Mike D'Antoni Vows Changes For Pau Gasol

[Michael Lucky]

I don't blame him here but his role needs to be defined as a post player by D'Antoni. The guy has no business taking transition 3s.

[Minge]

Comment removed.

[Kobe System]

When utilized properly Paul is still dangerous.

Laker's coaches need to step there game up. He played a good game today.

This.

[semi-sentient]

He played a good game... on OFFENSE.

His defense is the primary reason that he should be moved to the bench. No matter which position he plays his PNR defense still stinks and he's just not fast enough to keep up with anyone or rotate over to help out. He's not that great of a rebounder anymore either. He pulled in 4 against a small Heat ball club. Meanwhile Clark, who played less minutes, grabbed 7.

Like I've said about 100 times, bring him in behind Dwight and when he actually is in the lineup with Howard he should be defending the 5 while Howard defend the 4. He should see a reduction in minutes so that he's playing about 25 per game, with 14 or so being at the 5.

[dj20001]

He played a good game... on OFFENSE.

His defense is the primary reason that he should be moved to the bench. No matter which position he plays his PNR defense still stinks and he's just not fast enough to keep up with anyone or rotate over to help out. He's not that great of a rebounder anymore either. He pulled in 4 against a small Heat ball club. Meanwhile Clark, who played less minutes, grabbed 7.

Like I've said about 100 times, bring him in behind Dwight and when he actually is in the lineup with Howard he should be defending the 5 while Howard defend the 4. He should see a reduction in minutes so that he's playing about 25 per game, with 14 or so being at the 5.

^^^ This ^^^

[PandGneverfold]

He played a good game... on OFFENSE.

His defense is the primary reason that he should be moved to the bench. No matter which position he plays his PNR defense still stinks and he's just not fast enough to keep up with anyone or rotate over to help out. He's not that great of a rebounder anymore either. He pulled in 4 against a small Heat ball club. Meanwhile Clark, who played less minutes, grabbed 7.

Like I've said about 100 times, bring him in behind Dwight and when he actually is in the lineup with Howard he should be defending the 5 while Howard defend the 4. He should see a reduction in minutes so that he's playing about 25 per game, with 14 or so being at the 5.

My thoughts exactly

[kobe808lak]

He has never been a good defender, however, up until a couple years ago he could at least provide some resistance and prevent guys from getting easy buckets.

Now it is a layup line when he is out there. I'd bring him off the bench and tell him to stop crying.

[leeprettyp]

Exactly why we need to move this guy NOW smh!!!! He is a backup Center on this team at best and he shouldn't have been in the game late in the 4th quarter. Our team defense (Mainly pick n roll ) is 1000000000x better when Clark is in the game instead of him. Man why is it so hard for people to see. Then he even allows Shane Battier to prevent him from getting post position. How many excuses are people gonna be giving this guy smh

[Gek]

I think I called this?

[Father Time]

http://www.latimes.com/sports/lakersnow/la-sp-ln-pau-gasol-not-comfortable-bench-20130117,0,1557723.story

....

"I would always like to finish games. I think the most determined players, important players finish games," said Gasol after the defeat. "When the games are on the line, you need to have the best players on the floor."...

Pau, you have hardly played like one of our best players this year. What you said is true, which is why Clark should be in and not you.

[supaflash]

He definitely hasn't been the most determined player either.

Man take a note from Metta, who quietly had a really nice game yet again last night. He has been better all year and was ok with a bench spot and new position.

Pau is a baby, done with this fool. He played decent last night, finally, but also they got layups the instant he came in the game. He doesn't really contest shots, he just puts his long arms up but he never really jumps or really tries to get the ball. Couldn't even post Battier or Lewis late...

[HiiiPOWER]

it's time to say it. Pau is selfish

[Danny Darko]

too bad he has no outside value after the injuries and mismanagement of his positional minutes. If we get him a ton of center minutes (the only way he'll sniff the post in the Pringles system) we piss off Howard. If we don't put him in the post nobody believes he's still a good player. We are doomed on the Pau front unless Atlanta hates Smith's guts all the sudden and is willing to move people or we accept the wrong positions in return form Minny.

argg

[LAFan24]

Man I always thought Pau was a team player, this guy needs to go asap

[dockingsched]

i think a big part of it is pau just not giving an f about MDA. after MDA 1st came on he immediately failed to give pau the type of respect he deserved, benching pau and then being a sarcastic ass when asked why he did it probably lost all of pau's respect. pau keeps giving these digs at MDA and his system. i think yesterday he said MDA's system can't have 2 successful bigs, sometimes not even one.

tl;dr: pau doesn't a flying f about MDA and isn't interested in sacrificing for him.

[DEEP3CL]

Semi nailed it.....I'm tired of talking about Pau. He played okay last night but nothing to overly rave about. His paint protection still stinks, he let LeBron set up shop when we rested Dwight in that 4th. When Dwight was patrolling the house LeBron didn't challenge.

[desertlakerfan]

D'antoni said it perfectly in the sideline interview last night towards the end of the game, Miami took over late when we had no rim protection in the game(AKA Gasol was playing center instead of Howard). Pau at 19 mil is a detriment to the team at this stage in his career when we have Howard playing 38+ mpg at center. The only coach who had any chance at getting the two to work together was PJ and he isn't coming through those doors to save the day.

The only logical answer is to move Pau for whatever you can get, and I'm sure Mitch understands and is just weighing his current offers. If he's still on the roster past the trade deadline we can kiss this season goodbye.

[BEazy]

Are you serious? He's willing to put his pride in front of team success? This guy is becoming a baby. You don't want to work on other aspects of your game and then you complain about not being in the paint. You complain about not being at the elbow of the offense then when you get chances you do absolutely nothing to provide spacing. You then complain about hitting 3 pointers isn't your strength and then when you finally become a back up C you still end up shooting very bad 3 pointers and you miss....Just get the hell out of this team then you whinny baby...

[Kilroy]

i think a big part of it is pau just not giving an f about MDA. after MDA 1st came on he immediately failed to give pau the type of respect he deserved, benching pau and then being a sarcastic ass when asked why he did it probably lost all of pau's respect. pau keeps giving these digs at MDA and his system. i think yesterday he said MDA's system can't have 2 successful bigs, sometimes not even one.

tl;dr: pau doesn't a flying f about MDA and isn't interested in sacrificing for him.

This... All of which is very stupid on both parts... Especially since they supposedly have talked about it since.

[KB24TBOTB]

He played a good game... on OFFENSE.

His defense is the primary reason that he should be moved to the bench. No matter which position he plays his PNR defense still stinks and he's just not fast enough to keep up with anyone or rotate over to help out. He's not that great of a rebounder anymore either. He pulled in 4 against a small Heat ball club. Meanwhile Clark, who played less minutes, grabbed 7.

Like I've said about 100 times, bring him in behind Dwight and when he actually is in the lineup with Howard he should be defending the 5 while Howard defend the 4. He should see a reduction in minutes so that he's playing about 25 per game, with 14 or so being at the 5.

^^^ This ^^^

TBH I see Pau as a cancer this year. I just want this guy shipped out for some depth now. He plays 0 defense and can't rebound worth **** no more like said above. The NBA has transitioned into a small ball league where you need speed to keep up with the players, which Pau simply cannot do. Metta accepted a bench role when he has played 10x better then Pau this year but Pau can't? Spare me that BS of the best being out on the floor when it's a close game because you aren't that great anymore. Offensively you can still be great but you will never be a good defender ever again. We all saw Lebron have a free reign to rim when Pau was playing center.