Having lost seven of their last nine, all Lakers triumphs have been largely menial. A two-game winning streak here; a blistering performance from Ryan Kelly or Nick Young there—standard stuff, really.
For the Lakers of old, that alone wouldn't suffice, and is a sign of how far they've fallen. But now, one of the old Lakers lives on, in true Los Angeles fashion.
Pau Gasol has regained his swagger of late, posting numbers, brought to us by Lakers.com's Mike Trudell, that have fans and pundits uttering "resurgence" and "Pau" in the same sentence:
Record wise, Gasol's performance hasn't sparked a Lakers turnaround. They're 2-3 in their last five games, fresh off a last-second loss to the equally mangled Chicago Bulls.
If nothing else, though, Gasol's sudden revival is a reminder of days past, a small beacon of hope for Los Angeles' lost season and cut-and-dry proof that his decline was distorted into something it's not.
The Kendall Marshall Effect
Playing alongside an actual point guard has done wonders for Gasol.
Injuries consumed Steve Nash, Steve Blake and Jordan Farmar, and surrogate point guards Kobe Bryant and Xavier Henry, leaving the Lakers without a true floor general.
There were times, and still are times, when Young is running the offense. Point guard rotations don't come any more dire than that.
In came Kendall Marshall, bringing ball movement and dribble penetration with him. In essence, he was head coach Mike D'Antoni's dream—a blank slate that injected energy and resolve in Los Angeles' floundering offense.
The Lakers still aren't offensive juggernauts; understand that. They rank 22nd in offen...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
