It's not because Duncan has won four championships compared to his two. It's not the three Finals MVP awards or two MVP awards. It's not Duncan being named a First Team All NBA player either.
Gasol should be jealous of the situation that Duncan currently has.
Right now, Duncan is averaging just 28.8 minutes a game. That's a lot less than what you would expect from the big man. There have even been games where he doesn't step foot on the court in the fourth quarter.
On the other hand, Gasol has been playing a lot more minutes than he should be. With Andrew Bynum out and no reliable backups available, he's averaging close to 40 minutes a game. The heavy minutes have taken quite a toll on his body.
The crazy thing about all this is that the San Antonio Spurs are 20-3 right now.
What that means it that the Spurs are going to be comfortable with Duncan riding the pine. The team is playing well enough to win without the maximum effort from their franchise player. That means that Duncan will be much more ready for the playoffs, where he can unleash his full efforts.
Bynum is coming back soon to provide some relief, but if his body doesn't hold up, then Gasol is going to be a broken down man by the time the playoffs roll around.
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Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
