28 replies to this topic

[Majesty]

Amazing what a few wins can do for a guys confidence eh?

Pau Gasol once the subject of trade rumors, speaking in hushed tones and head down for the past month prior to taking time off was almost the definition of a player who knew his time was up and many Lakers fans expected his time to come sooner rather than later.

But what the difference a month makes, since the Pau Gasol we see nowadays is hard to place on the same level of defiance or agree.

Perhaps maybe it was his knees? Perhaps it maybe was confidence lacking. Perhaps it was lack of faith in the system. Perhaps it was a really good dinner and D'antoni knew Gasol was a steak man. Or it could be the arrival of Steve Nash also caused a change of opinion.

Perhaps ultimately Pau Gasol learned that there's a difference between when Chris Duhon is your point guard and when Steve Nash is your point guard.

For whatever reason Pau Gasol now speaks in full confidence of Mike D'antoni's system and it's advantages to him, as well as speaking with the confidence that he can get a shot from anywhere on the court and make it work and that it "doesn't matter if it's threes.". Yes, ladies and gentleman. Pau Gasol is more or less saying that he feels in D'antoni's system he can literally get any shot he wants, and literally hit any shot that's given to him. This confidence was nowhere to be found as little as a month ago, but your coach takes you out to dinner and your team goes on a 6-1 winning streak and your all-star point guard returns and things change. If you think this is just a hallucination you can watch the Lakers post game interview with the man yourself.



Lakers fans honestly do not know where this Pau Gasol has been or whether he will disappear again. but one thing is for sure, to bring out the best in Pau Gasol anymore, you either need to be the Olympics, or you need to be Steve Nash, and fortunately they have the latter. Welcome back Steve and Welcome back Spaniard.

P.S. Please don't disappear in the second round again.

Edited by Majesty, December 29, 2012 - 01:26 AM.

[bigfetz]

Well keep that swagger. If pau can play good then this team is unstoppable.

[Majesty]

Well keep that swagger. If pau can play good then this team is unstoppable.

That always seems to be the problem. We get that swagger for a few games but then we expect it in the playoffs and it dissipates.

One can only hope with a point guard like Steve Nash that he can help keep Gasol's level elevated and now that Gasol has embraced D'antoni's system to where he feels ANY shot that Nash gets him or that he gets himself he can hit is a good sign. I think Nash has a lot to do with that to be honest. So Nash remaining healthy is a big priority and it seems to help Pau a lot as little more than a few months ago it looked like he was on the verge of crying on post games. Now he's smiling, laughing and boasting that he can get any shot he wants. We need THAT Gasol for the rest of the season and the playoffs, one can only hope that Nash keeps him there.

[Saber]

Those threes are a pleasant surprise. With Dwight dominating the paint Pau may have to operate slightly further from the basket.That's good news for him. He won't have to post up that much (which he hasn't been doing very well the past 2 years). It's also good for his knees.

[manaro90]

hahhaah like a boss pau

[KB24BlackMamba]

And the opposing PF´s can get any shot and make it when ever they want against Pau, too. He has to be traded.

[Lakers4Life]

Eh I'm going to hold out for a little bit.


But this reminds me of 2009 and 2010 Lamar odom. When odom was on his game lakers were literally unstoppable and could not be beat his issue was consistency lets see what comes out of pau

[24allday]

Eh I'm going to hold out for a little bit.


But this reminds me of 2009 and 2010 Lamar odom. When odom was on his game lakers were literally unstoppable and could not be beat his issue was consistency lets see what comes out of pau

I definitely agree. If Pau can somehow play like he did last night (with plantar fasciitis?) consistently for the rest of the year we will be a deadly team.

[Windu]

he's full of [expletive]

[JGuez]

Who knows if this continues, but my friend and I predicted at the beginning of the season that with the addition of Nash and Howard that Pau would be averaging 5 assists a game.

[Thanatos]

Just re-watched some highlights from last night. I haven't seen Pau play with that much swagger since 2010. A couple times he pulled off that sweet left-handed hook that made him so deadly those first couple years in purple and gold. Then to cap it off, he had that one play where he made the ball fake and the pivot for an easy 2. I can't remember the last time Pau made those kinds of moves. He really is playing with a ton of confidence right now. His current role reminds me a bit of Boris Diaw's role in Phoenix. A big man working from the high post/elbows who acted as a second initiator of the offense.

For the right deal, I'm still leaning towards trading Pau though. The Lakers seriously need depth and I don't know whether Pau will continue to play this well or not.

[iDreamShake]

really feel like if Pau wasnt playing so well, hed be a goner. but the assists , the 3s(Antonis fav), and the 10 boards, hes a good piece, good fit.

[Nak]

He is shooting 41% from three-point land. If only he could keep shooting and making threes at 35%...

[Majesty]

He is shooting 41% from three-point land. If only he could keep shooting and making threes at 35%...

yes and considering that he started the season shooting 23% from three and that its up to 41% that's quite the difference. Nash has a LOT to do with his re-emergence. Like has been said before, Pau hasn't had that swag since we were going against the Magic in the finals.

Pau said after the game also that he will "continue" to play like this So we shall see, I hope he is right. History says to wait about a month or even into the off-season, but if Pau continues to play like this through the playoffs we will go far, if not, then it will be a disappointment again.

[dukecityspecialist]

If pau can play with consistent throughout the year then it's a wrap , there's a reason why kobe keeps cosigning the big man

[Majesty]

If pau can play with consistent throughout the year then it's a wrap , there's a reason why kobe keeps cosigning the big man

That's the thing. If he does, it's a wrap for other teams cause we're going far.

If he doesn't, it's a wrap for us. That's pretty much how important of a piece he is. Which is why when he plays terrible people want to trade him because they know if he plays bad we're going nowhere yet if he plays well we're going far. I went out on a limb and said if he kept playing at the level he was playing earlier in the season we aren't getting a championship much less contending. But I'll also say if he plays the way he did last night on a consistent basis the opinion and outcome goes a 180. But that's how it's always been. I want to see consistency and hope Nash keeps helping him be at that level.

Edited by Majesty, December 29, 2012 - 02:34 PM.

[dukecityspecialist]

no doubt. He is key, if we can't win a ring with Kobe, pau, nash and howard on our roster then it just isn't our time imo

That's the thing. If he does, it's a wrap for other teams cause we're going far.

If he doesn't, it's a wrap for us. That's pretty much how important of a piece he is. Which is why when he plays terrible people want to trade him because they know if he plays bad we're going nowhere yet if he plays well we're going far. I went out on a limb and said if he kept playing at the level he was playing earlier in the season we aren't getting a championship much less contending. But I'll also say if he plays the way he did last night on a consistent basis the opinion and outcome goes a 180. But that's how it's always been. I want to see consistency and hope Nash keeps helping him be at that level.

[jax24]

He is basically becoming the Lamar Odom x factor as others have mentioned. When he's on we are tough to beat but when he's off we are toast. I can bare him if we don't trade him but I'm still down for a good trade if one comes along. At least his improved play will up his trade value if we do move him.

[Lakers4Life]

Regardless Pau is on 100% watch by Lakers management.


here is a scenario for you guys...

Would you trade Pau after 15 games of consistent and excellent play? I still would. SELL THAT STOCK HIGH!

[West Coast]

Regardless Pau is on 100% watch by Lakers management.


here is a scenario for you guys...

Would you trade Pau after 15 games of consistent and excellent play? I still would. SELL THAT STOCK HIGH!

If Pau continues his aggressive play, the return has to be something the Lakers can't refuse.