Once again, the Los Angeles Lakers were swiftly dealt with in the second round of the playoffs. An organization routinely synonymous with success has been disappointing the past two seasons, to say the least.
A core of Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum looks to be coming to an end, as the continual early exit from the postseason is unacceptable. Matching stories from both dismissals is the lack of intensity from Gasol. He is no doubt one of the more skilled big men in the NBA today, but it seems his time in L.A. is over.
After winning two championships with the Lakers, Gasol has degenerated in his postseason production. Here are his statistics from the last four years in the playoffs:
Gasol
PTS
FGM
FGA
FG%
REB
’08-‘09
18.3
7.0
12.0
.580
10.9
’09-‘10
19.6
7.2
13.3
.539
11.1
’10-‘11
13.1
4.7
11.2
.420
7.8
’11-‘12
12.4
5.2
11.7
.442
8.9
His scoring and rebounding are both lower than his averages in recent years. Gasol has repeatedly been "called out" by Kobe Bryant, most recently after their Game 4 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com cites Bryant as saying, "Pau's got to be more assertive. He's the guy that they're leaving. When he catches the ball, he's looking to pass. He's got to be aggressive. He's got to shoot the ball, drive the ball to the basket. He will be the next game."
As one of the top players in the league, it should be up to Bryant to get him more involved. If Gasol is looking to pass as he receives the ball, he is c...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
