Friday, December 21st, 2012 at 10:15 am  |  65 responses

Mike D’Antoni Promised Pau Gasol He Won’t Bench Him at Crunch Time Anymore


Instead of sniping at each other through the media, Los Angeles Lakers head coach Mike D’Antoni and power forward Pau Gasol had dinner to hash things out. According to the LA Times, D’Antoni assured Gasol that he would no longer bench him at crunchtime (something that has infuriated the Spaniard this season.): “Gasol said he wanted the ball in the post instead of on the perimeter and also asked to play in crunch time, among the topics discussed with D’Antoni at a Manhattan Beach restaurant. ‘It was to make sure we’re in the same boat,’ Gasol said. ‘We’re trying to reach the same goal. Let’s communicate. Hopefully, we can meet halfway on some points.’ D’Antoni told Gasol he would no longer be benched in crucial situations, according to a person familiar with the conversation. Gasol has been benched three times in the fourth quarter since D’Antoni was hired, including the last 2 minutes 36 seconds of the Lakers 101-100 victory Tuesday over Charlotte. It was Gasol’s first game after sitting out eight in a row because of tendinitis in his knees. [...] D’Antoni was the initiator of the meeting, suggesting they get dinner, something he would do with players individually from time to time. Was he making sure he wasn’t ‘losing’ Gasol? ‘I didn’t think I was,’ D’Antoni said. ‘But I wanted to make sure he knew what my vision was for him and the team and see if that’s all good. Then we’ll tweak it or not tweak it. I thought he was great and gave me a lot of insight into a lot of things. It was more of a feeling-out process and what makes him feel comfortable. He’s a very intelligent basketball player. Why wouldn’t I get his opinion about a lot of things?’ Gasol’s numbers have dipped significantly this season. He is averaging 12.4 points and 8.8 rebounds, and shooting only 41.3%. Gasol didn’t talk about increased touches with D’Antoni but, rather, specific places he wanted the ball. He doesn’t feel comfortable with it so far from the basket, the norm for him in D’Antoni’s offense. ‘We didn’t even really talk about [number of] touches because I don’t believe in that,’ D’Antoni said. ‘But I believe in him being involved.’”

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  • shockexchange

    The PG who ran “the most efficient offense in the history of the NBA” and Cuban had reservations about re-signing him because he was 30 yrs old and lacked supreme athletic ability? Yeah, that’s media spin. Cuban didn’t think the Nash/Dirk combo could get them past the WCF, but Cuban didn’t want to say it publicly. This convo is the Shock Exchange’s sly way of saying that Nash’s “efficient offense” may be fun to watch, but it won’t necessarily lead to a chip. Cuban proved that a decade ago when he let Nash walk.

  • LakeShow

    “When did I judge them?”
    ——————————-

    “Don’t think it’s going to matter much when the playoffs get here.”
    ———————————————————————————–

    When did the Spurs last prove that they could do it all together and against what competition?

    Spurs are always said to be in the hunt, but when you come home with nothing to eat hunt after hunt…

    Gasol and Kobe have proved it more recently.

    They have a better center and a better PG than when they won too. They just have a lesser coach.

  • ByAnyMeansNecessary

    Kobe’s game hasn’t declined in any obvious fashion since 2007? Wow lol. if that were true, he’d still be the best player in the league…which he clearly isn’t. Ridiculous. Kobe’s FG% has been declining as the season has gone on. His explosiveness is nowhere near where it was in 07 even with the surgery. When you have to shoot more and more to score, it’s a sign that you’re losing it. Since 08-09, his FG% has gotten worse each season. He started shooting about 50% this season but he’s now at 48% and I wouldn’t be surprised if it continues to worsen. All you ever have to support your point of view is the points stat. Your favorite stat when it comes to Kobe is points. He could be shooting 40% and you’d still be talking about how many points he’s scoring.

  • ByAnyMeansNecessary

    You still didn’t say when I judged them. Probably because I didn’t. The Spurs have had no turnover in their core. The Lakers two best players aren’t who they used to be. Kobe’s not who he used to be (regardless of what you think), Gasol isn’t what he used to be, Odom is gone, and MWP isn’t capable of stopping any of the top notch wing players anymore. They have a better PG and a better center, true. And that would be great if Kobe and Gasol were as good as they were 3 seasons ago when they last won. But they’re not.

  • ByAnyMeansNecessary

    Given what happened last season with him, I’m not believing anything until the contract is signed.

  • LakeShow

    “Don’t think it’s going to matter much when the playoffs get here.”

    That’s a judgement… And that’s fine, but it’s a judgement.

    Your right KB is not what he use to be. Neither is any player in thier 30′s. They adapt their game.(If their good) He hasn’t taken a major step back in anyway offensively. His defense isn’t as good, but he can still show out for stretches.

    The Lakers 2nd best player(arguably their best) is Dwight not Pau. And their most important player hasn’t played with his favorite coach yet. Artest can guard Melo, Durant, Bron, Gay as well as anyone else outside of a few of the best.

  • shockexchange

    You’re right, Horry Jr has declined, though it has been masked by his scoring average. The key to his season has been (i) his shooting % was higher than normal, though it has dropped recently to around 48%, (ii) he leads the L in FG attemps (21/game) and (iii) he is taking more free throws than anyone in the L except James Harden and D12. Horry Jr is averaging about 9 FT’s per game, the second most in his career. Yet, he doesn’t play with the same reckless abandon as he did when he was younger. It’s a long-winded way of saying dude is leading the L in scoring because he “is being carried by the refs.”

  • LakeShow

    Okay well when his FG% does dip you can start b*tching. Until then it’s useless fodder. You thought he was going to stay at 55% all year or something lol?

    He’s getting to the rack as well as EVER. Look it up I don’t have time to do it for you. So losing his explosiveness hasn’t changed him much.

    Sorry, missed when I told you that Points was the most important or even equally important or even talked about points at all…. can you point that out for me? No, because I didn’t… oh okay cool…

    Pretty sure (100% sure) I listed Points, Rebounds, Assists, FG%…. Does that sound like points to you? Once again, great straw man!

    So since he is taking 20.7 FGA’s this year at 48%, that means that he isn’t as good as when it was 2007 and he was taking … the exact same amount at a worse FG%… Got it…..

    …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

  • shockexchange

    Co-sign. (Beyonce voice) “If he liked it then he woulda put a ring on … Uh Oh … Uh Oh … Uh Oh … Uh Ohhhh, Ohhhh, Ohhhh”

  • LakeShow

    …

  • RunNGun

    Then… Pau got traded. LOL Way to go, Pringles-man!

  • http://www.facebook.com/evan.boland Evan Boland

    Him and Bron in ’07. Him and Bron now. Now much has changed, other than Durant’s coming into his own.

  • http://www.facebook.com/evan.boland Evan Boland

    ………… And Ron won with LA, too. And Jackson hardly play’s, lol. Marc Gasol is not tougher than Pau, he’s a soft fat boy. Kobe, Shaq and Lebron are the best since Jordan. Than Duncan and Garnett.

  • Ron

    Why leave LA? I’m guessing he probably loves LA so why not the clippers? How intriguing would that b lol

  • Paul Robinson

    D. Antoni is a foo for not letting this team mesh.

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