Shaq vs Gasol

[iamworthy]

Very Interesting article.

Debate-provoking basketball evaluations always lead to the unleashing of numbers to initiate or advance an argument on behalf of a particular point of view.

The opening numbers for this playoff-relevant, two-on-two comparison are 5 and 3. The 5 represents the number of Los Angeles Lakers playoff games (all victories) featuring Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol on the same team. The 3 represents the number of championship rings the Lakers were able to seize while Kobe and Shaquille O'Neal were both on the payroll.

This demonstrates that while the Lakers' current 1-2 jackhammer looms as a formidable playoff partnership, it has miles to go before even sneaking up on the level of achievement recorded by the former 1-2 punch.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/8109664/Pau-isn't

[Tommy Trojan]

nice find,

One thing that Shaq and Kobe had was relationship conflict which will always be dysfunctional when it comes to work being done.

With Gasol he is willing to be the second person on the team, he will pass the ball for an easier shot, he will make his teammates better.

Does not have the ego as Shaq had, and I think when Shaq was here he and Kobe always competit as to who's team it is.

Gasol is more cooperative as to putting the teams goals ahead of his.

my 4 cents

[djericho]

n screen-roll offense, Gasol is a pick-and-pop option that O'Neal could only dream of being. His refusal to claim gravy as a food group enabled Pau to offer more agility at rolling to the basket after the screen, catching a pass and using balance and finesse to finish.

I loved the big guy when he was with us and motivated. I even put up w/ his terrible pick and roll/pop defense and terrible free throw shooting that brought hacq a shaq as another rule change the league implemented for this guy. (the other being a "zone" defense)

now that he's in PHX, and it's his last yr, he'll be motivated. But if D'Antoni leaves I think trying to get in a new coach w/ a new system will cancel out his motivation and Phoenix as a contender next year.

[LAKESHOW]

shaq in his prime. vs. pau in his prime. I would say that shaq wins hands down. totally unguardable. while paus abilities are guardable. pau could not overpower and post up shaq in the middle. and a shaq in his prime could get his hands up and would at least maneuver to get out there.(unlike now)

but shaq with ball inside, theres nothing to do but back down with him. flop. or get dunked on.

[Gerald3Wallace]

shaq easily when he was on the lakers..he had the offense. the post presence...he made everyone think twice about driving.

[milesfides]

Well it depends on how you see it. Shaq was a tremendous individual force in the middle, especially during an era when there wasn't great competition at his position.

Was it the best for the triangle? No, since Shaq would rare move beyond 10 feet from the basket.

We did a lot more "dumping it to Shaq" and "isolating for Kobe" than really running the triangle as Tex envisioned it.

Gasol is just a much better and willing passer than Shaq, and he has a variety of post moves and a jumper. All that allows for the high pick and roll, slip screens, the cutting and diving to the basket plays, which weren't a mainstay of the offense with Shaq.

Shaq was the better offensive player, individually, but Pau enhances and fulfills the potential of the team offense better.

Defensively, it's no contest, Shaq was a major defensive force, just by being a big body, good rebounder and shotblocker. He wasn't perfect, he didn't like coming out to defend the pick and roll, his transition defense wasn't very good because it took him forever to get down the court, but he was a massive presence.

Back to offense, I think having Kobe and Pau on the team enhances everybody else, which is what makes our team look like it has so much more depth than the Shaq-Kobe Lakers.

What's more effective? Well, we won three rings with Shaq and Kobe. None with Pau and Kobe. Yet.

I can tell you what looks prettier. Pau's game, by far. It's beautiful basketball, with guys like Pau, Kobe, Odom, Walton. Very unselfish and exciting.

[dingclancy]

Here is a great link about Triangle and in relation to Pau and the Lakers.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie?pg=3

I agree with KD here!

And the Lakers could sweep. The team could win three more games by a combined total of three more points, and it shouldn't be a surprise. Los Angeles is so good, and while Utah may have had the league's most efficient offense during the regular season, I don't think I've ever witnessed a more satisfying half-court offensive team than these Lakers. Even Michael Jordan's Bulls had more clear-outs and isolation situations, whereas these Lakers are just a Triangle freak's dream. And I'm a Triangle freak. And I've had some weird, weird dreams.

The interior passing is so brilliant, so effortless, and the judicious application of transition play manages to tempt at satisfy all at once. Sure, they'll throw Derek Fisher the occasional bone, letting him take that contested 18-footer. And watching Kobe Bryant dutifully try to get contact and head to the line in certain situations isn't the most aesthetically-pleasing bit to watch, but the spacing - the spacing!

You don't see that, sadly, in Cleveland. You don't see that in Boston. You don't see that in San Antonio, and even at Detroit's best, you don't see that with the Pistons. But the Lakers space the floor so well that Kobe looks as if he has a 50-foot wide court to work in sometimes.

[B-Scott]

Lakers won 3 titles with Shaq and 0 with Gasol so far. Lets not get ahead of ourselves until we actually win a title.

We might end up getting to the Finals and Gasol might struggle against the Celtics defense if we played them.

Prime Shaq would have destroyed that Celtics frontline, along wih the current frontlines in the Western Conefrence playoffs.