Monday, January 28th, 2013 at 10:50 am  |  71 responses

Pau Gasol Says the Lakers are Playing Their Own System Not Mike D’Antoni’s


Los Angeles Lakers head coach Mike D’Antoni’s ongiong troubles selling his offensive system to his skeptical stars has been well-documented. And despite the team seemingly having turned something of a corner lately, Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol remain skeptical of D’Antoni’s philosophy. Both big men spoke last night of not always following their coach‘s plan, with Gasol doing so more explicitly. Per the OC Register and la Liga Endesa (a report which was roughly translated from Spanish): “I’ve accepted it because nothing is really ideal right now, nothing is perfect or great,’ Gasol said. ‘We’re going to put team functioning and team success first and that’s what I’m doing. I’m accepting that and whatever the coach decides, whether I like it or not or whether I agree with it or not, I’m still going to go out there and do my job and do the things that I can do.’ [...] ‘I do not know if we are playing D’Antoni system much right now, we are playing our own system a bit, with a slow passing game, putting the ball a lot in Kobe Bryant’s hands, playing the blocks … and distributing the ball very well. We’ll see if we can continue playing like this,’ said Gasol in the locker room. ‘With aggressive defense, and when facing tall and athletic players, we have to move the ball and the defense. If we force situations and abuse the one-on-one, then we are doing our opponents a favor. We are dangerous when we are not predictable,’ he said.”

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  • Caboose

    Just keep doing what you’re doing.

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    this is absolutely misleading SLAM. i mean, the words in this article are just flat out false.

    .

    He didn’t say they “don’t always follow their coach’s plan” – LITERALLY NOWHERE does it say or even imply that.

    .

    This is what it reads, ”

    .”I’ve accepted it because nothing is really ideal right now, nothing is perfect or great,” Gasol said. “We’re going to put team functioning and team success first and that’s what I’m doing. I’m accepting that and whatever the coach decides, whether I like it or not or whether I agree with it or not, I’m still going to go out there and do my job and do the things that I can do.” – Where does it say he is ignoring his coach? It says, even if he doesn’t agree with the coach, he’s going to go out there and do his job.

    .

    in other words, while remaining skeptical, the Lakers are buying in by doing what the coach asks.

    .

    And this part? “I do not know if we are playing D’Antoni system much right now, we are playing our own system a bit” – it implies that D’Antoni has adjusted his system to fit the team. Not that the team has ignored his order, and spontaneously created something on their own.

    .
    this is so completely misleading.

  • http://twitter.com/thursti_tyht Thurstian Tsui

    Lol Slam twisting Pau’s words to get more views on the article.

  • Redd

    It’s nothing new, Slam always does this and it’s horrible journalism.

  • bike

    Just watch these guys go on a 10-12 game run now with Kobe averaging some crazy assist number. Then when asked what seems to be working the LA players will say ‘coach? we don’t need no stinkin’ coach’.

  • pposse

    saw a little bit of the game yesterday and noticed some Hi Lo action with Pau and Dwight, they should be sticking to that as often as possible imo.

  • Yesse

    The way they played last game was great and i didn’t see alot of D’Antoni in that one. They should just play without a coach or get a soft coach that follows the players, lol.

  • spit hot fiyah

    Bernie bickerstaff just keeps on looking like a genius

  • The Mauve Avenger

    Wow, well said nbk. Come on Slam you’re better than this.

  • zogs19994

    HOLY SHlT

    .

    YOU HAVE NO

    .

    LIFE.

    .

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    I’m a 25 year old with a house, family, career, and hobby.
    .
    How’s that 5th year of high school?

  • zogs19994

    NBK:
    -
    FAMILY = MOM
    CAREER = SLAM COMMENTER
    HOBBY = COMMENTING ON SLAM
    -
    AND IM NOT IN HS WTF…

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    Oh you edited it, that’s cute.
    .
    You gonna get offended when I imply you are still in HS? Really? All while trying to offend me? Do better man. And come up with something better too. This is pathetic.

  • The Philosopher

    SLAM is still the g.o.a.t.

  • shutup

    ‘I do not know if we are playing D’Antoni system much right now, we are playing our own system a bit, with a slow passing game, putting the ball a lot in Kobe Bryant’s hands, playing the blocks … not quite what the headline says but they did say it’s a rough translation from a Spanish newspaper. Your conclusion from it while it may not be wrong is an opinion, one can draw a completely different conclusion; one more in tune with the headline, that’s not really my opinion. Just playing Devil’s advocate.

  • Peter Maguire

    It is really like D’Antoni has deferred to Bick and asked him to analyze it because his method truly worked the best. Kobe as facilitator is great but he really isn’t such a great ballhandler. Hope to see Nash and Kobe work more in this same fashion. Nash did need to shoot more that is for sure and the Off balance swinging the ball around is going to help the bigs!

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    so? they wrote this, ” Both big men spoke last night of not always following their coach‘s plan, with Gasol doing so more explicitly.” which is blatantly false. There is no mention of that anywhere in this at all.

  • Peter Maguire

    I have a feeling this is all instigated by Kobe and probably Pau, they want to win at a level way above anything Nash or Howard even understand. Nash could easily become player coach and obviously Kobe’s coaching from the sidelines with more enthusiasm than anyone has seen him have all season. MAybe D’Antoni went at it with Kobe and said if you can do it better -then do it! Well don’t challenge Kobe he always has to win, at everything. I do think he might be a great coach down the road too, very much into the game and the mental approach, he has Phil to thank for that.

  • shutup

    This is an article written about two different articles, I have no idea what was written in those articles, that’s why I didn’t touch on the subject. I am too lazy to look up those articles either, nor the post game press conference that was alluded too. As for the more explicitly, maybe that is in reference to Pau doing two interviews on the subject, one for the OC Register and the other the Spanish newspaper (la Liga Endesa). As for the so almost all news media outlets do this with their headline, journalism 101, much like an opening statement in a courtroom, it has to be based on a truth but you have some room for interpretation and embellishment.

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    so why say they spoke about not following the coaches plan, and not provide any evidence that was said whatsoever?
    .
    i think it’s more likely, they saw a direction they could spin this to get clicks, and went that way. i mean, that does happen like every single day around here.

  • shutup

    The quote they provided implied that they are not following D’Antoni’s system. Maybe he has retooled it and this is his “new” system, but then they aren’t following what has come to be known as his system, but Pau clearly says that this is their system, “we are playing our own system a bit, with a slow passing game, putting the ball a lot in Kobe Bryant’s hands, playing the blocks … and distributing the ball very well. “

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    right, it implies D’Antoni deviated from his normal system. It doesn’t imply they are ignoring the guy, or coaching themselves.

    .

    and then people are trying to give credit to Bernie Bickerstaff?

    .

    It comes down to, in LA, if the coach isn’t Phil Jackson, he can’t get any credit when things go right.

    .

    LA’s record with Kobe shooting more than 20 shots = 6-26

    .

    In all the years D’Antoni led a winning team, he never had a player shoot more than 18 shots a game.

    .
    I mean, the writing is on the wall, if everyone buys in, the team will be formidable..the blaming D’Antoni thing is and always has been, misplaced.

  • Nope

    http://www.acb.com/redaccion.php?id=91078

    “i don’t know if we are playing in mike d’antoni’s system right now, we are kind of playing in our own system a bit”

    that’s not twisting the words that far. it’s the equivalent of stretching me saying i might sell my house to “he’s planning to sell the house!” it’s typical journalism, practiced by every major news outlet in every country in the world. welcome to the news.

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    Did you honestly just quote something to me that i quoted twice? read what you are responding to before you respond please.
    .
    i mean honestly, this is the first sentence in the comment you responded too,
    - “right, it implies D’Antoni deviated from his normal system. It doesn’t imply they are ignoring the guy, or coaching themselves.”

  • shutup

    There is a direct correlation with Kobe’s assist numbers going up with the teams success. I hope it is the coach making the changes; I like D’Antoni; but with the quote “we are playing our own system a bit” it looks like the players or Pau are/is trying to take credit for it, so it sort of justifies the headline.

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    Our own, meaning the Lakers. Not our own, meaning the players.

    .

    D’Antoni has the 7 seconds or less system. It’s what he’s famous for, it’s what you think of when people say, “D’Antoni’s system”

    .

    now, everyone is going to be naive enough to think the whole team is staging a coup against their coach?

    .
    i understand why SLAM published this the way they did, don’t defend it though. It’s not indicative of reality.

  • Alex
  • The Philosopher

    nbk is a… BEAST!

  • …

    Coach.. who needs a coach… This is the magic mamba system. And Kobe will give this way of playing a go until the other players stop making their open shots on a regular basis and then he goes back to shooting 25-30 times a game.

    It all depends on if Artest can make his outside shots, Gasol makes the ft/elbow jumper, Meeks and Jamison hit their open shots etc.

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    Wanna see a direct Correlation?

    .

    D’Antoni’s career win % on teams with his main scorer shooting less than 18 shots a game, = 56%

    .

    Which includes 1 season of a terrible Phoenix team (2003-04) and 2 really terrible New York Teams.

    .

    .The Lakers record when Kobe shoots 20 shots or more = 6-26

    .The Lakers record when Kobe shoots 19 or less shots = 13-3
    (3 of those games coming under Mike Brown, and the Lakers went 1-2)
    .
    Seems like, if EVERYONE buys in, the team wins. D’Antoni, again, is not the problem.
    .

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    lol nah man, i’m just sick of everyone leaning on the media, like they are going to peddle out good info.

  • zogs19994

    AHAHHA YOU STILL HAVE 3000 PARAGRAPHS….THAT TAKES A LOT OF FRIDAY NIGHTS….
    I WONT LET IT GO BRO….YOURE A LOSER, GO GET SOME FRESH AIR, SMOKE SOME WEED….

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    over the last about 2 years, i’ve commented 3,000ish times (considering, if you look at an article from 2 years ago that i commented on, you will see SLAM (or Disqus) attributed it to my account. – which equals about 10 comments a day total. —- Considering I’ve commented about 100 times today alone, 3,000 really isn’t a big deal over that amount of time).
    .
    Oh no, 3 sentences and math? no way you read this.
    .
    oh, and, i do buddy.
    .
    (i haven’t really commented 100 times today, not even close. that was a horrid exaggeration)

  • The Philosopher

    You know me, man… lol.

  • The Philosopher

    As the beef of the year II continues…

  • MUBWAR

    damn u 2 need a room. actually u have 1. it’s called disqus

  • http://twitter.com/apowellAdvocate Allen Powell II

    I agree with Shut up. It implies that they are no longer playing Mike D’s system. Now, whether that is due to Mike D or the players isn’t addressed explicitly.

  • robb

    it’s the bernie bickerstaff’s system

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    And we are just going to assume the players are staging a coup against their coach? As rational adults?

  • http://twitter.com/apowellAdvocate Allen Powell II

    Would this be the first time players have staged coup? What part of Mike D’s offense typically includes hi-low action?
    Didn’t the Lakers admit to doing the same thing last year to Mike Brown by busting out some triangle action although in that case they said it “just happened” sometimes?
    Come on man it’s not far-fetched at all the players decided they weren’t going to do what D’Antoni wanted and instead were going to run what they thought worked best.

  • Bruce

    Hey NBK,

    Can you please stop leaving really long comments,

    its really annoying.

    And you had about 1500 comments last month…so your a liar!

    - thx

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    With Shaq and Amar’e? A lot.

    With Amar’e and Diaw? A lot. —- ?

    .

    Pau Gasol is essentially playing the same exact role Diaw did (especially in those minutes without Kobe or Nash on the court, when LA grabbed the lead? you watched the game right?)

    .

    He’s just not going all the way to the 3pt line…..

    .

    And you are going to watch Kobe play back to back games of 14 assists, and less than 12 shots, and say the team as a whole has just decided to go against the coach? When the coaches system, is reliant on a team game? What sense does that make to you?

    .

    Why would Kobe become exactly what D’Antoni needs him to become in a game where they are doing the opposite of what D’Antoni asks?

    .

    And how many times has a team staged a coup (pronounced coo) that fit right into his coaches gameplan? Metta World Peace has led the team in shot attempts each of the last 2 games, and the team is doing the opposite of what D’Antoni is asking? in what world does that make sense?

  • MasterSplinter

    nbk…..is….annoying.

  • shutup

    All valid points but all are completely subjective. In life we all have perspectives, the conclusion you draw isn’t necessarily fact, all your evidence is purely circumstantial. “our” could mean the Lakers like you say but it could also mean the players, only thing it can’t mean is D”Antoni’s system but that can be argued as well, whether or not it’s his “traditional” or the system he has been running since being hired by the Lakers, because they arent the same thing, agreed?

    I think Kobe being a willing passer and thus achieving higher assist numbers and and lower shots per game, isn’t a product of a team effort or even a coaching style change, it simply rest on Kobe, these last two games he has played consummate team ball and thus the Lakers are thriving, soon as Kobe reverts to 20+ shots the team will crumble. If Kobe wanted to solidify his place as a “great” he should focus a season on leading the league in assists and therefore showing the all-aroundness of his abilities.

    Jtaylor hit it on the head, feed the big men and they run harder and play better, people are more willing to sacrifice or try harder when their is a reward to be gained, just because these guys are pros doesn’t stop something as chemistry from making a team better.

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    Can you please stop reading my really long comments? That would keep you from getting annoyed. Like skipping over anything else in life.
    .
    And, ok? If i’m wrong i’m wrong. I noticed, while looking at a really old article, that my account was attributed to a comment. Which, (i guess ignorantly) i assumed it would count towards my total.
    .
    I also assumed, (maybe ignorantly as well) that SLAM/Disqus didn’t just press a button that found all my old comments, so i figured they were found (maybe through an automatic IP search? idk) over a length of time (accruing incrementally, instead of all at once, which would explain a 1,500 comment jump in one month). If i’m wrong, my bad?

  • MasterSplinter

    seriously…

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    i know.

  • http://twitter.com/apowellAdvocate Allen Powell II

    Ok. If that’s how you see it, I don’t think I’m going to refute your argument. Personally, I think Gasol’s quote makes it clear that they are not following Mike D’s standard system. Now, whether that is based on changes by the coach or the players, is up for debate.

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    The thing is, I’VE WATCHED A D’ANTONI LED TEAM RUN THIS OFFENSE.
    .
    I realize what is being said is subjective as to what they meant. But considering i have seen this offense before. And there is nowhere, anywhere, that implies the team is going over D’Antoni’s head (so to speak). I am not really confused, or unsure. I am positive, the team is doing what D’Antoni is asking for the most part.
    .
    In fact, from Steve Nash today/last night, “I think guys have really felt [like] a team,” Nash said. “Guys feel really enthusiastic about what’s happening out there. Credit Kobe with being a playmaker and making plays for his teammates.”
    .
    “Steve Nash: “I think sometimes Kobe loses a little bit of faith in his teammates and goes into scoring mode.”
    .
    “it’s so much better, so much more of a team”
    .
    on why the defense is better “that everyone feels apart of the team, the ball is moving, everyone is enthusiastic about what’s happening, credit Kobe as a playmaker”
    .So, the team is having more success playing as a team, everyone is enthusiastic.
    .But you guys want to assume the team is ignoring the coach, and magically every. single. player. bought in, in 2!!!!! games? See where that doesn’t make any sense?
    . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuOIcVKfMhY

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    Mike D changed his system (tweaked is more appropriate, as it’s the same system they ran in certain situations in Phoenix), and Kobe finally bought in. That is obviously what happened.

    .

    You think Steve Nash would be cool with forgoing D’Antoni’s system?

    Do these comments sound like they are coming from anywhere but, Kobe didn’t buy in, so it wasn’t working? ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuOIcVKfMhY )

    .
    Seriously?

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