Pau Gasol makes some interesting Comments and talks about ..

JordansBulls · Post #1 » by **JordansBulls** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 2:58 pm

EL SEGUNDO — Winning Game 5 at Staples Center and forcing the NBA Finals to finish in Boston might yet wind up being a step forward for the Lakers.

Consider what Pau Gasol said Thursday: "I'm definitely going to keep these feelings, because it wasn't pleasant to see all the Boston fans go crazy on us after the game and hitting the bus and all that crap. It's just something I'm going to keep in mind all year long until we get there again."

"I don't think a soft team could get to the Finals, period," Gasol said. "I think that's a good way to put it. And if somebody thinks otherwise, I think you should check yourself, because it's a fact."

Gasol said he doesn't pay much attention to outside commentary.

"You play a good game and you're the king of the world," he said. "You don't play a good game, then all of a sudden you're soft and you didn't play well and it's your fault."

Post #2 » by **tsherkin** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 3:07 pm

He raises a good point... but it's not wrong to say that he played weak defense and wasn't aggressive enough over most of the series... and that he choked at the line over 6 games, shooting under 65% FT (especially for a guy who shot nearly 81% from the line during the regular season).

Big Lob · Post #3 » by **Big Lob** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 3:25 pm

Yep. I don't agree. Look at the flack Dirk has gotten to this day to what happened to the Mavs against the Heat, then losing to the Warirors.

When you lose on this big of stage, someone has to be to blame. In the Lakers case, I think it was a complete team effort that led them to that embarrassing blow out.

Malinhion · Post #4 » by **Malinhion** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 3:29 pm

Gasol is soft until he averages 10 boards a game, starts playing defense, or revokes his Spanish birth certificate (jk).

That Nicka · Post #5 » by **That Nicka** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 5:42 pm

I never understood this...

Pau Gasol isnt soft against the Nuggets... He's not soft against the Jazz...

But he's soft when he's playing against two top 5 all time PFs... Maybe even 2 of the top 3 all time PFs...

Pau Gasol played bad defense??

Kevin Garnett averaged 18 ppg on 43% in the Finals
Time Duncan averaged 22 ppg on 42.6% in the WCF

That is Horrible defense against all time greats... Pau Gasol will never be a great rebounder... but he averaged 9.6 in the WCF and 10.2 in the Finals.... again against All Time greats... but he is soft

dvdrdiscs · Post #6 » by **dvdrdiscs** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 5:50 pm

That Nicka wrote:I never understood this...

Pau Gasol isnt soft against the Nuggets... He's not soft against the Jazz...

But he's soft when he's playing against two top 5 all time PFs... Maybe even 2 of the top 3 all time PFs...

Pau Gasol played bad defense??

Kevin Garnett averaged 18 ppg on 43% in the Finals
Time Duncan averaged 22 ppg on 42.6% in the WCF

That is Horrible defense against all time greats... Pau Gasol will never be a great rebounder... but he averaged 9.6 in the WCF and 10.2 in the Finals.... again against All Time greats... but he is soft

Numbers don't tell the whole story. I remember one particular play in the regular season that not only made me laugh but proved Gasol will never be a banger. I can't remember who or what team but I know it was a G/SF that bumped into Gasol and Gasol literally tipped over like a giant Redwood tree after being cut. It wasn't a quick fall, you can definately see him slowly tip over. I was yelling "TIMBER!!!!"

That Nicka · Post #7 » by **That Nicka** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 5:53 pm

My point is that NO ONE was calling him soft in the first two rounds of the playoffs.... It wasnt until he was playing agianst All time greats that people started yelling "ZOMG PAU IS TEH SOFT!!!!!!"

Gimme a break.. If thats the case then David Robinson is soft for being torched by Hakeem in 95

Basileus777 · Post #8 » by **Basileus777** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 6:11 pm

Gasol was soft as hell against the Jazz. He was murdered on the boards. Its not fair to label him as soft because of one series, but thats not the case. He's always had that reputation and he demonstrated it through much of the playoffs.

LakerFanMan · Post #9 » by **LakerFanMan** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 6:24 pm

Gasol being soft is overrated. He played bad D, but he didn't play bad man to man. He played bad team D. He didn't rotate when he was supposed to and he gave up on plays a lot. If you want to say he played lazy and lacked effort/desire, I'd agree with you. However, "soft" is more of an image people who dont watch him play hold for him. He had good rebounding numbers as well against some very good rebounders.

CITYOFANGELSX3 · Post #10 » by **CITYOFANGELSX3** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 6:59 pm

That Nicka wrote:My point is that NO ONE was calling him soft in the first two rounds of the playoffs.... It wasnt until he was playing agianst All time greats that people started yelling "ZOMG PAU IS TEH SOFT!!!!!!"

Gimme a break.. If thats the case then David Robinson is soft for being torched by Hakeem in 95

Id say David Robinson was soft.

TonyMontana · Post #11 » by **TonyMontana** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 8:02 pm

Pau will work just fine once Bynum return next season.

Post #12 » by **dockingsched** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 8:04 pm

pau is going to look a lot less soft when he's matched up against the opposition's smaller big man.

Ballings7 · Post #13 » by **Ballings7** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 8:15 pm

Gasol definitely did drop off after the first two rounds (as I thought he might). Most especially in the finals, though.

BobbySura · Post #14 » by **BobbySura** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 8:26 pm

you lose by more than 20 in an elimination game in the NBA finals, that's soft.

just look at the freaking rebounding numbers.

That Nicka · Post #15 » by **That Nicka** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 8:36 pm

Basileus777 wrote:Gasol was soft as hell against the Jazz. He was murdered on the boards. Its not fair to label him as soft because of one series, but thats not the case. He's always had that reputation and he demonstrated it through much of the playoffs.

So the definition of being soft is not being a good rebounder? cuz his defense on Boozer was pretty amazing... Boozer averaged 16 points on 40%... after averaging

Ballings7 wrote:Gasol definitely did drop off after the first two rounds (as I thought he might). Most especially in the finals, though.

That tends to happen when you go up against two of the best defensive players of all time and two all time greats.... He was actually worse against Duncan than he was in the Finals though

That Nicka · Post #16 » by **That Nicka** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 8:37 pm

BobbySura wrote:you lose by more than 20 in an elimination game in the NBA finals, that's soft.

just look at the freaking rebounding numbers.

Are you a Rockets fan? because I remember them losing a game 7 by 40 a couple years ago... Is Tracy McGrady soft?

Ballings7 · Post #17 » by **Ballings7** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 8:56 pm

That Nicka wrote:That tends to happen when you go up against two of the best defensive players of all time and two all time greats.... He was actually worse against Duncan than he was in the Finals though

Ah, okay, I guess it was just the finals being most recent in my mind, and having moved on for the most part from the Spurs series for a bit now. Just remembered Pau noticably was off in both series.

Pau also played against the role-playing big men, and at times struggled there. And again I remember moreso against the Celtics (Perkins, PJ Brown).

Whatever, regardless, he wasn't the same player as before, of note, in both series.

Post #18 » by **dockingsched** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 8:57 pm

gasol won't have to go up against bigger players like perkins anymore

GuyClinch · Post #19 » by **GuyClinch** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 9:14 pm

Gasol is pretty scrawny and thin. I think he plays about has tough as he can with his build. With some guys the genetics dont' work in their favour.

That Nicka · Post #20 » by **That Nicka** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 9:18 pm

The point I am trying to make is:

If you are saying that Gasol is soft because of his defense, then you are full of crap... Gasol more than held his own on D the entire playoffs... the man held 3 All Star PFs and a former All Star PF to under 45% shooting.... while shooting 53%....

If you are saying Gasol is soft solely based on his rebounding numbers then you may have a point, but if that's what makes a player soft in this league then there are many MANY soft players in the NBA.... I dont think rebounding is enough justification for calling someone soft, especially considering 9 boards a game (and 10 in the Finals) isnt that bad