Gasol: "need to find some balance with our interior game"

[crazyeights]

I think you guys are reading too much into this but that's obviously the worst case scenario.

I don't know if it's worst case scenario. If by worst case you mean that we don't win the championship, then yeah I agree.

[semi-sentient]

If things keep going sour this season...I look for Pau or Bynum to be moved. We can't have Pau/Bynum/Lamar all eating into each other's performances (along with Fisher and Artest shooting so poorly...they're our spot up shooters for Christ sake).

I'm almost positive that this will happen either in the off-season or before the trade deadline next season -- if we don't make the Finals at a minimum.

We're stifling our own growth. Not enough good role players. Not enough responsibility to go around.

Agree 100%.

We need guys that understand their roles, and just as importantly, we need to know what roles guys on the team have.

There are times when we try to set up on offense where both Gasol and Bynum are battling for position and calling for the ball, and you know Kobe is lurking somewhere not far away calling for it himself. We need ONE goto guy in the post, not TWO.

We need a PF that can be mobile (cut to the basket), move the ball, and able to hit from the outside from time to time (i.e. not Gasol). We need a starting C that understands when to shoot and when to pass it back out or hit cutters (i.e. not Bynum).

I'm fairly satisfied with what we've gotten from Artest. He seems to be one of the few players that has actually accepted his role and played within himself. Has there been a single game where we thought he tried to do too much?

I think once we reintroduce Odom back into the starting lineup Kobe's shot volume will decrease as a result of better ball/player movement. The fact that he'll be taking less bailout shots alone will bring his FGA back down to 20 or so, which is probably where it should be.

We'll see Fisher bringing the ball upcourt LESS as Odom will take on some of that responsibility, and that means less shots for him. How many times a game does he bring the ball down and pop off a shot without anyone else touching the ball? 3? 4?

[TonyMontana]

You would think that. All I want is a chance at the top spot, so we won't have to play you and the Nuggets.

You do realize that you have to play one of these two teams if you advance to the second round or the W/C finals, dont you?

[DEEP3CL]

Kobe is shooting too much, but as a Mavs fan, I love it. Let the infighting begin. LOL.

We're just sharpening the knives man...........to slice the hearts right outta you guys chest if you get to the WCF, in reality I think your going to come up short.

You would think that. All I want is a chance at the top spot, so we won't have to play you and the Nuggets.

So in essence you want a free ticket to the Finals huh ? Screw that man, that's the wussy way. I want to play the best of the best, and if your boys finish 2 you're getting the tougher of the matchups. It's the very reason I said you may not make it to the WCF. If the Mavs finish with the 2 seed you get the Spurs in the 1st round and the winner out of Denver/Oklahoma in the 2nd round.

I don't say things just to be spweing crap outta my mouth. Bottom line is they may not make it.

[H00PDREAMS]

Man you guys on on straight PANIC mode for realz! Yo, you don't trade a player that has accomplished something in his life like PAU. Unless you are forced to i.e. Shnaq. All he has done is spoken up. So what?! Kobe should pass the ball with his gimpy butt. Do us a favor Kobe let someone help you! Yeah someone else brought this up Gasol is getting beat up downlow serriously not getting calls. Pau is Finesse - you can't be soemthing youre not this late in your career. You are what you are when you are where Pau is in the NBA. Bynum is a Banger - He is still developing he could add more to his game at some point, hopefully less fouling.

PAU GASOL
NBA Champion (2009).
NBA Rookie of the Year (2002).
All-NBA Third Team selection (2009).
3-time NBA All-Star (2006, 2009, 2010).
Spanish national team
Gold medal in the 2009 FIBA European Championship
Silver medal in Basketball at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Silver medal in the 2007 FIBA European Championship
Gold medal in 2006 FIBA World Championship
Most Valuable player in the 2006 FIBA World Championship
7th place in Olympic games -Diploma- (Athens 2004)
Silver medal in the 2003 FIBA European Championship
5th place in the 2002 FIBA World Championship
Bronze medal in 2001 FIBA European Championship
Gold medal at the FIBA Under-19 World Championship with Spain (1999)
Gold medal at the FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship with Spain (1998)

Move PAU?! You're all silly!:lol:

[crazyeights]

It's not a matter of questioning Pau's skill. It's a matter of growth, team and chemistry.

Last game there was a shot late in the 4th quarter of our finals rematch of Andrew Bynum yawning....

Do you know why? It's because AB's been in the league for 5 seasons now and except his 3rd season nothing has been expected of him. Coincidentally look at his stats that year. This was when, IIRC, Kwame Brown got injured and Bynum was unexpectedly forced to start.

13.1 ppg, 10.2 rpg*, 2.1 bpg*, 1.7 apg*, 63.6% fg* (*'s all career highs). All in 28.8 minutes.

That was pre-injury, when Bynum was beastly. That was when he looked like one of the most efficient players in the league.

Well now this kid who should be anointed as the future of our franchise is sitting on the bench in 4th quarters and bored. He's just wasting away. Bynum's already not the competitor Kobe is, it's going to be tough to develop that sitting during crunch time.

So then I ask, if Bynum's not our future, because how can we rely on someone we already don't rely on, then what exactly are our future plans? You guys think PJ gives a **** about our future once he hangs it up? See: Chicago Bulls.

If we don't play our cards right, we're going to get run into the ground.

You can argue Phil is concerned with winning a championship this season. Good. He should be. He has twelve million reasons he should be. But this team isn't performing. Phil's not putting together the pieces right. There needs to be a change. Some tweaking.

I'd rather it be during the season than after. Because if we're tweaking after the season, they might be more like finding a new coach, a new star, and trading away one or both of our bigs. At least then there could be a way to unload Luke's contract.

[TonyMontana]

Ya I think all of our current problems with our lineup falls on Phils poor decision making to be able to put together a decent lineup. At times when I see our leads disapear I wonder whytf this guy doesnt call a timeout to stop the bleeding and regroup or when Fish cant get laid in a whore house why does P.J continue to keep driving him around whore houses even when the whore houses are closed.

[Kilroy]

I don't know what the problem really is but the result is that we have a bunch of individual performers who are under-achieving...
Everyone from Kobe to Sasha... Pretty much everyone not named Artest is not playing to their skill level/ability and role on the team... Odoms doing well too, and Shannon Brown is OK, although I've been under-impressed since all-stars...

Is that a coaching thing? Maybe... I don't know.
Is that a FO thing? Maybe... They haven't finalized extensions for Phil and Kobe yet but that might be a CAP-watch scenario...
Is that a Kobe issue? Is he pissed cause he and Phil haven't got their extension yet? I don't know...
Is Phil pissed for the same reason? I don't know...

What I DO know is that this team isn't very fun to watch right now. I don't get to watch too many games on TV and even then, I find myself seeking out other things to occupy my time when the Lakers are on.

The Lakers have always been a team that played Offensively at a very high level... We aren't this season. I'm impressed with the D, but our offense has been slow and ineffective.

Frankly, it looks to me like the guys aren't playing together very well. They don't seem to be complimenting each others games like they used to. A lot of times it looks like a bunch of square-pegs in round holes out there...

So I honestly think, if this team can get back on the same page and stop forcing themselves into awkward situations, I think we can be pretty unstoppable. If Pau starts playing his role as a Dirk-like PF/C hybrid and stops trying to be Shaq, if Bynum accepts his role and starts plying like a Shaq/Kareem hybrid instead of like Pau, if Kobe stops trying to be Hakeem and starts being Reggie Miller again, if Fish stops trying to be a starter and accepts his Vet-Roleplayer role, ETC, ETC, I think we win it all...

If they don't, it's a complete failure as a team and not just Phil or Kobe or Pau or Bynum or Mitch's fault... They should ALL stop pointing fingers and be ashamed.

[LLcoleJ]

[DEEP3CL]

Phil, that gives me nightmares......I get the message though, we should just be thankful we have a guy who can at least play. Pau will get his stuff together sooner or later.

[laka4life]

That graphic seriously makes me so thankful for Gasol's pussy lips. Like DEEP said, nightmares nightmares nightmares.....

[crazyeights]

This only confirms my suspicions that Phil is actually PJ...we were getting too close, weren't we?

[laka4life]

How funny would that actually be? The day Phil retires, he states:

"One last note. Just so everyone knows....I've been **** with ya'll all along. I'm Phil X. Peace."

[supaflash]

Phil, that gives me nightmares......I get the message though, we should just be thankful we have a guy who can at least play. Pau will get his stuff together sooner or later.

I agree.... as much as I rag on him I'm pretty sure he'll come around also. I don't think anyone is panicked about getting rid of him or anything, just frustrated with his noodly play.

Personally, I'm annoyed with it, but at the same time I know he's probably worn down a little and saving what toughness he can actually muster for when it counts most. He's just not a big strong heavy guy so it takes a ton of effort to be strong and physical and at this point, its not truly necessary until the end of April...

[Sedale Threatt]

It's just too bad Pau has been so inconsistent this season, because there's really nothing wrong with what he's saying. It's not like he's complaining about shots. He's talking about flow, balance, ball movement -- all the subtle factors that every good offensive unit needs.

It's even more unfortunate that, no matter how much we share the ball, it doesn't change the fact that we've got one too many post players and not enough good shooters. It's just a natural personnel flaw that greatly hampers our ability to execute.

[laka4life]

It's just too bad Pau has been so inconsistent this season, because there's really nothing wrong with what he's saying. It's not like he's complaining about shots. He's talking about flow, balance, ball movement -- all the subtle factors that every good offensive unit needs.

It's even more unfortunate that, no matter how much we share the ball, it doesn't change the fact that we've got one too many post players and not enough good shooters. It's just a natural personnel flaw that greatly hampers our ability to execute.

+1000

I love what you said in the first paragraph. I'll be honest, I'm a huge Kobe fan in comparison to Pau. I'm quick to criticize Pau, and am notorious for making names for his vagina. My beef comes not from what he says, but that he has like you said, been terribly inconsistent in backing up his words. Leadership never points out others in the media either. The LASSSTTTTT thing he should be doing is calling out Kobe's shot selection when he is struggling with matters of energy, heart, passion, and hustle like he has been. Once he gets those squared away, Kobe's shot selection is fair game with me. But dry your vagina lips, clean the floor of all the juices, play some basketball, and well see what happens Pau.

And you are 10000% correct that we have too much in the post (Kobe counts on both ends). I'm counting reliable options here people.

Post:

Drew
Pau
LO
Artest
Kobe

Shooters:
Kobe
Fish
Artest

We need more shooters to balance out that lethal post attack, and that's where Shannon, Sasha, Jordan etc. were hopefully going to step up. Sadly, it's been the definition of inconsistent.

[ALL HAIL]

Gasol is 100% right ... sounds like people just don't like the messenger or the means.

This team SHOULD be built as an inside team ... that's where the advantage is.

Gasol and Bynum NEED the ball.

It pains me to think that we need a PG on this team because Kobe SHOULD be our PG ... he just isn't selfless. Kobe's too Jordan for me. Jordan and Kobe came in the league gunnin' and damnit that's how their going out. It's challenging for them to defer their games to others.

Kobe really needs to pace himself by deferring to Bynum and Gasol (Odom and Artest too).

The biggest disappointment is that Kobe has been a set-up man before.

Kobe has to understand that there is an ADVANTAGE in the post.

Give Gasol and Bynum the same amount of shots between them as Shaq got when Kobe was FEEDING HIM ...




and move Gasol to the bench ala Kevin McHale and feed the hell out of him and Bynum.

[Dr Aki]

hey, throughout the 3rd/4th quarters, lakers were actively getting nonstop easy shots inside

there were tons of dives and flashes across the lane from our bigs, kobe, and crisp passers that keyed our runs in the 3rd and 4th

[kobeaki]

bump...for some perspective...what a difference a month makes

[TommyTheCat]

good play, kobeaki