ESPN does have a profound effect

[ambchang]

It does explain why there are so many Kobe fanbois out there with little knowledge of the game.

http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=400278332

Check the highlights video, spent more than half of the recap bashing Gasol, and showing his lowlights, didn't even talk much about how the Bulls win, but more around not just how the Lakers lost, but how Pau's suckage led to the Lakers lost.

Never mind Pau actually had 15/12 on 6-14 shooting in 26 minutes, while Kobe shot 7-22 for 16 points in 42 minutes. No sir, it's not on Kobe, it's on Pau.

Just disgusting. No wonder Pau no longer cares.

[Dex]

ESPN doing what it does best: pushing the Laker agenda. Trying to convince the Los Angeles massif that Gasol is the problem so they don't complain when he gets run out of town.

[StrengthAndHonor]

You obviously miss the biggest problem in LA.

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

It's too bad for them that Gasol is so damn unhappy coming off the bench. A Diaw-esque point forward role running the show out of the high post would seem like the best fit for him on a D'Antoni team, rather than relegating him to Matt Bonner-hood with the other starters. From what little I saw of the game it looked like they had some flashes of success doing that last night.

[Cry Havoc]

It's too bad for them that Gasol is so damn unhappy coming off the bench. A Diaw-esque point forward role running the show out of the high post would seem like the best fit for him on a D'Antoni team, rather than relegating him to Matt Bonner-hood with the other starters. From what little I saw of the game it looked like they had some flashes of success doing that last night.

I don't get this. Since when is having two really good bigs on the court a bad thing? The Spurs made it work. The Pistons did too. There were no "spacing problems" with Duncan and Robinson, and they made the defense nigh impenetrable. And they don't even throw the ball into Dwight anymore, so if he's not going to get it on offense, why not post Gasol and let Dwight work the offensive glass for some putbacks?

[TrainOfThought5]

I don't get this. Since when is having two really good bigs on the court a bad thing? The Spurs made it work. The Pistons did too. There were no "spacing problems" with Duncan and Robinson, and they made the defense nigh impenetrable. And they don't even throw the ball into Dwight anymore, so if he's not going to get it on offense, why not post Gasol and let Dwight work the offensive glass for some putbacks?

The short answer: Coaching and egos.

Larry Brown and Pop >>>>>>>>>> MDA

and once you get past that you have to have players who are willing to adjust their game (and sacrifice touches) for the better of the team. Spurs wouldnt have been as good if Ginobili would have thrown a tantrum and rejected his 6th man role, or if Tim wouldve been selfish and never given Tony a chance to run the team through him.

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

I don't get this. Since when is having two really good bigs on the court a bad thing? The Spurs made it work. The Pistons did too. There were no "spacing problems" with Duncan and Robinson, and they made the defense nigh impenetrable. And they don't even throw the ball into Dwight anymore, so if he's not going to get it on offense, why not post Gasol and let Dwight work the offensive glass for some putbacks?

Because Gasol and Howard aren't Duncan and Robinson, or Ben and Rasheed, nor are the Lakers the Spurs and Pistons and most obviously D'Antoni is not a Brown or Pop. He's barely Bob Hill. The Twin Towers worked on both ends of the floor because you had two bigs with historically small egos playing with backcourt role players who didn't syphon off 20 shots a game like Kobe. (I know, Mike should make him stop that. Good luck telling Bryant that and not waking up with a pink slip shoved up your ass.) And in the case of the Pistons Big Ben was a total non-entity on offense (as was Teyshaun Prince mostly) so having a guy like Rasheed who absolutely needed a certain number of touches on the block was to stay engaged was no problem, even with two high usage guys like Billups and Rip in the line up.

Meanwhile Howard's a primadonna and Gasol's feelings get hurt at the drop of a hat. Don't get me wrong, D'Antoni's a fucking awful coach and he's using little to any of the talent on this roster correctly but with Pau and Dwight where they are in their respective headspaces I think pairing them on the floor is only going to result in one (or both) turning invisible.

[Kidd K]

Not really news. . .but yeah, OP is right.

ESPN has been the main source pushing the "Spurs are boring" crap too, WAY after the point when it was still a relevant title. Meanwhile, they always spotlight all late game shots creating the illusion that he was amazing in the clutch. . .yet never mention all the misses or fact that he took almost every shot the Lakers took in the quarter. Kobe had 11 in the 4th!. . .on 14 shots.

They've blamed Gasol ever since the Lakers won their last title, and barely gave him any props when they did win. I'm not surprised Gasol refuses to go to the bench. He's probably tired of getting no credit for anything there despite all his work. He will get even less credit coming off the bench. Reduced to bitch status? Why should he take that when he's still a legit player?

[UZER]

Not really news. . .but yeah, OP is right.

ESPN has been the main source pushing the "Spurs are boring" crap too, WAY after the point when it was still a relevant title. Meanwhile, they always spotlight all late game shots creating the illusion that he was amazing in the clutch. . .yet never mention all the misses or fact that he took almost every shot the Lakers took in the quarter. Kobe had 11 in the 4th!. . .on 14 shots.

They've blamed Gasol ever since the Lakers won their last title, and barely gave him any props when they did win. I'm not surprised Gasol refuses to go to the bench. He's probably tired of getting no credit for anything there despite all his work. He will get even less credit coming off the bench. Reduced to bitch status? Why should he take that when he's still a legit player?

this is why I believe Dwight never wanted to go play with Kobe. Win and Kobe gets all the cred...lose and its everyone else fault. As much as Dwight is a baby, props to him for calling out Kobes selfishness. Although in his case a became the villain, but maybe he's ok with that if it gets him the hell out of LA.

[UZER]

Early on Dwight never said LA was a choice of his...but the media (ESPN) kept hyping it until it became a reality. They ran the Dwight to LA stories for days and days and never let it die until it happened.

[manufan10]

ESPN pushing their own agenda? I'm shocked! /sarcasm

[anonoftheinternets]

I don't get this. Since when is having two really good bigs on the court a bad thing? The Spurs made it work. The Pistons did too. There were no "spacing problems" with Duncan and Robinson, and they made the defense nigh impenetrable. And they don't even throw the ball into Dwight anymore, so if he's not going to get it on offense, why not post Gasol and let Dwight work the offensive glass for some putbacks?

I guess u forgot robinson could make that jumpshot from the elbow and duncan was young duncan .. its really not a fair comparison .. bynum and gasol was an illusion because during those years it was really odom gasol bringing it home for the lakers....

[LittleCriminal]

ESPN Is a lot like watching the WWE... same shit, different channel.

[Cry Havoc]

I guess u forgot robinson could make that jumpshot from the elbow and duncan was young duncan .. its really not a fair comparison .. bynum and gasol was an illusion because during those years it was really odom gasol bringing it home for the lakers....

David did NOT have a lot of range though, and by no means was his jumper a 1st or 2nd option on offense. It was a mid-range J. Pau can hit that J if he has any space at all.

Moreover, there have been other big duos in the past that have been successful. Rambis and Jabbar, anyone? I refuse to believe that having two bigs who can rebound and punish defenses is a GOOD thing. Something to strive for, even. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that when you have two all-star big men, YOU FEED THEM THE ROCK. PERIOD. EVERY PLAY. Until the other team realizes they're going to have to double down.

Kobe's ego won't have it. D'antoni's system won't have it. And it's hilarious.

[BRHornet45]

Kobe has been handed everything in his career on a silver platter. The media and the NBA's agenda with Kobe is to SELL THE PRODUCT. He will be coddled and excuses will be made at any cost to protect their financial investment in him.