In Tinseltown, We Could Have A New Lead Singer

Perhaps, as early as now in the playoff season, it might be a good time for the Los Angeles Lakers to think about their main man. I am not talking about making adjustments for Kobe Bryant. Rather, it's about the team making adjustments for another star.

Yes, Bryant might have been terrific this season, and this even extended into the playoffs. He might have six game-winning shooters, still on the top five to grab Most Valuable Player honors, and even saved his team from a home loss against the Thunder, tallying 39 points while giving OKC guards Russell Westbrook and Thabo Sefolosha a hard time on the Lakers' D. In a way, I agree that Kobe Bryant still has the fuel to lead Los Angeles to the playoffs.


But not as much as I did back in 2009. With a lot of injuries, most especially the avulsion fracture in his right index finger, things might be hard for him to lead the Lakers. To place the burden on this banged up superstar would be, I think, unfair for the team and for himself as well. Unfair for the Lakers, because they still have a lot of stars, healthier than Bryant, who could facilitate and take the right shots, and for him, because to put the burden of leadership to a nearly-disabled role player would not allow him to adjust and improve while in the state of injury. Phil Jackson, in one interview, even highlighted that he either has to shoot less or not shoot at all, considering the state of his injury.



Yes, Mamba should kind of step down and offer the post of top Laker, temporarily, to someone else. And the question would be: who? But then, I believe this is pretty obvious.

We have a leader in the name of Pau Gasol.


This is the Pau Gasol who carried the Lakers to their 10-game winning streak way back in '08 after being shipped from Memphis. He was the one who was branded as soft two years ago, but came back in the Finals and locked Dwight Howard down, largely contributing to the four precious Finals wins. He was the one, along with Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom, who took the burden of scoring once Kobe Bryant gets cold.

And all these reasons are, I think, enough for him to be called as the new "El Rey" of the Los Angeles Lakers. Gasol has been leading the Lakers in terms of efficiency. I have to admit that my claim does not include the nitty-gritty of statistics, but I believe that hours of watching and reviewing Lakers games could prove my point.

Gasol's build, a seven-foot forward/center who could score and defend from both inside and outside, is just what the triangle offense needs, and, he has been indoctrinated into the system quite quickly, even faster than either Ron Artest or Shaquille O'Neal for that matter. With the ball in his hands within ten-twelve feet of the basket, he is dangerous. He can dish a quick pass to a cutter or to a fellow big man (watch what he and Andrew Bynum does in the early part of the season), back down and force himself down the basket, or simply settle for a "soft" jump shot, which threatens the tight zone defense of the opponent to loosen up and decrease pressure from the paint. When I heard of Gasol complaining to Kobe about getting passes, most of the Lakers fans and analysts, myself included, knew that Pau meant well for the Lakers. It's not about getting the glory; rather, it's about taking the crown.


The glass is where Pau improved this season. You might give him the demerit of being too lazy in boxing out during Lakers losses, but the fact that frequent double-doubles in points and rebounds in most Laker wins would outweigh his mistakes. Together with Bynum in recent winning games with him, they averaged for more than twenty-five boards, and a lot of them on the offensive end, allowing the Lakers to grab second-chance opportunities, which could prove crucial in tight, down-the-wire games. If not for the injuries, Gasol might have been one of the top ten best rebounders for this season. For a championship team, hustling for the boards will be very important, and Gasol provides this boost for the Lakers.



So with this, we could say that he is the guy-to-go. Don't get me wrong, Kobe is still the head of the Lakers team, as he knows how to really motivate and drive, even carry the burden at times, his team to their second title. But then, considering his "incapabilities," he might want to share the responsibility with his Spanish friend. After all, Gasol had taken the harder way before, when he was in Memphis.