Los Angeles Lakers Roll With Pau Gasol

It has been about two weeks since the Los Angeles Lakers acquired Pau Gasol in a mind-boggling trade that sent Javaris Crittenton, Kwame Brown, Marc Gasol, and future first round picks to the Memphis Grizzles.

In that span, the Lakers have gone 5-1, proving that with Gasol in the lineup, they are one of the top teams in the Western Conference. Sure, the teams the Lakers have faced during these six games have records under .500 (the Heat, Bobcats, and the Nets), but all of these games have come on the road where the Lakers have struggled in the past.

Gasol has rejuvenated this Los Angeles Lakers team, one that was hit with injuries to Trevor Ariza, Chris Mihm, and most importantly, Andrew Bynum. He's providing the offense—nearly 21 points per game—rebounding, and showing his excellent passing skills for a big man.

Some said that even though the Lakers received an All-Star player in Gasol, he does not play defense like Kwame Brown, therefore they did not become a better team after the trade. Critics also said it would be difficult for Gasol to learn the triangle offense and that his presence in the paint would take away scoring opportunities for Kobe.

Well, Gasol's defense has not gotten any better, but the Lakers have proved that they do not need Gasol to be a lock down defender for him to be effective. He has also flourished in the triangle offense, finding cutters in the lane while mastering his offensive game, shooting nearly 62 percent from the field.

The Gasol trade has been nothing less then spectacular for the Lakers organization.  Lakers fans no longer have to deal with the disappointing play of Kwame Brown or worry if center DJ Mbenga would foul out in five minutes. They now have an extremely reliable low post player who can not only lead them back to winning games, but to winning championships.

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