How Long Can Pau Gasol Keep LA Lakers Afloat By Himself?

Pau Gasol is the best player on a Los Angeles Lakers team that is not incredibly talented, and consequently, one can only wonder how long he will be able to have the team tread water.

Injuries and age have robbed the Purple and Gold of their best players. Kobe Bryant is recovering from his Achilles tendon injury, and Steve Nash has opened up the season looking less than stellar because of the miles he has accumulated.

Bleacher Reports' own Kevin Ding has the details from the man himself:

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"I am 39. I’ll be 40 in a few months," Nash said. "So you have to adapt your mindset to the new challenge. This is where I’m at. I have to get on top of my body, and I've got to let my game come around."

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That has placed the burden of being the Lakers' top player on Gasol early in the season. Given that he has not had Bryant at his side, his scoring efficiency has been less than optimal.

Indeed, since joining the Lakers, Gasol has benefited from the presence of the two-time Finals MVP. Opposing defenses typically drew up their schemes to bottle up the Lakers' all-time leading scorer, and every now and then, he made them pay by going to Gasol against single coverage.

Offensive focal point: Pau Gasol

The former Memphis Grizzly now occupies that leading role for the Lake Show, and truthfully, he has executed it with mixed results. The opposition has been loading up on the Spaniard in pick-and-rolls to take away his easy baskets.

The Lakers have adjusted by using the big man in pick-and-pops. He has gotten loose for open jumpers, but that is not necessarily great for Gasol given that his strength lies in scoring around the painted area.

NBA.com tells us that mid-range jumpers are the place where the former Olympian has struggled through five opening games, and yet the majority of his field-goal attempts have been jump shots.

Despite his failures from the elbow areas, Gasol has been a terrific hub in the Lakers offense. The pick-and-rolls where defenders have swarm him as he cuts into the lane are resulting into open shots for teammates.

In addition, his passing opens up the floor and makes it easier for his comrades to get easy scores. Gasol is one of the most skilled big men in the league, and as a result, he allows the Purple and Gold to thrive offensively.

Pau Gasol vs. Dwight Howard

Pau Gasol has had solid performances against the league's marquee players at his position since joining the Lakers. The 2012-13 campaign was a nightmarish one overall because Gasol mostly played out of position in a system that did not highlight his skills.

However, when looking back at previous seasons, it becomes quite apparent that the Spaniard can more than hold his own against top-flight competition. For instance, in 2011-12, Gasol abused Blake Griffin for 16.3 points, nine rebounds and three assists per game on 53.8 percent shooting from the field.

His size coupled with his footwork were problematic for the athletic Los Angeles Clippers forward.

If we reach back a little further to the 2009 NBA Finals, Gasol was even more impressive against a healthy and engaged Dwight Howard. At the time, Howard was among he league's elite, and yet the Spaniard gave him an incredibly tough time.

The two-time champion posted averages of 18.6 points and 9.2 rebounds on 60 percent field-goal shooting. What's more, Gasol defended Howard one-on-one during the series (former Laker Andrew Bynum also guarded him) and held him to 15.4 points per game on 48.8 percent shooting.

The 2009 finals are far from an isolated incident. Gasol has consistently played well against Howard's teams during his stint with the Lakers.

This seems incredibly pertinent given that Howard is largely viewed as the best center in basketball when his health is optimal. Furthermore, his three Defensive Player of the Year awards speak to his ability to make life a living hell for opponents.

And yet, Gasol had his way against Howard's Orlando Magic. Fast forward to the present, and they will face off once again. Both players shared the floor together during 2012-13 as teammates in a union that was awkward at times.

Gasol was relegated to the perimeter, while Howard struggled with Mike D'Antoni's offensive philosophy. They formed an intriguing partnership towards the end of the season that was short lived.

Howard bolted in free agency and joined the Houston Rockets. Gasol remained in Los Angeles and now starts at center, the spot vacated by his former teammate.

Naturally, Howard's exit left Lakers fans salty, and that would be putting it mildly. Hence, they will hope that D'Antoni calls the Spaniard's number early and often when Houston and L.A. go head-to-head.

Both players will be matched up against each other, and remember, Gasol has already demonstrated in the past that he can get the shots he desires against the seven-time All-Star.

Have a look at the video below:

The Spaniard catches the ball in the post, faces up and nails the jumper. Howard gives Gasol a bit of space because he fears the drive. Watch here as Gasol gets into the lane and scores:

Part of the reason that most of the footage involving both athletes stems back from 2009 was the emergence of Andrew Bynum. After the finals victory over the Magic, he got more playing time with the Lakers and consequently was mostly matched up with Howard.

Thus, in subsequent seasons, Howard only caught glimpses of Gasol when rotating towards him as we can see here:

Howard's job will not be that easy, though, when their respective teams finally meet. He will have to work hard in order to limit the former Grizzly, and even then, it might not be enough.

Lakers fans will more than likely be thrilled to see Gasol take him into the low post and draw fouls. That will essentially nullify Howard's impact on the game because it will limit his aggressiveness and perhaps even his playing time.

Ultimately, Gasol will play well against the Rockets, but they will probably make him work for his points by giving him open mid-range jumpers. That will end up being the strategy that defenses around the league employ against the Lakers, and it will be successful.

Lakers going forward

Without the aid of a healthy Kobe Bryant and elite-level play from Steve Nash, the Lakers offense will eventually fall off. Los Angeles needs playmaking off the dribble as well as unassisted perimeter scoring.

The starting backcourt offers the potential to accomplish this, but Bryant and Nash must regain their previous levels of physical fitness for that reality to take place. Essentially, that means that teams with great defensive centers will give the Lakers fits.

Gasol will be productive, but because the opposition will not need to allocate additional defensive help his way, that means his teammates will be afforded very few open looks.

Hence, unless the Lakers are at full strength, they do not have even a puncher's chance of making the postseason. There are a variety of teams with a solid defensive anchor at the pivot out west that will give L.A. problems.

The left coast houses the Golden State Warriors (Andrew Bogut), Memphis Grizzlies (Marc Gasol), Houston Rockets (Dwight Howard), San Antonio Spurs (Tim Duncan), Oklahoma City Thunder (Kendrick Perkins) and possibly even the Dallas Mavericks (Samuel Dalembert).

The Western Conference is simply too competitive, and its players are far too talented for Gasol to carry the Lakers for long stretches in 2013-14. The matchup against the Rockets will serve as proof.