After the exciting additions of the elderly 2-time NBA MVP Steve Nash and the 3-time Defensive Player of the Year Dwight Howard, the Lakers were supposed to challenge the Heat for the championship. Yes, the hype was that strong where the thought was the Lakers would just bypass the reigning western conference champion Thunder, the dynamic Chris Paul-led Clippers, the seasoned Spurs, and anyone else who would stand in their way. Fast-forward 58 games, four months, a head coaching change, a countless number of injuries, drama between the team’s two marquee players, the arrival of Kobe Bryant on twitter, the passing of arguably the NBA’s greatest owner ever, and the Lakers are a pedestrian 28-30, 2 1/2 games back of the eighth seed in the playoffs.
How the hell did we get to this point? We were supposed to challenge the top teams in the league but have now had to resort to rooting for the Rockets and Jazz to lose every night hoping that if they suck just a little more than we do, we might be able to sneak into the playoffs and somewhat salvage this abominable season. The Lakers have been playing better as of late winning 11 of their last 16 and 5 of their last 9 without Gasol against teams they had to beat also competing for that last spot in the west, the Trail Blazers and Mavericks as well as their eastern conference rival Celtics who beat them down a few weeks before.
While the injury to Gasol came at a time where the Lakers were catching steam, it looks like the offense has operated a lot better without him on the floor. How can that be though? Why would the Lakers improve without one of the best big men in the league? Most offensive problems can be solved by spacing. Not all, but most. Howard’s game does not allow for another big man to co-operate inside the paint. His game does not stretch out far enough to let Gasol have space in the key. Bynum’s game worked much better compatibility-wise with Gasol’s than Howard’s because Bynum could consistently hit short to mid-range shots so he was able to keep the defenses honest or make them pay . Yes, that is a video of him at practice shooting with no defenders, but you look at his form and the consistency in his release along with game footage the last couple of years and it is obvious he isn’t purely a back-to-the basket center. He could slide out of the key and allow Gasol to make moves in the paint without dragging his defender to Gasol.
The video below, starting at :17 seconds shows Howard (who is still with the Magic in this video) with the ball taking one dribble then two steps into the key right before he releases the left-handed hook. The terrible part is that he acts like its a big deal he made a shot with his left-hand, something that an elite center should learn how to do after five or six years in the league.
As Laker fans, we see this move all the time. Howard catches the ball then takes two huge steps through the key and ends almost on the other side of the key. How is Gasol supposed to set-up on the other side of the key, or anywhere near the paint for that matter, if Howard runs across the key like that? That is why so many times you will see him either get hit and fouled as he is going across the lane, or stripped because he has dragged a number of defenders to him. Either way, it limits where Gasol can set up and forces him to essentially evacuate anywhere within ten feet of the hoop knowing that when Howard gets the ball he wants to do that one move because his offensive game is so limited. That is why Gasol has been pushed out of the key for most of the season marginalized to low-percentage, out-of-rhythm long two’s. Simply, there is just not enough key for both of them to co-exist.
I’m not saying this is a completely ineffective move by Howard. It worked for him in Orlando. Look at that team that beat LeBron and went on to play the Lakers and it’s easy to see why. He was surrounded by slashers and shooters galore: Hedo Turkoglu, Rashard Lewis, Courtney Lee, Raefer Alston, J.J. Redick, Jameer Nelson, and Mickael Pietrus. It was his team and his key.
With Gasol out, Howard can do what he does best knowing that most guys are floating around the perimeter anyway and he has more space to operate because the next biggest guy is Jamison or Clark, guys who don’t make their living exclusively in the paint. With only 24 games remaining, the Lakers will have to figure out a way to get some big win’s and it starts tonight against Minnesota.
The saga continues.
Lakers Lane 