Lakers vs. Thunder Game 5: What Pau Gasol Must Do to Appease Kobe Bryant

Los Angeles Lakers forward Pau Gasol must step up and turn in a massive double-double on Monday night at the Chesapeake Energy Arena in downtown Oklahoma City if he hopes to appease the Black Mamba. 

Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant made it clear after his team's Game 4 loss Saturday night that he believes Gasol must be more "assertive" if LA is to stave off elimination on the road in Game 5 of their Western Conference semifinal series against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night (9:30 p.m. ET, TNT).

Gasol scored on a tip shot with 4:13 remaining in the third quarter of Game 4 to put the Lakers up 12 points on their home floor in what was accurately dubbed a must-win game for LA. The bucket would be Gasol's last, however, as he disappeared in the fourth quarter.

The Thunder outscored the Lakers 32-20 in the final period and won 103-100, taking a commanding 3-1 series lead and putting LA on the brink of yet another embarrassing second-round defeat. 

Gasol's 10 points in 39 minutes of play were certainly to blame for LA's collapse, but Bryant isn't exactly a victim of Pau's ineffectiveness. Kobe missed 16 of his 28 field goal attempts, and even missed three of his 17 free throws, which proved to be the difference in the game. 

Still, Bryant's assertiveness produced 38 points, eight rebounds and five assists for the Lake Show, while Gasol's calm demeanor earned him just five boards and two assists on top of 10 points. The seven-foot Spaniard only got to the foul line once all game, which is arguably the biggest travesty of all.

In Game 5, Gasol will need to perform a complete face-lift on his game. He has to become more aggressive offensively. He needs to harness his inner Memphis Grizzlies Pau Gasol. Bryant needs help if the Lakers are to take three in a row from the Thunder; he has made that clear. 

The guy who must step up is Gasol. He is only averaging 11.5 points per game in this series, but is shooting the best of any Lakers starter, hitting 47.5 percent from the field. It's not so much about Gasol receiving the ball from his teammates as it is about Gasol looking to score and draw fouls when he gets the ball.

There is something wrong when a seven-foot power forward in Gasol is averaging as many shots as an aging Metta World Peace in a big-time conference semifinal series. 

Things must change drastically in Game 5. 

Gasol's 4-of-10 shooting night from the field in Game 4 represents what he has been all series long. Whether the trade rumors are finally taking their toll or Gasol is just over-matched against the Thunder's frontcourt rotation, the Spaniard looks defeated, and so do the Lakers. 

If the Lakers' season is to stay alive though, Gasol will need to appease Bryant and the rest of the LA faithful. 

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