Tag Archives: Pau Gasol

Playoffs Outsiders: What Should The Lakers Do Next?

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LakersPlayoffs Outsiders: What Should The Lakers Do Next?

The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the most popular teams in the NBA, and as such, expectations are always high. That is the reason why the Lakers’ early exit out of the playoffs proved to be very disappointing among fans. It might appear a bit redundant to mention, but the bad injuries absolutely got the Lakers guards dominated at the hands of the San Antonio Spurs. Two of the biggest stars in LA—Nash and Bryant—were both injured; hence, crippling the Lakers scoring and defensive ability. With basketball enthusiasts aiming more at gaining something by indulging in NBA betting through various online websites, LA’s playoffs defeat turned out to be a real blow.

Though an online wager is placed by going through effective NBA wagering strategies available at websites that offer tips on sports betting such as http://www.wageronsports.com/wagering-strategy/nba-basketball, looking at sports odds for this team in the playoffs may have saved bettors from losing money. The lack of teamwork and tenacity during these playoffs made the Lakers taste a bitter defeat at the hands of a far more organized and persistent Spurs team.

With the Los Angeles Lakers’ dreams of getting their hands on this year’s title shattered, one may ask—where exactly should the rebuilding process for next year begin? The Lakers definitely need to address a number of issues this offseason to come out with a bang as next year’s NBA season approaches. People who are planning to come up with NBA wagering strategies or place a wager online for the next season should not rule out the Lakers though. This is a team known for it’s ability to find ways to be on top generation after generation.

1. Perimeter/ Bench Scoring

With the star players going down with injuries every now and then, the Lakers need to work on their bench scoring from the outside. Bench players like Darius Morris, Jodie Meeks and Antawn Jamison need to indulge in more shooting practice, as things cannot rely completely on the star shooters. Steve Nash should also have more help in breaking down the defense and opening up the mid-range jumpers for Pau Gasol and Kobe Bryant.

2. Perimeter Defense

In comparison to the other teams, the Lakers fall short in the defensive end. The team has a lot of work ahead of them in terms of improving their defense. They need to focus on effectively guarding the paint and closing out on shooters aiming to score from the perimeter.

3. Limit Turnovers

The Lakers have long been troubled by issues on taking care of the basketball. The team averaged over 15 turnovers per game during the regular season. This is almost twice the number of turnovers that the Spurs had in their first round playoff clash. The Lakers’ turnover woes is one of the reasons why opposing teams score at their will against LA. This is one serious area that needs improvement if they want to return into a contender’s form for next season.

4. Transition Defense

Transition defense is an area of concern that has bothered the Lakers all throughout the season. This was very evident from the first playoff game where San Antonio was able to score 17 fast break points against the Lakers’ 2. With Bryant’s contract in its final phase in 2013-14, and taking into account his body’s wear and tear, the Lakers management should certainly look for a future franchise player to whom they’ll build the team around. Even though Kobe Bryant remains as motivated and competitive as ever, father time is catching up fast on the Black Mamba. The Lakers need to find a successor to Kobe, a player who will be the heart and soul of this highly-decorated franchise when Bryant retires.

With issues such as Kobe Bryant’s health and Dwight Howard’s free agency, the Lakers need to focus more on coping up with their major flaws and rebuilding the team from within to perform better in the next season. Improving the perimeter scoring and defense, limiting the turnovers and working in the transition defense will help the Lakers become a threat in the West again.

Spurs sweep Lakers, Dwight Howard ejected to finish “nightmare” season

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Spurs Sweep LakersSpurs sweep Lakers, Dwight Howard ejected to finish “nightmare” season

Spurs sweep Lakers! Not that much of a surprise, is it?

The San Antonio Spurs displayed all the tenacity and teamwork for four games in a row that the Los Angeles Lakers struggled to find all season.

Tony Parker put up a game-high 23 points to lead the Spurs past Los Angeles in sweeping fashion, as they won Game 4 on the road by the score of 103-82 Sunday night.

Tim Duncan scored 11 points and grabbed six rebounds for San Antonio, who advanced to the second round of the NBA playoffs and will await the winner of the Golden State Warriors-Denver Nuggets series. For the Lakers, their two blowout home losses led to them getting bounced out of the first round of the postseason for the first time since 2007.

The Spurs never fell behind during the clinching game, and led by as much as 25 points at one time as they went about it like business as usual. Los Angeles, of course, provided drama at the end, which is what we’ve grown accustomed to seeing at this point.

Dwight Howard, in what could possibly be his last game in a Lakers uniform as he now becomes an unrestricted free agent, had a measly seven points and eight rebounds prior to being ejected during the third quarter for losing his temper. Pau Gasol led the way for Los Angeles with 16 points, as the team was swept out of the NBA playoffs for the second time in the past three seasons.

Howard talked to reporters after the Spurs sweep Lakers and said,

“Like a nightmare. It’s like a bad dream, and we just couldn’t wake up from it. That’s what it felt like.”

San Antonio Spurs embarrass Lakers on road, go up 3-0 in series

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San Antonio SpursSan Antonio Spurs embarrass Lakers on road, go up 3-0 in series

Tim Duncan led all scorers with 26 points to go along with nine rebounds as the San Antonio Spurs are now on the verge of sweeping the Los Angeles Lakers out of the first round of the NBA playoffs after winning Game 3 by the score of 120-89 Friday night. The loss for the Lakers was their worst during the NBA playoffs at home in franchise history.

Tony Parker added 20 points and dished out seven assists as San Antonio dominated the contest from start to finish, while the Lakers struggled to find any unity with their top four guards sidelined because of various injuries.

Dwight Howard led the way for Los Angeles by scoring 25 points and grabbing 11 boards, while Pau Gasol posted his first career postseason triple-double by scoring 11 points, pulling down 13 rebounds and dishing out 10 assists. Even with those stellar performances, San Antonio proved that they were way too much for a squad that was without both Steve Nash and Kobe Bryant. Darius Morris did score 24 points and Andrew Goudelock put up 20 points, which is a career-high for him, as the Lakers starting back court.

The San Antonio Spurs can complete the sweep in Game 4, which will be played Sunday night.

Tony Parker and San Antonio Spurs roll past Lakers in 2nd half, up 2-0

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Tony Parker and San Antonio SpursTony Parker and San Antonio Spurs roll past Lakers in 2nd half, up 2-0

Tony Parker and San Antonio Spurs turned up their level of play in the second half to run past the Los Angeles Lakers by the score of 102-91 Wednesday night as they now lead the NBA playoffs series 2-0.

Parker scored 24 of his 28 total points in the second half, to go along with seven assists in the Spurs win. Kawhi Leonard and Tim Duncan each put up 16 points, Manu Ginobili chipped in 13 points and Matt Bonner put up 10 points for San Antonio in their well balanced attack.

Steve Blake and Dwight Howard each put up 16 points while Pau Gasol and Metta World Peace each had 13 points for the Lakers. With that being said, no other player scored in double-digits as Los Angeles shot only 45 percent for the game.

Now the series shifts to Los Angeles for Game 3, which will be played Friday night.

San Antonio Spurs dominate Lakers from start to finish in Game 1 win

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San Antonio SpursSan Antonio Spurs dominate Lakers from start to finish in Game 1 win

San Antonio Spurs guards Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili put up 18 points each as their team took control during the first quarter and never let up, beating the Los Angeles Lakers by the score of 91-79 at home Sunday to take a 1-0 series lead in their NBA playoffs matchup.

Tim Duncan recorded a double-double with 17 points and 10 boards, Matt Bonner added 10 points and Kawhi Leonard chipped in eight points and grabbed 11 rebounds for the Spurs.

Pau Gasol scored 16 points and pulled down 16 rebounds, Dwight Howard added 20 points and grabbed 15 rebounds and Steve Nash returned to the Lakers lineup to chip-in 16 points for Los Angeles.

Despite double-doubles from both Gasol and Howard, the Los Angeles Lakers could not take advantage of their presence inside, as the San Antonio Spurs showed why they are the more elite team.

Los Angeles Lakers clinch seventh seed with OT win over Rockets

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Los Angeles Lakers ClinchLos Angeles Lakers clinch seventh seed with OT win over Rockets

The Los Angeles Lakers clinch the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference Wednesday night as the eked by the Houston Rockets by the score of 99-95 at home in overtime.

With the crowd going crazy throughout the night, giving the game a playoff atmosphere, things really quieted down when the Rockets’ Chandler Parsons made a three-point shot at the buzzer of regulation to tie the game and send it into OT. But for the Lakers, what’s another five minutes to what’s been a roller-coaster of an NBA regular season from start to finish?

Los Angeles outscored Houston 9-5 in the extra session to seal the win and earn the right to face the San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the NBA playoffs. Pau Gasol posted the seventh triple-double of his career by scoring 17 points, grabbing 20 rebounds and dishing out 11 assists in what was easily his best performance of the year.

Without both Steve Nash and Kobe Bryant on the court for the Lakers, Steve Blake and Dwight Howard stepped up to aid their team to victory. Blake finished with 24 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, while Howard looked like a true leader by scoring 16 points, grabbing 18 rebounds, blocking four shots and recording three steals in the Los Angeles’ win.

It’s been one of the most bizarre season’s we have ever seen from the Los Angeles Lakers organization, however they seem to be clicking at the right time while avoiding embarrassment by sneaking into the NBA playoffs on the final day of the regular season. How far can they go? Only time will tell, and their journey starts Sunday in San Antonio.

Los Angeles Lakers edge out Warriors despite Stephen Curry’s 47 points

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Los Angeles LakersLos Angeles Lakers edge out Warriors despite Stephen Curry‘s 47 points

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry was on fire from the opening-tip, but the Los Angeles Lakers escaped with a much needed victory Friday night as they won by the score of 118-116.

Curry exploded for 47 points on 17 of 31 shooting, including 9 of 15 from beyond the arc, while dishing out nine assists and grabbing six rebounds.

Kobe Bryant, after a slow start, finished the game with 34 points on 9 of 21 shooting, including 4 of 8 from three-point land, along with making 12 of 16 free throw attempts.

Pau Gasol played his best game of the season, posting a triple double with 26 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. His counterpart in the middle, Dwight Howard, put up 28 points and pulled down seven rebounds in the Lakers win.

With the win, the Los Angeles Lakers kept pace with the Utah Jazz to remain one game ahead of them for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Los Angeles Lakers edge out Memphis Grizzlies, remain West’s 8th seed

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Los Angeles LakersLos Angeles Lakers edge out Memphis Grizzlies, remain West’s 8th seed

Kobe Bryant scored 24 points and dished out nine assists while Pau Gasol put up 19 points as the Los Angeles Lakers held on to the final playoff spot in the Western Conference Friday night after beating the Memphis Grizzlies by the score of 86-84 at home.

Dwight Howard made a free throw with four seconds remaining prior to playing good defense on Mike Conley‘s final field goal attempt, and Los Angeles won their third game in a row. The Lakers hold an ever so slight lead of a half a game over the Utah Jazz for the eighth seed.

Howard scored nine points and pulled down 10 rebounds, while Antawn Jamison and Earl Clark put up 13 points each as Los Angeles got the win without injured starters Metta World Peace and Steve Nash. The Los Angeles Lakers also avoided the season sweep of the Memphis Grizzlies, who saw their four game winning streak come to an end.

Pau Gasol should come off the bench for the Los Angeles Lakers

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Pau GasolPau Gasol should come off the bench for the Los Angeles Lakers

It’s no secret that the Los Angeles Lakers aren’t having the season they were expected to, and Pau Gasol hasn’t exactly helped their cause.

Gasol played alongside a fully healthy Lakers starting lineup Monday night versus the Golden State Warriors. It was only the 19th time Gasol has been in the starting lineup this season, and Los Angeles loss for the 13th time out of those 19 games.

Gasol pulled down eight rebounds while playing 22 minutes of that contest, which was the only good thing he did. He shot only 3 of 8 from the field and made 1 of 4 free throw attempts on his way to seven total points.

What’s even worse is the fact that Gasol’s performance against the Warriors was better than his previous game versus the Washington Wizards, which was his first game back after missing approximately two months due to an injury of a torn plantar fascia in his foot. Pau Gasol ended that game scoring only four points on 2 of 10 shooting, while the Lakers let an 18 point lead slip away into another loss.

Prior to Gasol’s first game back from injury, Lakers head coach Mike D’Antoni told reporters that he thought of easing the big man back into the rotation by starting him out as a reserve. However, he ultimately decided to start him.

The Los Angeles Lakers big four of Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Dwight Howard and Gasol was the reason for all the hype surrounding this team during the preseason. Unfortunately, out of the seven games those same four players have all been in the starting lineup together this season, the Lakers are yet to find themselves in the win column.

Pau GasolWhether D’Antoni is the right coach for this team is a meaningless argument at this point of the NBA season because it’s way too late in the year to make a second coaching change.

So, for an NBA season that has gone as poorly as this one has for Los Angeles, who’s record currently sits at 36-35, the question becomes which of the four superstars is most to blame?

The answer seems pretty obvious. The 2012-13 season for Pau Gasol has been a complete and utter nightmare.

Gasol’s shooting percentage (.445) and scoring average (12.9) are career lows for the 12 year veteran. His rebounding average (8.0) and free throw percentage (.694) are not far from career lows either.

With all that being said, Gasol is far too talented, and expensive, to keep off the floor. He is set to make over $19 million next season. So, perhaps the best spot for Pau Gasol is to come off the bench, which is the exact role he was in earlier this year when he voiced his displeasure. But do the Los Angeles Lakers really have any other choice?

Los Angeles Lakers lose as Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol return

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Los Angeles LakersLos Angeles Lakers lose as Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol return

With both Pau Gasol and Kobe Bryant returning to the Los Angeles Lakers starting lineup after missing time due to injuries, they couldn’t help their team get a home win over one of the worst club’s in the league, the Washington Wizards, as they loss by the score of 103-100 Friday night.

Wizards forward Trevor Ariza made seven shots from beyond the arc, a career-high for him, as he scored a game-high 25 points to go along with John Wall, who put up 24 points and dished out 16 assists in helping Washington comeback from being down 18 points in the second half to get the victory.

Kobe Bryant finished with 21 points and 11 assists, Dwight Howard added 20 points and 15 rebounds and Pau Gasol put up only four points and pulled down eight rebounds as the Los Angeles Lakers record fell to 36-34 on the NBA season.