Gasol not Kobe is the real MVP of the Lakers

[ChrisRichards]

dont shoot the messenger. thanks

Nobody can do what Kobe Bryant can do. With the game on the line, with one last shot to take to win it all, there is nobody in the NBA you want to take that shot more than Kobe. He proved it again last night in Milwaukee, where Kobe Bryant scored the last of his 39 points on a picture-perfect fade away as time expired to give the Lakers the win.
But look at the box score, and you see Pau Gasol with 26 points, 22 rebounds and four blocked shots. He was the Lakers best player on the court in Wisconsin.
Kobe Bryant doesn’t get the chance to hit the game winner without Gasol. Since Gasol returned to the lineup, the Lakers have lost just one game. Who is the team’s MVP last night — the guy with the game winner but some struggles on the night, or the guy who kept the Lakers in it on an off night for everyone else?
That is true a lot of nights, especially recently, when Gasol has stepped up to fill in what the Lakers have been missing. Lately that has been rebounding, as Andrew Bynum has stopped grabbing boards (he had just three against the Bucks all game, although there were a variety of reasons).
In his last four games, Pau Gasol is averaging 19.5 rebounds per game, which gives him an average of 12.7 per game this season. That would tie Gasol with Dwight Howard, the best center in the game today and a rebounding machine (Gasol is not on the official NBA stats page yet because of how many games he missed to start the season). Gasol has been that good.
The fact of the matter is, when the offense runs through Gasol it runs more smoothly — Gasol was tied with high four assists Wednesday. Teammates know things are better when Gasol gets the ball, Kobe will gladly talk about it. Which makes it all the more odd that a couple times a year Gasol has to beg for more touches through the media, as he did after Tuesday night’s game in Chicago. But it works — he got 15 shots against the Bucks.
And it was Gasol’s play that kept the game close, kept the Lakers in it. The Lakers as a team look tired Wednesday, except for Gasol who looked like he had just pounded a case of Red Bull. He was everywhere. He kept the Lakers in the game.
Kobe would not have been able to hit the dramatic game winner without Gasol. So who does that make the team’s MVP?

http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/sp...-79550417.html

[Ghazi]

If you run a simulation, the Lakers without Kobe are better than the Lakers without Gasol... Kobe is worth more wins over the course of a season and therefore the more valuable player, as is expected since he is the indisputably better player.

[JamStone]

Fair point to an extent. Same logic will tell you that the Miami Heat only win a le in 2006 because of Shaq, not Wade. Wade was the main scorer, but the Heat weren't going to win anything without Shaq's presence. Can say the same thing about Tony Parker's Finals MVP in 2007. He can't win that without Duncan.

But, I do agree with the sentiment about Gasol to a certain degree, in that without Gasol, the Lakers are not le contenders. However, they aren't without Kobe either.

[resistanze]

If you run a simulation, the Lakers without Kobe are better than the Lakers without Gasol... Kobe is worth more wins over the course of a season and therefore the more valuable player, as is expected since he is the indisputably better player.

I'm confused. Lakers without Kobe are better than without Gasol, but Kobe is more valuable?

[Allanon]

0 wins - Gasol's Playoff wins in 6 seasons prior to Kobe.
30 wins - Gasol's Playoff wins after 1.5 seasons with Kobe

Gasol's reputation before Kobe - Gasoft
Gasol's reputation with Kobe - articles about the "true" MVP of the Lakers

[anonoftheinternets]

different roles ... gasol is sacrificing more..but kobe is the better player ... lakers need both .. else they suck .. jus like other teams in the nba .. stupid thread...

[21_Blessings]

But, I do agree with the sentiment about Gasol to a certain degree, in that without Gasol, the Lakers are not le contenders..

Horse . They would still be the absolute favorites to come out of the West.

[Allanon]

Horse . They would still be the absolute favorites to come out of the West.

#1 seed in the West - Lakers prior to Bynum getting injured and the Lakers traded for Pau.

8-3 = 70%+ winning percent ... Lakers this year without Pau

14 & 10 - Marc Gasol's stats

[Culburn369]

Pau completes Bryant. And you know what else? Bryant knows it. And you what else? He can live with it.

[21_Blessings]

different roles ... gasol is sacrificing more..

Gasol is sacrificing, what exactly? Pau has already proven he couldn't do jack as the number 1 option. He's a much better player next to a guy like Kobe, that draws 2-3 defenders almost every possession.

but kobe is the better player ... lakers need both .. else they suck .. jus like other teams in the nba .. stupid thread...

Lakers = best team in the West without Gasol.

[chubster]

He was an all star before and a very versatile player when in Memphis. As a #1 option he was the main focus of the other team's defense so they double and triple him. Even then he was producing around 19 points and 8 rebounds while swatting 2 blocks per game. A true jack of all trades of a big man.

Now imagine a situation where he no longer sees triple team ever again and only the occasional double team (when he gets the ball in the deep position) because the other team is worried about someone else getting hot from the perimeter. I think what he said to a Spanish magazine about how he felt when traded to the Lakers pretty much summed up his current situation:

"This is the day of wine and roses."

[BRHornet45]

0 wins - Gasol's Playoff wins in 6 seasons prior to Kobe.
30 wins - Gasol's Playoff wins after 1.5 seasons with Kobe

Gasol's reputation before Kobe - Gasoft
Gasol's reputation with Kobe - articles about the "true" MVP of the Lakers

son that is a dumb logic ... if that's the case then why not expose the other side as well?

Kobe before Shaq = nothing more than just another good, All Star player
Kobe as ONE of the role players with Shaq LEADING the team = 3 rings
Kobe after Shaq = same as the first
Kobe with Gasol as co-leader = another ring

son stop drinking the Kobe kool aid. He is good, but far from as "great" as some of you are lead to believe.

[ChrisRichards]

0 wins - Gasol's Playoff wins in 6 seasons prior to Kobe.
30 wins - Gasol's Playoff wins after 1.5 seasons with Kobe

Gasol's reputation before Kobe - Gasoft
Gasol's reputation with Kobe - articles about the "true" MVP of the Lakers

i dont understand this. Gasol played with Mike Miller, Shane Battier and James Posey in that Grizz team. Homer goggles aside, Kobe wont take that same Grizzlies team to 50 wins.

[duncan228]

Lakers, Pau Gasol near three-year extension
By J.E. Skeets

Pau Gasol is a monster.

The Lakers are 12-1 with The Spaniard this season after an 8-3 start while Pau nursed a hammy. Since the team "acquired" Gasol from the Grizzlies, they've been to the NBA Finals two straight times with their most recent trip ending in a celebratory champagne bath.

As a result, the Lakers reportedly want to keep him around and are getting close to signing him to a three-year contract extension, according to HoopsWorld.

Eric Pincus reports:

Currently Gasol's deal is set to expire after next season. He's currently earning $16.5 million for the current campaign and $17.8 million for the next.

The additional three years would be the maximum permitted under the rules of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

While it's not clear what dollar figures are being discussed, Gasol would be eligible for $18.7-$19.7 million in the first year of the extension depending on where the salary cap falls that year.

Of course the CBA still needs to be renegotiated, which could have an impact on the numbers.

This one's a no-brainer.

[21_Blessings]

i dont understand this. Gasol played with Mike Miller, Shane Battier and James Posey in that Grizz team. Homer goggles aside, Kobe wont take that same Grizzlies team to 50 wins.

Kobe took a much worse team to 45 wins you pathetic creature. Pau would have been swimming in lottery balls with the 05/06 Lakers.

[ChrisRichards]

son that is a dumb logic ... if that's the case then why not expose the other side as well?

Kobe before Shaq = nothing more than just another good, All Star player
Kobe as ONE of the role players with Shaq LEADING the team = 3 rings
Kobe after Shaq = same as the first
Kobe with Gasol as co-leader = another ring

son stop drinking the Kobe kool aid. He is good, but far from as "great" as some of you are lead to believe.

BINGO

i think its pretty clear right now that Kobe is option 1A and Gasol is 1B. this is not Kobe's team anymore. if they win a le this year its under kobe and gasol, not Kobe and the Lakers.


headlines should be

Kobe and Gasol leads the Lakers into another le.

[BRHornet45]

i dont understand this. Gasol played with Mike Miller, Shane Battier and James Posey in that Grizz team. Homer goggles aside, Kobe wont take that same Grizzlies team to 50 wins.

son I agree 100% ... Laker fans tend to forget that Kobe was absolutely nothing without Shaq holding his hand and carrying that team. They also tend to forget that Gasol is the main reason why they won the le last year, not Kobe.

[ChrisRichards]

Lakers, Pau Gasol near three-year extension
By J.E. Skeets

Pau Gasol is a monster.

The Lakers are 12-1 with The Spaniard this season after an 8-3 start while Pau nursed a hammy. Since the team "acquired" Gasol from the Grizzlies, they've been to the NBA Finals two straight times with their most recent trip ending in a celebratory champagne bath.

As a result, the Lakers reportedly want to keep him around and are getting close to signing him to a three-year contract extension, according to HoopsWorld.

Eric Pincus reports:

Currently Gasol's deal is set to expire after next season. He's currently earning $16.5 million for the current campaign and $17.8 million for the next.

The additional three years would be the maximum permitted under the rules of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

While it's not clear what dollar figures are being discussed, Gasol would be eligible for $18.7-$19.7 million in the first year of the extension depending on where the salary cap falls that year.

Of course the CBA still needs to be renegotiated, which could have an impact on the numbers.

This one's a no-brainer.

Well other than Star Power, LA are set even without Kobe for the next 3 yrs. They have Odom, Gasol, Bynum and Artest.


Shoot IMO, they should just sign Chris Paul or Lebron James and I bet they become an even deadlier team. Plus, Lebron is a better teammate than Kome. And Chris Paul would turn Bynum into a 25 and 10 All Star!

[Ghazi]

Mavs > Lakers w/o Gasol

Mavs > Lakers WITH Gasol.

[ChrisRichards]

son I agree 100% ... Laker fans tend to forget that Kobe was absolutely nothing without Shaq holding his hand and carrying that team. They also tend to forget that Gasol is the main reason why they won the le last year, not Kobe.

Yup.

Kobe w/o Gasol= 1st round exit.

[z0sa]

BINGO

i think its pretty clear right now that Kobe is option 1A and Gasol is 1B. this is not Kobe's team anymore. if they win a le this year its under kobe and gasol, not Kobe and the Lakers.


headlines should be

Kobe and Gasol leads the Lakers into another le.

are you kidding? in 10 years, last year's le and any other ones, maybe even the shaq era les, will all be Kobe thanks to the media.

Headlines will be:

KOBE KOBE KOBE wins another as the MainMan


Gasol won't be worht mentioning for some reasn

[Ghazi]

BR is so butthurt about the irrelevance of the Hornets 121-63

[ChrisRichards]

are you kidding? in 10 years, last year's le and any other ones, maybe even the shaq era les, will all be Kobe thanks to the media.

Headlines will be:

KOBE KOBE KOBE

Yea, and that's sad. I cant believe Kobe is getting publicity over all those better players than him at this point (Melo, Cp3, Dwight) Sick and tired of Kobe's BS. I cant wait till he retires. All he does is copy Jordan's manerisms.

[Ghazi]

Yea, and that's sad. I cant believe Kobe is getting publicity over all those better players than him at this point (Melo, Cp3, Dwight) Sick and tired of Kobe's BS. I cant wait till he retires. All he does is copy Jordan's manerisms.

[Allanon]

i dont understand this. Gasol played with Mike Miller, Shane Battier and James Posey in that Grizz team. Homer goggles aside, Kobe wont take that same Grizzlies team to 50 wins.

That's my point in all this.

We've "made up" the Laker players to be a great. In reality it's Kobe plus career under-achievers that only got their rep of great players from the last 2 years.

Look at all the guys on the Lakers, how many of them would have had you shakin' in your boots prior to 2008?

Gasoft
Odumb
Trevor Ariza - "He's delusional" Larry Brown
Ron Artest - "Powder Keg", Malice at the Palace, "Crazy Pills"
Fisher - maybe a 3rd/4th tier point guard?
"Overrated" Bynum - used to sit on the trainer's table eating cereal before Kobe ed him out

Then you have the bench...would you ever had known these guys if they weren't Lakers?

Jordan Farmar
Sasha Vujacic
Shannon Brown
Luke Walton
Josh Powell
DJ mBenga