Understanding Pau Gasol

[Anklebreaker702]

Firts off congrats to Pau for making the All-Star team & props to him for being our most consistant player thus far this season IMO. Lately there has been plenty of discussion about Pau & his play. Let's set the record straight now. Pau is an outstanding talent & definately takes our team to another level but when the rough play starts, he tends to disappear more often than not.

There were many posters who couldn't understand the difference between him playing soft & having a bad game. Yes he is having to re-shape his game a little since Drew looks to be emerging as a 1st option in the low post. I wont ride him about that because I felt that was the same adjustment Drew had to make when he 1st started playing with Pau after he had been the #1 before his injury.

In order to be a championship caliber player, you must rise to all occasions when you are needed. Pau has done that in appx 95% of the games this year but less than 50% in the games where teams have gotten extra physical with him. He manned up in the 2nd half against Boston but only after getting a tounge lashing in the locker room from Kobe. IMO he totally folded under the play of the rough stuff against the Bobcats.

IMO we can win every game on this upcoming road trip if everyone shows up. I could go into what every player needs to do but this is not 1 of those kind of threads, this is about Pau's play when the going gets tough. The memo has been put out on him by all teams, get tough with him he will fade away. That's why he being called Gasoft & Gapanties & so on & so forth. In order to shed those tags he has to man up & accept those challenges on a nightly basis. On nights when we have the game in hand & he doesn't want to be bothered with it, it might be ok, but when the game is hanging in the balance he must respond. Not by getting techs & stuff that will disrupt the team but just getting tough physically. We are counting on you Pau. You took us to another level when you joined the team, now that they have a book out on you, if you re-write that book we step up to an even higher level, 2008-09 NBA CHAMPIONS!!!!!!

[DEEP3CL]

Pau has to realize if the refs aren't going to call anything when he looks back at them with that," he hit me" look he has to take matters into his own hands. You don't have to be strong to inflict pain. Anybody here who's ever played organized ball will know what I'm talking about.

[crazyeights]

Pau isn't the only one who complains after he gets hit. Chalk up Kobe, Bynum, Lamar, Fish. All of our players lobby for calls too much.

[Jase]

Pau isn't the only one who complains after he gets hit. Chalk up Kobe, Bynum, Lamar, Fish. All of our players lobby for calls too much.

That's the entire NBA. Yet, I have yet to see a team complain more about calls than Detroit. Sheed and Rip are absolutely awful. I've been waiting for Gasol to be more of an intimidating force. It seems like too often, he lets himself get pushed around by bigger, stronger players. And when that happens, he relies too much on a potential offensive foul or the refs, in general, to bail him out. I'm hoping he toughens up and becomes more of a bruiser than he is now.

That isn't to take anything away from him as a player, but I think it would benefit him.

[miggs]

I gotta agree with everyone here that Pau is soft when fades away when teams get tough on him but honestly last season he was much softer than he is now. He seems to have gotten tougher and changed up his game since Bynum's stepped up his game.

IMO we gotta let Pau re-form his game, that's what he's been doing, i've noticed the little differences he's made in his game in order to become a tougher player but deep3cl put it best

Pau has to realize if the refs aren't going to call anything when he looks back at them with that," he hit me" look he has to take matters into his own hands. You don't have to be strong to inflict pain. Anybody here who's ever played organized ball will know what I'm talking about.

Pau has to stop praying for fouls, all those prayers can be put into useful energy. When Pau does get tough he's a force to be reckoned with. Pau doesn't have a strong body but he can bang inside and bruise up some more as deep3cl put it, (which btw was a perfect statement, i got it).

Pau will get better i'm sure, he's ridiculously intelligent and i'm sure by the end of the season the Pau in the Playoffs will be much tougher, hungrier and even be a bigger factor. You can tell he wants it bad but at times the Old soft Pau will get the best of him. He may need more Kobe "boost talks" who knows, but Pau will get tougher, he's already shown that he has been toughening up. We just need that animal in him to come out and play full time instead of temporarily.

[Mamba Venom]

Kobe is Kobe
Pau is better
LO is worse so thats a wash
Bynum & Ariza are back Thats the difference from last year

I hope it is enough but some talented vets looking to chase a ring might help

[Anklebreaker702]

Pau isn't the only one who complains after he gets hit. Chalk up Kobe, Bynum, Lamar, Fish. All of our players lobby for calls too much.

That's the entire NBA. Yet, I have yet to see a team complain more about calls than Detroit. Sheed and Rip are absolutely awful. I've been waiting for Gasol to be more of an intimidating force. It seems like too often, he lets himself get pushed around by bigger, stronger players. And when that happens, he relies too much on a potential offensive foul or the refs, in general, to bail him out. I'm hoping he toughens up and becomes more of a bruiser than he is now.

That isn't to take anything away from him as a player, but I think it would benefit him.

Without a doubt. Good post!

[Anklebreaker702]

I gotta agree with everyone here that Pau is soft when fades away when teams get tough on him but honestly last season he was much softer than he is now. He seems to have gotten tougher and changed up his game since Bynum's stepped up his game.

IMO we gotta let Pau re-form his game, that's what he's been doing, i've noticed the little differences he's made in his game in order to become a tougher player but deep3cl put it best

Pau has to realize if the refs aren't going to call anything when he looks back at them with that," he hit me" look he has to take matters into his own hands. You don't have to be strong to inflict pain. Anybody here who's ever played organized ball will know what I'm talking about.

Pau has to stop praying for fouls, all those prayers can be put into useful energy. When Pau does get tough he's a force to be reckoned with. Pau doesn't have a strong body but he can bang inside and bruise up some more as deep3cl put it, (which btw was a perfect statement, i got it).

Pau will get better i'm sure, he's ridiculously intelligent and i'm sure by the end of the season the Pau in the Playoffs will be much tougher, hungrier and even be a bigger factor. You can tell he wants it bad but at times the Old soft Pau will get the best of him. He may need more Kobe "boost talks" who knows, but Pau will get tougher, he's already shown that he has been toughening up. We just need that animal in him to come out and play full time instead of temporarily.

The only thing in question though is does he have that in him. Here's the thing about toughness, usually you either have it or you don't. I can be learned along the way but it's much harder for guys who dont already have that built in. I'm not saying he cant I'm just saying we'll have to see. Trust me Boston will test him in that upcoming game. Will he respond or will he fade away? Stay tuned Boys & girls!

[The Laker Kid]

I hate it when he shouts every single time he gets hit...

[Dr Aki]

I hate it when he shouts every single time he gets hit...

no, thats his battle cry

[will]

Pau cracks me up. When he doesn't get a call, or when he gets a call against him, he looks so upset.
With that being said, he is an excellent player though.

[Jajwanda]

I actually don't think he's that soft. I just don't think he has the ability to jump that other players do and for that reason he looks soft trying to go for rebounds, etc.

[Erik Eleven]

Gasol's defense is under rated. Sure, he's not the most imposing physical presence the NBA paint has ever seen, but that doesn't automatically make him a Shawn Bradley either. He's already improved defensively since he became a Laker and he's still improving. For instance, he just started lifting weights for the first time of his career, this season. I think he's a more than decent defender at the four spot. Definitely better than average. He's just not bulky enough yet to be a defensive force at center.

But to me, it's only a matter of time until Pau becomes a really good defender. Once Pau gets the mindset he needs to have defensively, he'll be a force. He has all the physical tools and all the brains needed to be a top notch defender. He just needs to let that territorial mindset, that comes so unnatural to him, rub off from Ariza and Kobe. If he can embrace and match their intensity and killer instinct on the defensive end, he won't be looked upon as soft anymore. He already has all the tools he needs.

[Anklebreaker702]

Gasol's defense is under rated. Sure, he's not the most imposing physical presence the NBA paint has ever seen, but that doesn't automatically make him a Shawn Bradley either. He's already improved defensively since he became a Laker and he's still improving. For instance, he just started lifting weights for the first time of his career, this season. I think he's a more than decent defender at the four spot. Definitely better than average. He's just not bulky enough yet to be a defensive force at center.

But to me, it's only a matter of time until Pau becomes a really good defender. Once Pau gets the mindset he needs to have defensively, he'll be a force. He has all the physical tools and all the brains needed to be a top notch defender. He just needs to let that territorial mindset, that comes so unnatural to him, rub off from Ariza and Kobe. If he can embrace and match their intensity and killer instinct on the defensive end, he won't be looked upon as soft anymore. He already has all the tools he needs.

That's the whole key EE, his mindset. You dont always have 2 be big to be a force. That mental toughness alone sometimes will make guys think twice about challanging you. We will find out tomorrow if Pau has increased his toughness or not

[aroba]

We will find out tomorrow if Pau has increased his toughness or not

2 games as center wo Bynum: 31,0 pts - 14,5 rebs - 70% FG - 4,5 ast - 1,0 stls - 2,0 blocks - +16,0 +/-

...those are elite center numbers. Were are the Gasol haters now? Are they waiting to show up when Pau has a bad game?

[Anklebreaker702]

We will find out tomorrow if Pau has increased his toughness or not

2 games as center wo Bynum: 31,0 pts - 14,5 rebs - 70% FG - 4,5 ast - 1,0 stls - 2,0 blocks - +16,0 +/-

...those are elite center numbers. Were are the Gasol haters now? Are they waiting to show up when Pau has a bad game?

You totally misunderstand the concept of this thread. No one is a Pau hater here. Those numbers are great but whoever complained about his numbers? Also they did come at the hand of 2 losing teams. The whole point of this thread is about his TOUGHNESS Believe me, Boston is going to check his heart & he's going to have to answer the bell. I personally hope he does. He's actually 1 of my more favorite Lakers but you have to call a spade a spade.

[aroba]

We will find out tomorrow if Pau has increased his toughness or not

2 games as center wo Bynum: 31,0 pts - 14,5 rebs - 70% FG - 4,5 ast - 1,0 stls - 2,0 blocks - +16,0 +/-

...those are elite center numbers. Were are the Gasol haters now? Are they waiting to show up when Pau has a bad game?

You totally misunderstand the concept of this thread. No one is a Pau hater here. Those numbers are great but whoever complained about his numbers? Also they did come at the hand of 2 losing teams. The whole point of this thread is about his TOUGHNESS Believe me, Boston is going to check his heart & he's going to have to answer the bell. I personally hope he does. He's actually 1 of my more favorite Lakers but you have to call a spade a spade.

vs Boston : 24 pts - 14 rebs - 3 ast - 2 bs (and what a winner blocks!) - 10-14 FG
So...what did you just say?

[Spanishraptor23]

We will find out tomorrow if Pau has increased his toughness or not

2 games as center wo Bynum: 31,0 pts - 14,5 rebs - 70% FG - 4,5 ast - 1,0 stls - 2,0 blocks - +16,0 +/-

...those are elite center numbers. Were are the Gasol haters now? Are they waiting to show up when Pau has a bad game?

You totally misunderstand the concept of this thread. No one is a Pau hater here. Those numbers are great but whoever complained about his numbers? Also they did come at the hand of 2 losing teams. The whole point of this thread is about his TOUGHNESS Believe me, Boston is going to check his heart & he's going to have to answer the bell. I personally hope he does. He's actually 1 of my more favorite Lakers but you have to call a spade a spade.

[TommyTheCat]

the george to his weezie

[AceFresh]