With massive changes to the roster and coaching staff, the once vital part of the starting lineup has struggled to find his place. To make matters worse, Gasol has struggled to even stay in the lineup thanks to injury issues.
Considering the high expectations placed on this Lakers team, fans and analysts alike have wondered aloud about Gasol's worth to the team.
Fortunately for Gasol, the one scenario that would allow him to once again become a necessary part of the lineup has happened—Dwight Howard is injured.
When the Lakers made the move to bring Howard on board, they did so knowing full well that there could be an injury risk. After all, he came to Los Angeles fresh off of a back surgery that made his status for the beginning of the season unclear. It's not a shocking surprise that Howard is likely to sustain some injuries along the way.
According to Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times, Howard could miss some time with his injured shoulder:
Dwight Howard says he might not play tomorrow vs. DEN because of sprained right shoulder sustained vs. Clippers. #Lakers
— Mike Bresnahan (@Mike_Bresnahan) January 5, 2013 The biggest concern with Gasol this season has been a dreadful drop in his field-goal percentage. Bringing in Steve Nash and Dwight Howard, it was expected that Gasol's overall scoring output would suffer, but the fact that he has become a much less efficient player is what has submarined his value to the Lakers.
Gasol is a career 51 percent shooter but is shooting 41 percent from the field on the season. Much of that can be attributed to a lack of touches in the low post.
When healthy and in the right role, Gasol is one of the most skilled offensive big men in the NBA. When he's relegated to playing the high post and second fiddle to a dominant m...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
