Lakers, are they quitting on Phil or is Pau tired of playing with Kobe?

[LeHeat_Dynasty]

The way I look at it is either Phil losing touch of his team or Pau Gasol is exhausted playing second fiddle for Kobe. When I watch Gasol lately, he doesn't seem to have the same amount of desire or passion anymore, it seems like he's just going with the motion. If you guys remember earlier this season when the Lakers were unbeaten and stomping through their opponents, Gasol was playing at an all time high. He was undoubtedly the best Laker on the team and he was getting serious MVP considerations. The Lakers were really playing like a back to back champion, their defensive intensity is through the roof and the triangle was executed in perfection.



When Kobe assumed the role as the teams only and undisputed 1st option after shaking that injury bug, the Lakers started dropping a very good amount of games (.430 record since) and Gasol appears to have lost interest as a whole.


I can't imagine a team full of veterans and some excited newcomers getting tired of Phil Jackson early into the season so my theory is Gasol has had enough of Kobe's appetite for personal glory. I think its time for Kobe to step back and do what Shaq never did for him, and that is to step aside and allow Gasol to take reigns of the team while he, the older player remains a solid second option. Afterall, Gasol was responsible for those two rings that redeemed his career.

[j.dizzle]

Pau has a strained hamstring tbh. He's also getting laid by his new cheerleader gf on a consistent basis so she's wearing him out.He's sprung & not focusing lmao
http://images2.fanpop.com/image/photos/11400000/Pau-gasol-and-Silvia-Lopez-Castro-Kissing-1st-time-seen-nba-wags-11440012-454-435.jpg

[Frenzy]

Dude that size should be able to handle her plus more on the side. Weak.

[Koolaid_Man]

Dude that size should be able to handle her plus more on the side. Weak.


:lmao So when did you realise your pecker was a joke....your comment there is homo as hell...you Spur fans never cease to amaze me....show me your girl and I bet I can take her...:lol

[Koolaid_Man]

The way I look at it is either Phil losing touch of his team or Pau Gasol is exhausted playing second fiddle for Kobe. When I watch Gasol lately, he doesn't seem to have the same amount of desire or passion anymore, it seems like he's just going with the motion. If you guys remember earlier this season when the Lakers were unbeaten and stomping through their opponents, Gasol was playing at an all time high. He was undoubtedly the best Laker on the team and he was getting serious MVP considerations. The Lakers were really playing like a back to back champion, their defensive intensity is through the roof and the triangle was executed in perfection.



When Kobe assumed the role as the teams only and undisputed 1st option after shaking that injury bug, the Lakers started dropping a very good amount of games (.430 record since) and Gasol appears to have lost interest as a whole.


I can't imagine a team full of veterans and some excited newcomers getting tired of Phil Jackson early into the season so my theory is Gasol has had enough of Kobe's appetite for personal glory. I think its time for Kobe to step back and do what Shaq never did for him, and that is to step aside and allow Gasol to take reigns of the team while he, the older player remains a solid second option. Afterall, Gasol was responsible for those two rings that redeemed his career.

Kobe was a Champ long before Pau arrived...Pau was like 0-12 before coming to LA. If Pau wants it he should take it from Kobe like Kobe took it from Shaq...I would welcome the challenge because drama in LA means titles in LA...but of course we all know Pau is a pussy so it ain't happening...Kobe been winning titles with a Pussy on his side...but it's all good we'll take em how we get em...:lol

Now as for Lebron's no ring ass.....

[Frenzy]

:lmao So when did you realise your pecker was a joke....your comment there is homo as hell...you Spur fans never cease to amaze me....show me your girl and I bet I can take her...:lol

Easily amused fellow.

[JamStone]

Doubt anyone is tuning Phil out besides Kobe, and Kobe would tune out anyone when the team is losing and he's ornery. They know this is Phil's last season. They aren't tuning him out.

So obviously you're getting your answer that it's Kobe so you can continue to bash him. But the funny thing is that this time the Kobe critics and haters are pretty on point with attacking Kobe. He deserves a shitload of the blame. It's his team and he's the leader and he has to be the one to lead the team to turn things around. But instead, he's throwing the team under the bus as if he has no fault in this. But how surprised are people? Kobe is stubborn and he's the type of personality that hates to admit fault or blame. So it's really no surprise here.

I don't know if Pau is sick of playing with Kobe. It's possible. I just think the weaknesses of the Lakers are getting exposed more. The point guard position will continue to get attacked at both ends, Artest got his ring and has hibernated, Barnes and Blake aren't as good as the Lakers had hoped, and there are more and more teams that are capable of challenging the Lakers on any given night. I think the Lakers just have to realize that they aren't as good as they might have hoped. There's enough talent on the roster for them to still be one of the legitimate title contenders. But they can't take shortcuts now, they can't take any team for granted, and they need a break or two every once in a while too.

They probably could use a shake-up as well. I'd start Shannon Brown and Lamar Odom and sit Fisher and Artest. They'd get more athleticism at the point guard position and more length upfront with tougher match-ups for opposing teams. The bench would be weakened, but I think the starting line-up could really run through most teams. I think the team just needs a pretty big change to jolt them into playing better.

[jjktkk]

Doubt anyone is tuning Phil out besides Kobe, and Kobe would tune out anyone when the team is losing and he's ornery. They know this is Phil's last season. They aren't tuning him out.

So obviously you're getting your answer that it's Kobe so you can continue to bash him. But the funny thing is that this time the Kobe critics and haters are pretty on point with attacking Kobe. He deserves a shitload of the blame. It's his team and he's the leader and he has to be the one to lead the team to turn things around. But instead, he's throwing the team under the bus as if he has no fault in this. But how surprised are people? Kobe is stubborn and he's the type of personality that hates to admit fault or blame. So it's really no surprise here.

I don't know if Pau is sick of playing with Kobe. It's possible. I just think the weaknesses of the Lakers are getting exposed more. The point guard position will continue to get attacked at both ends, Artest got his ring and has hibernated, Barnes and Blake aren't as good as the Lakers had hoped, and there are more and more teams that are capable of challenging the Lakers on any given night. I think the Lakers just have to realize that they aren't as good as they might have hoped. There's enough talent on the roster for them to still be one of the legitimate title contenders. But they can't take shortcuts now, they can't take any team for granted, and they need a break or two every once in a while too.

They probably could use a shake-up as well. I'd start Shannon Brown and Lamar Odom and sit Fisher and Artest. They'd get more athleticism at the point guard position and more length upfront with tougher match-ups for opposing teams. The bench would be weakened, but I think the starting line-up could really run through most teams. I think the team just needs a pretty big change to jolt them into playing better.

Who would the pg be in this lineup change? One more thing to think about, besides the points already made, is that Kobe might be declining. Alot of miles on Kobe. IMO, Kobe is still trying to prove to himself and others that he can still dominate a gane. The problem when Kobe does this, is that his teammates sit and watch Kobe going 1on 5, and the Lakers suffer for it as a team. But back to Kobe's possible decline. I've just watched a few Laker games, but I don't see Kobe with the same explosiveness from him. Wonder if he isn't full recovered from his off-season knee surgery, or is he starting to decline a bit?

[LeHeat_Dynasty]

Quotes from Gasol after the Lakers practice today


"We all are familiar with his game and his ability to score and his ability to take over games. It’s sometimes a double-edged sword because it can keep you in the games and even sometimes win you games but it can also lose you games," Gasol said. "I think we’re more effective and we’re more successful when our offense is balanced and everybody’s contributing. We all know that. We’re in good shape when everybody’s 10-plus points and just getting good looks because the offense will do that for you."




From my perspective, maybe because I’m one of the inside guys, we should be pounding guys every night no matter what and then play off that," Gasol said. "I don’t think me and Andrew [Bynum] are guys that will always have the need to shoot and get over 20 attempts a game but if we can set the tone early … it creates penetration, it keeps defenses having to adjust, and we put guys in foul trouble.”

[LeHeat_Dynasty]

But how surprised are people? Kobe is stubborn and he's the type of personality that hates to admit fault or blame. So it's really no surprise here.
Surprisingly, Kobe has admitted fault twice in this season alone. First against the Spurs not too long ago and then this

Kobe on Jackon;s recent comment


"He was right," Bryant said. "I totally broke the offense, but I did it intentionally because I felt like we needed to get something started because what we were doing just wasn’t working. I tried to kick-start it, and sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn’t. When it works out, great. When it doesn’t, I take the criticism for it but I have thick enough skin to be able to do it."

[MiamiHeat]

They had the softest schedule in the league early in the season

Shitty opponents and most games at home

[TheMACHINE]

superstars like Kobe arnt supposed to take over the game when thier team is down. errrrr

[LeHeat_Dynasty]

Kobe's biggest weakness is his decision making. He doesn't know when to take over and when to get his teammates involved.


There are far too many situations where he'll connect three straight shots but miss the next 6. He's too predictable that's why players are able to completely stop him now.


Kobe's just been extremely lucky because he has guys (Fisher, Artest, Gasol) that always saves his abysmal performance at the biggest stage.

[Giuseppe]

Kobe's biggest weakness is his decision making.

Though that decision to shovel late in Game 7 to Artest was a doozy, eh?

tee, hee.