The Pau Problem update: Pau fires shots at MD 10/13

[BEazy]

All I know is Pau needs stop having 1 out of 10 good games. Front office needs to stop being stupid with this situation acting like 1 game is a start of a whole new Pau...Smh...

[Michael Lucky]

I think it's more the fact that he plays a whole lot better with kobe in the lineup since kobe barks to him to get in the damn post. lol

[BEazy]

A player of his caliber should already know when to get in the post and when to not get in the post. I mean if Gasol is "elite" he should know the situations and when to start grinding it out down low.

I can't believe how clueless this guy is without Kobe. That's pretty pathetic if you ask me.

[richboy]

I think it's more the fact that he plays a whole lot better with kobe in the lineup since kobe barks to him to get in the damn post. lol

Or they ignore the fact that Mike D doesn't like post up basketball. Pau without Kobe just goes with the flow even if it doesn't fit his game. While with Kobe he has someone that Mike D has to listen too.

Kobe led the 2001 lakers in the playoffs in Winshares lol. And Lol at comparing the efficiency of a Guard to a center in general... But ESPECIALLY when the center isn't seeing half of the defensive attention the guard is and the guard does a major part in creating shots for said center whether he's credited on an assist or not.

Please. The most common thing on Realgm when one player produces better than another is well he doesn't see the defensive attention excuse. Kobe Bryant is not Lebron James. He is not Derrick Rose or Russell Westbrook breaking down the defense over and over. Kobe's career is taking shots that the defense usually wants you to take. If Kobe was the guy that made players better then we would talk about how great Kwame Brown was when he played with Kobe.

Efficiency has nothing to do with guard vs center. I'm not talking field goal percentage. I'm talking straight offensive rating and TS%. Pau's first 4 years with the Lakers he had an offensive rating of 125. Each time over 120. Tim Duncan's career best is 116. Dwight Howard's career best is 113. Kevin Garnett never had anything close 125. Most of the top offensive rating players in league history are guards because they can utilize the 3 point shot. Very few pure post players are very efficient. Matter of fact when Mike D got the job he said post up basketball isn't very efficient. In reality for most players he is correct. Post up players usually don't shoot a high enough percentage in the post to justify high volume touches. Add in many struggle at the free throw line, are not great passers and are often turnover prone. Most high efficiency players are just catch and score guys on PNR or the 3 point shot. Which is pretty much the basis of Mike D offensive system. In terms of pure post players only a few have ever managed 1 year of volume post play and a 120 or better offensive rating who didn't shoot the 3 much at all. Only Kevin Mchale, and Pau Gasol have done it at least 3 times.

I think the fact I have to defend Pau Gasol during those years showcases one of the biggest problems right now. If your going to debate how good Gasol was during those runs that is fine. However the constant reality that is proven over and over again is that when Gasol plays well the Lakers are relevant. That doesn't mean that Gasol is better or more important than Kobe. Only the idea that Kobe carried this team to titles so deserves this level of respect over Gasol is insane. If Gasol had not been traded for this team would have been 45 wins and all Kobe would have been doing is putting up FGA titles. Because his style of play is not easy to play with. Phil Jackson said that the team was making a mistake by going away from Gasol. Gasol at 30 years old playing at a very high level still suddenly watched as Andrew Bynum became the feature big man. Coming right from the front office. Ever since it is like some are in a constant daze wondering why this team isn't as good. If you want to be good with Pau Gasol on this team you need to get the ball in the spots he does best. If you don't want to do that then trade him. This mindset that people have like Gasol just decided to start sucking is ridiculous. No he started sucking when coaches decided lets feature Gasol's jump shot.

[aroba]

I think it's more the fact that he plays a whole lot better with kobe in the lineup since kobe barks to him to get in the damn post. lol

Or they ignore the fact that Mike D doesn't like post up basketball. Pau without Kobe just goes with the flow even if it doesn't fit his game. While with Kobe he has someone that Mike D has to listen too.

Kobe led the 2001 lakers in the playoffs in Winshares lol. And Lol at comparing the efficiency of a Guard to a center in general... But ESPECIALLY when the center isn't seeing half of the defensive attention the guard is and the guard does a major part in creating shots for said center whether he's credited on an assist or not.

Please. The most common thing on Realgm when one player produces better than another is well he doesn't see the defensive attention excuse. Kobe Bryant is not Lebron James. He is not Derrick Rose or Russell Westbrook breaking down the defense over and over. Kobe's career is taking shots that the defense usually wants you to take. If Kobe was the guy that made players better then we would talk about how great Kwame Brown was when he played with Kobe.

Efficiency has nothing to do with guard vs center. I'm not talking field goal percentage. I'm talking straight offensive rating and TS%. Pau's first 4 years with the Lakers he had an offensive rating of 125. Each time over 120. Tim Duncan's career best is 116. Dwight Howard's career best is 113. Kevin Garnett never had anything close 125. Most of the top offensive rating players in league history are guards because they can utilize the 3 point shot. Very few pure post players are very efficient. Matter of fact when Mike D got the job he said post up basketball isn't very efficient. In reality for most players he is correct. Post up players usually don't shoot a high enough percentage in the post to justify high volume touches. Add in many struggle at the free throw line, are not great passers and are often turnover prone. Most high efficiency players are just catch and score guys on PNR or the 3 point shot. Which is pretty much the basis of Mike D offensive system. In terms of pure post players only a few have ever managed 1 year of volume post play and a 120 or better offensive rating who didn't shoot the 3 much at all. Only Kevin Mchale, and Pau Gasol have done it at least 3 times.

I think the fact I have to defend Pau Gasol during those years showcases one of the biggest problems right now. If your going to debate how good Gasol was during those runs that is fine. However the constant reality that is proven over and over again is that when Gasol plays well the Lakers are relevant. That doesn't mean that Gasol is better or more important than Kobe. Only the idea that Kobe carried this team to titles so deserves this level of respect over Gasol is insane. If Gasol had not been traded for this team would have been 45 wins and all Kobe would have been doing is putting up FGA titles. Because his style of play is not easy to play with. Phil Jackson said that the team was making a mistake by going away from Gasol. Gasol at 30 years old playing at a very high level still suddenly watched as Andrew Bynum became the feature big man. Coming right from the front office. Ever since it is like some are in a constant daze wondering why this team isn't as good. If you want to be good with Pau Gasol on this team you need to get the ball in the spots he does best. If you don't want to do that then trade him. This mindset that people have like Gasol just decided to start sucking is ridiculous. No he started sucking when coaches decided lets feature Gasol's jump shot.

AMEN

[tviper]

good narrative, but the fact is that nobody is telling Pau to stay out of the post. he knows where he is most effective, and yet he hangs around the free throw line and shoots jumpers. if he was more assertive, he could dominate the offensive touches and play inside out with all of the three point shooters. but he doesn't. he also doesn't give effort on defense. he had an opportunity with Kobe out to showcase his offensive talents and carry the team, but instead he throws lazy passes and refuses to bang inside with players much smaller. so to an extent, yes, Gasol just did decide to start sucking. he has the talent to be dominant but chooses not to be even in a perfect situation with Dwight gone and Kobe out.

[richboy]

Pau didn't just decide to triple his long shot attempts after being one of the best players in the league in the low block. The organization decided they wanted to feature Bynum more. Then they get Howard and Mike D. Which means Howard is getting the majority of post touches when they do go down low. Pau Gasol job is once again spread the floor. Add in the fact the coach doesn't like post up basketball and you can see the frustration of Pau. Lets remember Pau was in a triple post offense when he was playing his best basketball. That means consistent touches in the paint. His job now is go down low once in awhile. He mostly going to be on the perimeter setting screens.

[tviper]

It was great seeing (mostly) good Pau back again last night. It really appears that Mitch saying he was off the trade block did wonders for his attitude and effort. The TOs were painful, but he was much more aggressive offensively and defensively. Only one game, but if he keeps this up, he could fetch something good from a contender near the deadline.

[myersia]

Just a little flashback. Found the espn breaking news Gasol trade article:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3226203

[mojay641]

Pau led the team in Winshare those championship years.

stop it. kobe from 08-10 was a top 2-3 player in the world. pau wasn't even top 10. dude was considered nothing more than a borderline all-star type before 08 and now you're saying he was better than a all-time great in his prime? LOL. get real dude.

LOL

whats so funny?

pau before bryant was nothing more than a borderline all-star. over 7 seasons he only made 1 all-star team. zero All-NBA teams. 0 MVP votes. swept in every playoff series he played in(0-12) wasn't even regarded as top 5 at his position. he goes to LA and now hes as good as a top 3 player in the world?

LOL

some of you are ridiculous.

[guille_4]

stop it. kobe from 08-10 was a top 2-3 player in the world. pau wasn't even top 10. dude was considered nothing more than a borderline all-star type before 08 and now you're saying he was better than a all-time great in his prime? LOL. get real dude.

LOL

whats so funny?

pau before bryant was nothing more than a borderline all-star. over 7 seasons he only made 1 all-star team. zero All-NBA teams. 0 MVP votes. swept in every playoff series he played in(0-12) wasn't even regarded as top 5 at his position. he goes to LA and now hes as good as a top 3 player in the world?

LOL

some of you are ridiculous.

Are you serious? Those Memphis teams were atrocious. He had no supporting cast whatsoever.

IMO he did an outstanding job leading the Grizzlies into to POs 3 years.