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PAU GASOL NEWS |
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Lamar Odom Newest Target for Turkish Club
Derek Fisher Fends Off Side Deal Allegations
NBA Owners Fail to See Big Picture
McMenamin: All-star pick-up games are bright side of lockout
Kobe Bryant: Italy is 'very possible'
Prosecutors Reviewing Bryant Case
Ron Artest Now Officially Metta World Peace
Analyzing Pau Gasol's performances in European Championship
Pau Gasol hasn't committed to exhibition games in Australia
Kobe puts up 43 and the game-winner at Drew League
Ron Artest to become the British Susan Lucci?
Former Laker Jordan Farmar To Play For Israel Champs Maccabi Tel Aviv
Turkish club Besiktas says it is in talks with Kobe Bryant
Lakers Nation Wishes Pau Gasol a Happy Birthday
Kobe interested in Pietrus playing for the Lakers
NBA Trade Suggestion: Why Kenyon Martin Is a Smart Choice for LA Lakers
Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol Among Sports Illustrated's Top-Earning Athletes
Pau’s Play for Spain this Summer May Be for the Best
Jerry West Statue Unveiled
Lakers early exit could cost Los Angeles economy $70 million
Lakers aim to finish off pesky Hornets in Game 6
Does Los Angeles Lakers Coach Phil Jackson still have that winning touch?
Lakers guard Steve Blake has chicken pox -- no, he's not too old
Jackson's last chapter nearing completion
Los Angeles Lakers: The Need to Push for Home Court Advantage
NBA Basketball Stars Score for the People of Japan
Caught in the Web: Lakers get in a hard day's worth of practice
Kobe hits court in Miami long after loss
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Minnesota Timberwolves: No LA Love for 'Wolves
Lakers cool off hot Blazers in OT, spoil Roy's return
GM: Lakers not likely to make trade
Carmelo Anthony Trade Talks
Kobe, Lakers hold off Rockets 114-106 in OT
Los Angeles Lakers Fall to Dallas Mavericks 109-100: Another Night, Another Loss
Nets' ex-Lakers Jordan Farmar, Sasha Vujacic, looking forward playing against former team
Bryant, defense help lift Lakers
Lamar Odom scores 24 as the Lakers snap a 3-game skid, 103-88 over the Hornets
The hottest ticket for Christmas
Lakers make a three-team trade
LA Lakers surge past Chicago Bulls in NBA thriller
Bryant leads Lakers to victory
Asked to do more with Bynum out, Gasol delivers for Lakers
NBA's Vujacic says he's engaged to Sharapova
Lakers' Vujacic out with concussion
L.A. Lakers: Fans May Need a Reality Check Concerning Kobe Bryant and the Team
Former Lakers trainer Frank O'Neill dies
Rosenberry Crunch: USA win at FIBA not to be ignored
Caught in the Web: Ron Artest to auction off championship ring for charity
Kobe Bryant, Ron Artest: Exuding Dominance on Both Sides of the Ball
L.A. Lakers-Miami Heat: Finals Series Will Be Great, If Heat Can Make It
Dueling Three-Peats
Lakers sign second round choice Ebanks
Lakers' Phil Jackson and Timberwolves' Kurt Rambis will reunite for a night
LAKERS: Hornets fall to Kobe and Co., 110-99
Losing Lamar Odom a Shady Proposition: For the Lakers, There's No Bright Side
Sources: Lakers pull $27M Odom offer off table
Lakers likely to unload first-round pick
Tall task ahead for Lakers' Bynum: Slowing down Howard
Williams' fadeaway with 2.2 seconds remaining keeps Jazz alive
Top-seeded Lakers take on playoff-hopeful Bucks
Spike Lee's Kobe Doc to Screen at Tribeca
Recap: LA Lakers vs. Phoenix
Los Angeles vs. New Orleans
Los Angeles vs. Orlando
Lakers Looking For Payback Against Indiana
Lakers run down Knicks
Phil likes Walton in Lakers' lineup
For Lakers, talking is the answer
Lakers need to 'feed' Gasol
Kobe, Radmanovic's 3-point shooting spark Lakers over Suns
Lakers showing defensive prowess
Magic 'cried all night' after Obama won election
Lakers exercise option on G Farmar
Lakers celebrate learning center opening
Lakers frontcourt of Bynum, Gasol finally teams up -- if only briefly -- in exhibition loss to Clippers
Lakers notebook: Bynum, Gasol and Jay-Z? Believe it
Michael Jordan and Tex Winter Discuss the MJ-Kobe Comparisons
Los Angeles Lakers Sign Brandon Heath
Pat Riley's will proves his worth
Former Cat Crawford Signs With Lakers
Assessing LA Lakers’ Team Needs
Lakers Sign F Powell
Grizzlies to open season on Oct. 29
LAKERS RESIGN FREE AGENT SASHA VUJACIC
Spanish hope rest on Gasol’s shoulders
Marc Gasol Signs With Grizzlies
Doctors clear Lakers' Bynum
Grizzlies choose Love with fifth overall pick
Gasol: Just wait until next year for the Lakers
For Garnett and Gasol, Game 4 told the tale
Pierce's knee is the key to the series
Lakers oust Spurs, win Western crown
Late show for Lakers, prime time for Bryant
Jazz, Lakers Battle In Pivotal Game 5 Of West Semis
Lakers ready for more aggressive Jazz team
Nuggets just happy to be home
Recap: LA Clippers vs. LA Lakers
Nifty fifty
Why The Los Angeles Lakers Don't Need the Top Seed in the West
Lakers get back at Warriors
Lakers end Utah's 19-game home win streak
Despite Kobe's six points, Gasol, Fisher fuel Lakers past Nets.
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Pau Gasol News |
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Dueling Three-Peats
As the Lakers look ahead to a possible second three-peat in the last 11 years, ‘Forum Blue & Gold’ plays a game of compare and contrast between the 2000-2002 Lakers and the current back-to-back defending champions. Who would win in a head-to-head match-up of these two teams (assuming we could clone Kobe and Derek Fisher, of course—scary thought for the league)?
The game has changed a lot since the glory days of Shaq + Kobe and Co., especially when it comes to the parity that exists in today’s NBA. During the Lakers’ last three-peat, the tandem, along with a venerable cast of role players, simply overpowered opponents with Shaq’s unmatched size and Kobe’s freakish athleticism. To that end, I vividly remember a Sports Illustrated cover circa 2000 that depicted Kobe and Shaq, with a giant headline that simply read: “Steamrolling.” NBA teams—the current L.A. squad included—still have the ability to dominate the league, but in recent years, the number of teams capable of doing so has drastically increased. Gone are the days when one NBA superpower is head and shoulders better than the remaining 29 teams.
The Lakers opponents in the Finals the past two years—Boston and Orlando—would likely have their way with the opponents that the team faced in the 2000-2002 NBA Finals. Reggie Miller’s Indiana Pacers club represented a solid, well-balanced opponent in the 2000 NBA Finals, but the Philadelphia 76’ers and New Jersey Nets nary offered a fight in the ensuing two Finals, winning a combined one game. In fact, you can make a case that in the championship runs from 2000-2002, the Lakers Western Conference Finals opponents—Portland, San Antonio and Sacramento—would have had their way against the Pacers, Sixers and Nets too.
From a player standpoint, the league has never been more competitive, with an influx of prominent players like Yao Ming and Tony Parker from overseas becoming mainstays on NBA rosters, along with All-Star teams. Sure, the Lakers from the previous three-peat team had to go up against the likes of vintage Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady, but today’s NBA is chalk-full of like-minded athletes capable of leading their teams to titles (LeBron, Wade, Howard come to mind). While the NBA has historically been a superstar-heavy league, the pure global talent on rosters in 2010 is uncanny.
Whereas the Shaq and Kobe Lakers struggled to find a reliable third scoring option—excluding a brief cameo by Glen Rice—the current Lakers have an offensive arsenal that rivals any of the great L.A. lineups. Assuming Pau Gasol is cemented as the default number two option on offense, who even knows what the 2000-2002 Lakers could have accomplished with a player like Andrew Bynum, Ron Artest or Lamar Odom to fill the void as a third scoring option.
While the Lakers of yesteryear boasted several proven veterans like Robert Horry, Ron Harper, Rick Fox and Brian Shaw, they lacked the scoring punch that the 2010-2011 Lakers figure to have off their bench. By 2002, aging role players like Robert Horry and Rick Fox had moved into the Lakers starting lineup, leaving their bench exposed. After an offseason overhaul of the current team’s bench, the Lakers figure boast several weapons off of their bench, which should help dramatically in their bid to three-peat. Moreover, the 2000-2002 Lakers never had a sixth man anywhere near the caliber of Odom. The Lakers won their previous championships in large part due to the sheer magnificence of Shaq and Kobe (and some timely shooting from Horry, Fisher, Fox and Shaw, etc.), but this year’s title-contender will offer a much more balanced attack. Unlike the past two seasons, the Lakers will also throw proven veterans like Steve Blake and Matt Barnes at opponents, which was a key difference between the old and current Lakers prior to this offseason.
From an offensive standpoint, the ever-present triangle offense remains key, though this current Lakers squad strays from it on a more regular basis. The principle inside-out game is still central to the Lakers offense, maybe even more so on the current team thanks to its superior size over the 2000-2002 Lakers. Both teams make defense a priority, as evidenced by the Lakers latest display in Game 7 of the 2010 Finals.
Through it all, one thing that has remained unchanged between this year’s Lakers quest for a three-peat and the 2000-2002 Lakers has been the brilliance of Kobe Bryant and clutch shooting of Derek Fisher. As staples of the team’s past five title campaigns, Bryant and Fish have anchored the team’s focus and chemistry. While Bryant showed signs of greatness during his first three-peat, he is personifying it in this second attempt. His evolution as a leader is, in my opinion, the greatest difference between the 2000-2002 dynasty. If this current team joins the 2000-2002 team in NBA lore, Kobe figures to be the primary reason why.
Unfortunately, barring an epic NBA LIVE duel, we’ll never get to find out what kind of magic would go down if these teams faced off against one another in a best of seven series, so we’ll have to leave the result to our imaginations. Who wins in your ultimate battle of these (possible) three-peat teams?
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Pau Gasol News : |
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Pau Gasol Related News : |
Pau Gasol Trade Rumors: 5 Reasons the Lakers Shouldn't Trade the Power Forward Lakers power forward Pau Gasol has been mentioned in the news lately, and rumor has it management is exploring trade offers from teams around the league. The Lakers are 19-13 with one game remaining before the All-Star break, a record that currently would seed them fifth in the Western Conference. With the trade deadline a little more than three weeks away, Mitch Kupchak has some big decisions ... Lee Jenkins: Bryant-Gasol link extends back to '07, after another Kobe tirade Kobe Bryant's connection with Pau Gasol stretches all the way to Pluto. It started before they were even teammates, in May 2007, when the Lakers lost in the first round of the playoffs to Phoenix. Bryant responded with his notorious multi-platform tirade, begging the Lakers to trade him anywhere, even the farthest non-planet from the sun. Lakers Rumors: LA Must Lower Expectations If They Hope to Move Pau Gasol I hate to break this to you, but the never-ending cycle of Pau Gasol trade rumors won't stop unless the Los Angeles Lakers lower their expectations for what they need to get in return for the forward. So what exactly are those expectations? Glad you asked. Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times has the answer: The Lakers are resolute about not trading Gasol unless they get back a young star, a ... Kobe, Pau unearth missing link to Lakers’ glory LOS ANGELES - Pau Gasol did hear directly from Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak on Monday, I'm told.Gasol got no guarantees - same as in Kupchak's official statement later that night - but at least he received an update and an acknowledgement from Lakers management. That's more... Lakers Trade Rumors: Why They Must End the Pau Gasol Speculation After Sunday’s 102-90 loss to the rebuilding Phoenix Suns , Kobe Bryant expressed how the Lakers management's treatment of Pau Gasol is taking a toll on his performance. He is averaging 16.6 points per game, the lowest of his career by a small margin. Bryant said that Gasol is unable to give his best effort each game with all of the uncertainty surrounding his future. That uncertainty, he ... T.J. Simers: Kobe Bryant's latest rant hurts Lakers, and Pau Gasol In saying Lakers should either trade Gasol or pledge not to, and suggesting Gasol's play is affected by the uncertainty, Bryant demeans a teammate and advocates a course of action that could hurt team's bargaining power. What an idiotic rant, but not a surprise given Kobe Bryant's track record as a big baby. NBA Trade Rumors: Kobe Bryant's Defense of Pau Gasol Proves Lakers Must Keep PF Kobe Bryant 's defense of Pau Gasol involving the trade rumors surrounding the Los Angeles Lakers star forward proves that the team should not trade him by the March 15 deadline. Gasol is an elite player and the Lakers need him to get back to the NBA Finals. Bryant supported his teammate this week, saying via the Los Angeles Times : "If they're not going to do it, come out and say you're not ... Pau Gasol Trade Rumors: Andrew Bynum Will Benefit Most if Lakers Move Pau If and when the Los Angeles Lakers trade Pau Gasol , Andrew Bynum is ready, willing and able to benefit from the extra touches on the post. The Lakers' 23-year-old big man has only shown parts of what he's capable of. Moving Gasol will allow Bynum to reach his full potential. Bynum is a classic big-body center who really needs the entire post area as his playground. With a dominating force like ... Lakers Rumors: Los Angeles Would Be Sacrificing 2012 Season by Trading Pau Gasol The Los Angeles Lakers are just one playoff defeat removed from three NBA Finals appearances in a row and two wins. They still have the pieces in place to compete for a championship in 2012 and would be giving up on that dream if they were to trade Pau Gasol before the March 15 deadline. Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak admitted in a statement on Monday that he has a responsibility to fans and ownership ... Kobe Bryant stands up for Pau Gasol, then Lakers hold players-only meeting It isn’t often that a team calls a players-only meeting after a victory, but then it isn’t that often that a superstar calls out team management, either. The Los Angeles Lakers , according to ESPN , did just that after their 103-92 victory over Portland on Monday. Roughly 24 hours earlier, they’d lost to Phoenix and Kobe Bryant had ripped management for leaving Pau Gasol twisting in the trade ...
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OTHER PAU GASOL NEWS |
Lakers GM Kupchak responds to Kobe's rant Los Angeles Lakers' Pau Gasol, of Spain, shoots over Phoenix Suns' Jared Dudley (3) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Feb. 19, 2012, in Phoenix. Mitch Kupchak declines to take Pau Gasol out of trade talks A day after Kobe Bryant openly criticized the Lakers' front office for not providing clarity to Pau Gasol's standing with the team, Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak indicated in a statement that would be inappropriate. “As a former player, I understand how the days leading up to the trade deadline can be nerve-wracking for an NBA player," Kupchak said in a statement released by the Lakers ... Why Steve Nash for Pau Gasol Works for Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns On December 8, 2011, according to Adrian Wojnarowski , the Los Angeles Lakers  acquired Chris Paul in a three-team trade that would have sent Pau Gasol to the Houston Rockets and Luis Scola, Goran Dragic, Kevin Martin and Lamar Odom to the New Orleans Hornets . This trade was fair for all the teams involved, which was obvious by the case that all three teams, the Hornets, Rockets and Lakers ... Lakers' Pau Gasol plays through the doubts The 7-foot power forward has an off night in a 111-99 victory over the Suns, but he says trade speculation has nothing to do with a lackluster performance. After a well-placed pass from Kobe Bryant slipped out of his hands, Pau Gasol picked up the basketball and smacked it against his palms. NBA Rumors: Lakers Unlikely to Swap Pau Gasol for Carlos Boozer Try as he might to play general manager for the Chicago Bulls , Derrick Rose will not be teaming with Pau Gasol any time soon. As first reported by Marca.com and later confirmed by Chris Sheridan of Sheridan Hoops , the reigning NBA MVP has encouraged some within the Bulls organization to pursue a trade that would bring Gasol to the Windy City in exchange for Carlos Boozer and a point guard ... Lee Jenkins: Bryant-Gasol link extends back to '07, after another Kobe tirade Kobe Bryant's connection with Pau Gasol stretches all the way to Pluto. It started before they were even teammates, in May 2007, when the Lakers lost in the first round of the playoffs to Phoenix. Bryant responded with his notorious multi-platform tirade, begging the Lakers to trade him anywhere, even the farthest non-planet from the sun. Kobe Byrant Tells Lakers Management to Pick a Side in Pau Gasol Trade Talk We have less than one month remaining before the NBA trade deadline expires, but Kobe Bryant wants a decision made now. The Los Angeles Lakers star isn't happy with how the Lakers are treating Pau Gasol and thinks it is affecting the team. Following a disappointing loss to the Phoenix Suns on Sunday, Kobe said : "Basketball is such an emotional game, you got to be able to have all of yourself in ... LAKERS NOTEBOOK: GM Kupchak says he understands frustrations, but will continue explore trade options for Gasol Well, at least Kobe Bryant got Mitch Kupchak's attention. But not much more than that. A day after making a plea to the Lakers general manager to either get on with trading Pau Gasol or making a determination Gasol will stay, Kupchak responded basically the only way he could. World Peace gives Kupchak stamp of approval Metta World Peace said Pau Gasol -- or anyone for that matter -- shouldn't worry about being traded. He said it happens all the time and going to a new city can be a positive experience, especially for veteran players. Kobe Bryant, other Lakers let loose with their frustrations Bryant says basketball is an 'emotional' game in pushing for clarification on Pau Gasol's status. Andrew Bynum raises another issue with pointed references to Mike Brown and his time on the bench. Reporting from Phoenix — This was like listening to a conversation in code, without the subtitles to translate their true meaning. |
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