's not that bad. He's just lazy on defense right now. Too much roaming and leaving his man open for back doors and open jumpers. It's killing us right now.

[Baseline]

Pau is fine. Have any of you guys ever played on a team with a gunner like Bryant? Pau is the most skilled big in the league, yet he gets so few shots it's ridiculous.

Yet all the while, a guard (Bryant) who is obviously in decline, still guns it like there's no tomorrow. in fact, Bryant guns it like his frontline is still Chris Mihm and Kwame Brown.

So to me it's no surprise that Pau gets lost out there sometimes when Bryant is doing his thing. Pau can't bring the ball up himself. He can't take it from the top of the circle, dribble around for 18 seconds, then fire up a contested fadeaway (like Bryant routinely does). Bigs have to be fed the ball, and that's simply not happening. If Bryant feeds Pau once a quarter, that's more than enough for Bryant. Problem is, if Bryant did that three times a quarter, they'd never lose.

But you'll never see Bryant ever again let a teammate be THE GUY. It'll never happen.

[mazerrackham]

Nah he's not that bad. He's just lazy on defense right now. Too much roaming and leaving his man open for back doors and open jumpers. It's killing us right now.

hasn't he been lazy on defense for years? Not that it mattered for him being selected to 1st NBA all defensive team every year anyway because he theoretically could turn on the defensive intensity whenever he wanted too...

[Cant_Be_Faded]

He is a tired player that has played non stop for multiple years.

Learn something from the forum upon which you post. Spurs have had to deal with this since 2006.

[RedsLakers24]

Pau is fine. Have any of you guys ever played on a team with a gunner like Bryant? Pau is the most skilled big in the league, yet he gets so few shots it's ridiculous.

Yet all the while, a guard (Bryant) who is obviously in decline, still guns it like there's no tomorrow. in fact, Bryant guns it like his frontline is still Chris Mihm and Kwame Brown.

So to me it's no surprise that Pau gets lost out there sometimes when Bryant is doing his thing. Pau can't bring the ball up himself. He can't take it from the top of the circle, dribble around for 18 seconds, then fire up a contested fadeaway (like Bryant routinely does). Bigs have to be fed the ball, and that's simply not happening. If Bryant feeds Pau once a quarter, that's more than enough for Bryant. Problem is, if Bryant did that three times a quarter, they'd never lose.

But you'll never see Bryant ever again let a teammate be THE GUY. It'll never happen.

Its also on Pau's part too, he's not getting position in the block to recieve the ball. And theres time where he does and he doesnt block his man to get the ball the the they just go around him and steall the ball. Its both on Kobe and Gasol.

[Darrin]

I think it's Kobe's legs. I see him on highlights doing the same moves he did in the Finals last year. When he gets bogged down now, he doesn't have the legs to pass out of a good double-team like he used to. I think Jackson needs to realize some of this is Kobe's physical problems. When he doesn't get it the first possession, he keeps going back after the guy until he does get 2 points on them. He's come back to the pack and this will affect the Lakers' title chances.

[Phillip]

thing is, Pau was always a very good to excellent PF in the league (although never quite as good as Dirk, KG, or Duncan), prior to playing with Kobe. his "decline" is very obviously coinciding with Kobe's decline as well. hes still a fantastic player, but got massively overrated (when being called the best PF in the NBA) over the past couple season due to the success of the Lakers, mostly thanks to Kobe. But overall, he still is what he is... an 18/10 second fiddle... very very good, but not neccesarily deserving of best PF in the NBA title.

[tdunk21]

not gasol's fault when kobe wants to run the show and screw up not involving gasol......

[Giuseppe]

^:rolleyes

[cheguevara]

a 7 footer running on fumes. That's what Gasol is now.

[LeHeat_Dynasty]

Gasol is not being used effectively by the Lakers and part of this is because Kobe refuses to accept the reality that his team are a much better team when the offense is ran with Gasol and Bynum.



Its just 2004 all over again for them.

[frodo]

thing is, Pau was always a very good to excellent PF in the league (although never quite as good as Dirk, KG, or Duncan), prior to playing with Kobe. his "decline" is very obviously coinciding with Kobe's decline as well. hes still a fantastic player, but got massively overrated (when being called the best PF in the NBA) over the past couple season due to the success of the Lakers, mostly thanks to Kobe. But overall, he still is what he is... an 18/10 second fiddle... very very good, but not neccesarily deserving of best PF in the NBA title.

things is pau play 100x tougher than dirk does. dirk plays soft games which don't need so much athleticism so he can still play fine as ever at 32. gasol declines a lot as age takes effect on him because gasol plays mostly in the paint against swole triggas. different styles of game imo, when talking about the declination of gasol please try not to make it sound like some 7-ft softass who relentlessly shoots fadeaways over opponents he's 7 or 8ft taller than.

[ALVAREZ6]

Pau is still a great player, Kobe just doesn't pass the ball enough.


If the Lakers get 80 possessions in any given game, you know damn well Kobe is taking up half of em.

[Giuseppe]

Pau is still a great player, Kobe just doesn't pass the ball enough.


If the Lakers get 80 possessions in any given game, you know damn well Kobe is taking up half of em.

It's just that Gasol couldn't scratch in the playoffs till Kobe took him in.

[j.dizzle]

Healthy Bynum > Pau tbh. Pau putting up 6 pts vs PHX last night is an indication that something is off. His offense will come but he's been playing matador defense for a while now. He has to have a sore hamstring or something so maybe he's just taking it easy.

[Venti Quattro]

Matador defense? It's not even that. He's not even moving over. He's just allowing himself to be run over and be manhandled

[lefty]

He needs more touches

[Venti Quattro]

He needs more touches

To be stimulated, yeah because he's a fucking pussy

[Killakobe81]

He needs more touches

He does but even the ones he gets he is overpassing. MarK Jax called him out twice for overpassing or not taking the open mid-range jumper. Defenses are already clogging the middle he does not take and make some of those we have no driving lanes ...

[lefty]

To be stimulated, yeah because he's a fucking pussy
Time for Luke to prove he is a team player

[21_Blessings]

Gasol isn't even the best big on his own team.

lol mvp

[HeatChamps]

Bynum>Gasoft

[Ghazi]

Gasol isn't even the best big on his own team.

lol mvp

Bynum > Pau :lol

Pau > Dirk :lol

[DMC]

Pau is fine.

If the Lakers don't want him... he can be the 13th man in SA... no problem.

[frodo]

Pau has low-post game

Pau never shoots fade-aways over 6ft midgets

Pau never choked in the NBA finals

[21_Blessings]

0-12

[BoricuaCJA]

Pau has low-post game

Pau never shoots fade-aways over 6ft midgets

Pau never choked in the NBA finals
Pau had a top 15 all-time player on his team

Pau always had a better team since joining the Lakers

Pau never past the 1st rd without another really good player(Kobe hasn't either)

Dirk imo, is the better PF. It's not Dirk's fault for being to big for quick players or too quick for big players.

[HarlemHeat37]

Gasol has been ran into the ground, and it looks like he has hamstring issues..funny to see Laker fans turning on him so quickly though:lol..

He'll probably be fine after some rest, he'll be back to being LA's most consistent player during the playoffs..hopefully he doesn't though, obviously, they're a 2nd round exit if he isn't playing at a top 10 level..

[Giuseppe]

Gasol has been ran into the ground

He claimed he was all tuckered out after game 16.