NBA Playoffs 2011: 10 Creative Ways to Get Pau Gasol Motivated Properly
After surrendering Game 1 to the feisty New Orleans Hornets in a nine-point loss on Sunday, the Los Angeles Lakers came back with a solid victory by the same margin in Game 2 on Wednesday.
That despite only 11 points on 3-of-10 shooting from Kobe Bryant, thanks in large part to a team defense that held Chris Paul and company to only 78 points on 39.1 percent shooting, while forcing 16 turnovers.
Though the overall outcome changed from one game to the next, the play of one Pau Gasol, on the whole, did not. The shaggy Spaniard scrounged up a scant eight points and five rebounds in just over 36 minutes of action after collecting the same number of points, along with six rebounds and six assists, in LA's playoff-opening defeat.
Not surprisingly, Gasol's underwhelming play thus far has brought back to the surface questions about his physical and mental toughness, along with concerns about his heart and desire on the court. Few doubt Pau's skill and ability as a power forward, and it's not as though he hasn't been a winning player before; Remember, the Lakers didn't start showing up in the NBA Finals again until Gasol got shipped over from the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for peanuts.
Certainly, Gasol will have an impact on LA's playoff run at some point; he's just too good of a player not to. With that in mind, here are 10 ways—some serious and some clearly not—that Phil Jackson and company can help Pau jump-start his game this postseason.
Get Pau the Ball Down Low
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If Pau is going to get his head back in the game, he first needs to get the ball back in his hands, preferably down low.
Sure, Gasol isn't exactly the strongest or most intimidating presence on the block (in the painted area, that is), but his repertoire of spins and fakes is wide enough, and he's good enough using those moves that he can get over, under or around his man, even if he can't bowl his way to the basket.
With all the questions and doubts surrounding Pau's mojo, what better way for him to recapture it than to snag a pass five feet from the cup, back his man down and go up strong for two—or three, if he gets fouled on the way up?
Have Kobe Bryant Teach Him How to Scowl
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If Pau Gasol is going to be effective in the low post, he's going to need more than just the ball and some fancy spin moves.
He's going to need a serious attitude adjustment.
To be fair, it's not as though Pau has never shown the ability to be a bulldog on the front line, or that he's always shied away from, you know, actual, physical contact.
The Lakers would never have reached the last three NBA Finals if Gasol had not, at some point in each postseason, taken it upon himself to, at the very least, prove that he could withstand a shove or two, if not deliver a few himself.
But, given the fleeting nature of Pau's positive posture, one might ponder the potential for Pau to repossess his pomposity.
The solution to his problem? How about Kobe Bryant's signature scowl?
You know the one, where he juts his lower jaw out a solid six inches from his face. Perhaps a slight tweak in demeanor would do wonders for Pau and the Lakers' three-peat chances.
Play Pau at the 4 More
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Now, we all know that Pau isn't always that effective down low, which speaks to the fact that he is much more of a power forward than he is a center.
With that in mind, it's important that Phil Jackson directs his team to get Pau the ball on the post opposite Andrew Bynum, where he's less likely to be double-teamed in the triangle offense and, thus, is more likely to get a clean path to the basket, thereby avoiding the kind of physical contact at which Gasol so readily shudders.
Also, as a 4, Pau is more readily able to utilize his talents as a big man who can shoot from 16 or 17 feet, rather than having to restrict himself to his back-to-the-basket arsenal, which, though extensive, is somewhat limited compared to his face-up repertoire.
Put Pau in the Two-Man Game
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By playing Pau at the 4, the Lakers would enable him to avoid double-teams and more readily engage in a two-man game with whichever teammate is willing and able.
Normally, one might suggest Kobe Bryant, since he is by far Pau's best teammate and the one who best understands how to, in fact, play the two-man game. Then again, Kobe is much more familiar with the two-man game in the sense that he often attempts to do the work of two or more men on his own (and often fails, unfortunately for LA).
Rather than try a give-and-go with Kobe, who's liable to take the shot himself most of the time, Pau would do well to post and re-post with Derek Fisher, Ron Artest, Steve Blake or Matt Barnes, each of whom has the ability to hit from the outside should he have a better shot than Pau.
Either way, Pau's game and stat line will be lifted, either by a bucket for himself or an assist for someone else.
Use Pau in Pick-and-Roll/Pop Situations
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The two-man tango in which Pau Gasol dances best is undoubtedly some form of pick-and-roll, whether it be to the basket or to a spot on the outside for a quick jumper.
Among other things, Pau is well known around the league for his tremendous hands (at least as far as catching and finishing is concerned; not so much hanging onto rebounds) that make him a terrific pick-and-roll partner.
And what if the Lakers would rather stretch out the opposition's defense? Why, it just so happens that Pau is also excellent on the "pop," with a smooth jump shot that's accurate out to 16 or 17 feet.
In short: The best way to get Pau involved via the two-man game is in a pick-and-roll or pick-and-pop situation.
Run the Offense Through Pau in the High Post
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You may be asking yourself right now, "What if Pau still can't manage to put points on the board?"
Never fear, Lakers fans! The big Spaniard's capabilities go far beyond just scoring buckets. In fact, Pau's greatest value to any team—the Lakers included—might just be his ability to serve as a facilitator of the offense in the high post.
Gasol is widely recognized as one of the absolute smartest players in the NBA, a distinction that is borne out by his ability to run an offense from the top of the key, even at his size (7'0" and 250 pounds).
By utilizing the triple-threat position as Kobe does, Pau is regularly able to occupy multiple defenders and allow his teammates time to cut to the basket for layups and dunks, which so commonly come from Gasol's stewardship on the offensive side of the ball.
Get Kobe on His Ear
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If, after all of that, Pau Gasol still isn't able to deliver for the Lakers, the "Zen Master" would do well to direct his loudest and most-respected bulldog—Kobe Bryant—toward Pau's airwaves.
Kobe, being the vocal leader and demanding team captain that he is, could whip Pau into shape with a bit of verbal abuse before LA has to resort to much harsher means...
Start Lamar Odom at Power Forward
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...like limiting Pau's minutes, perhaps even by starting Lamar Odom at power forward instead.
After all, Lamar is the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year, and he performed beautifully as a starter in Andrew Bynum's absence during the 2010-2011 season.
Mr. Khloe Kardashian averaged 14.4 points, 8.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 32.2 minutes per game this past season, showing all the while that he would be the starting 4 on just about any other team in the NBA.
Well, what if Pau were relegated to a reduced role as Lamar has been over the last three years? Might such a switch serve as a salient wake-up call and get Gasol back on track? Might the change motivate Pau to play just a bit harder, with just a bit more edge?
Drop the Copa Del Rey in Front of Pau
9 of 10If Pau Gasol still doesn't understand how broken his game really is after all that, it might be best to send him a message as loudly and clearly as possible—by breaking the Copa Del Rey right in front of his eyes.
For those unfamiliar with it, the Copa Del Rey—meaning "the King's Cup" in English—is a trophy awarded to the winner of a soccer tournament involving teams from Spain's domestic league.
The most frequent winner of the Copa is FC Barcelona, Pau's hometown team, though the trophy was this year wrested away by rival club Real Madrid in a thrilling, overtime match.
Following the victory, the players from Real Madrid rode through the city of Madrid on a bus to showcase their newly acquired hardware. However, while holding the 33-pound artifact above his head in triumph, Madrid's Sergio Ramos accidentally dropped the Copa Del Rey, which landed on the ground, was run over by the bus itself and broke into multiple pieces.
What could be more frustrating to a Barca fan than watching his team lose the Copa to Madrid and seeing its players defame the sacred trophy?
Perhaps that would be just the thing to light a real fire under Gasol's weary behind.
Trade for Aaron Gray
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The last and most insulting way to get Pau Gasol to play to his potential would be to somehow, in the middle of the playoffs, acquire the one player who's given Pau the most grief through the Lakers' first two games against the Hornets—Aaron Gray.
Wait...Aaron Gray? Really?!
Though rather large at 7'0" and 270 pounds, Gray is still a relatively small figure in the basketball world, averaging 3.1 points and 4.2 rebounds in 13.0 minutes per game for New Orleans this past season. The former Pitt Panther is known mostly as a slow-footed center who can grab some rebounds from time to time thanks to his size.
Yet, somehow, LA's All-Star big man managed to get knocked around by Gray, particularly in the Lakers' Game 1 loss to 'Nawlins.
So, what better way to neutralize the "threat" that Gray poses to Gasol than to trade for him? Were that to happen, the Lakers would then be able to either sit Gray, so as to minimize the torment he would bring upon Pau's head, or, if Gasol continues to struggle, insert Gray as Pau's replacement!
Brilliant idea, don't ya think?
