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Pau Gasol News & Rumors

Chris Paul and Pau Gasol trade barbs
January 26
ESPN.com
 
"If the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers didn't have a rivalry before Wednesday night, they certainly appear to have one now. After Clippers forward Blake Griffin fouled Lakers forward Pau Gasol with 1.1 seconds remaining in the Lakers' 96-91 win, Clippers guard Chris Paul tried to grab the ball from Gasol's hands as the two began jawing at one another. Gasol and Paul continued to talk while Lakers guard Kobe Bryant got in front of the two as Gasol walked to the free throw line. Before Gasol stepped to the line, he smiled and put his hand on top of Paul's head. Paul immediately shoved Gasol's hand away and tapped Gasol on his head. "He tried to touch the top of my head. I don't"
Pau Gasol's rare 3-pointer overtakes Utah Jazz
January 12
Salt Lake Tribune
 
"Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant's second straight 40-point night included only one 3-point shot. More surprisingly, Lakers forward Pau Gasol also made one 3-pointer Wednesday. Take your pick, in regard to which shot helped the Lakers — and hurt the Jazz — the most in the Lakers' 90-87 overtime victory Wednesday night at EnergySolutions Arena. Bryant's 3-pointer came right after Josh Howard missed a shot in the lane that could have given the Jazz a six-point lead early in overtime, so it was big. Yet Gasol's shot may have been bigger. It came with 2:02 remaining and the Lakers trailing by two points. He took a pass from Bryant in the left corner and connected, giving the Lakers an"
Magic Johnson says Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol must step up for Lakers
December 21
Los Angeles Times
 
"Of all the indignities that befell the Lakers in their exhibition opener, one stood out. Magic Johnson acknowledged the other team in town. "For the first time I'm going to be watching Clippers games," he said Tuesday. Who could blame him? The Clippers looked young and fun in a 114-95 dismantling Monday of the Lakers, causing Johnson to point out what the Lakers needed to improve."
Lakers' Radio Host Predicts Dwight Howard to Nets Tuesday
December 20
Lakers Nation
 
"According to Lakers play by play announcer John Ireland it appears the New Jersey Nets are going to land Dwight Howard as soon as tomorrow. On 710 ESPN Radio Ireland stated that he heard a rumor from a source that Howard to the Nets would go down as early as Tuesday. This is the same source that correctly predicted LeBron James and Chris Bosh joining Dwyane Wade in Miami last summer."
Pau Gasol, once a king with Lakers, now just a pawn
December 18
Los Angeles Times
 columnist T.J. Simers
"Pau Gasol was working on his three-point shot the other day before we were scheduled to talk. "We're exploring it," he says. I'm not surprised the Lakers have given up on his toughing it out inside. It wasn't that long ago the Lakers had given up on him all together, nearly banishing him to Houston. That's what happens when you have a bad 10-game playoff stretch with the Lakers. How soon everyone forgets. Gasol was the centerpiece of one of the all-time most lopsided NBA trades, helping the Lakers to advance to the Finals three straight years and win two titles. If you think Kobe Bryant is unhappy now, imagine him still sitting on three rings if the Lakers hadn't acquired Gasol. But now"
Source: CP3-To-Clips Hung Up In Standoff
December 14
NBA.com
 
"The New Orleans Hornets continue to ask for guard Eric Gordon and the unprotected first-round Draft pick originally from the Timberwolves as the central assets in a potential deal with the Clippers for Chris Paul, a league source told TNT's David Aldridge Wednesday morning. But the Clippers remain adamant that the Hornets cannot have both Gordon and the pick and must choose between the two. The standoff is the major impediment in a possible trade between the two teams. While the Hornets are having discussions with other teams about their four-time All-Star guard, including the Lakers, the Clippers' group of assets remains the most desirable and the one that New Orleans wants. The"
Pau Gasol remains in the inside, still looking out
December 14
L.A. Daily News
 
"Lakers forward Pau Gasol concluded Tuesday morning's practice by stepping to the perimeter of the court and swishing one 3-point shot after another. By one very unofficial courtside estimate, he made seven consecutive shots from behind the arc. Not bad for a 7-footer. Gasol has grown accustomed to living outside of his comfort zone lately. "I think there are still talks," he said. "Mitch (Kupchak, the Lakers' general manager,) said it clearly (Monday). The franchise is looking to make moves. One has been made and that just leads to another one and for something else to happen." Gasol referred to the Lakers' trade of Lamar Odom to the Dallas Mavericks."
Pau Gasol drawing energy from trade speculation
December 13
Los Angeles Times
 
"The uncertainty regarding his playing future lingers, and it's something Pau Gasol would like to end quickly. He still wears a Lakers uniform. But he knows he could take it off any day now. Gasol's direct conversation with Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak convinced Kupchak to plan to keep him on the roster. But with the team pursuing what Kupchak called "big deals," hardly anything seems guaranteed. It remains clear, however, that ever since he found out the Lakers tried trading him last week in a deal that would've sent New Orleans Hornets guard Chris Paul to the Lakers, Gasol has properly channeled that negative energy on the practice court. "The level of energy has been really good"
Pau Gasol handles trade speculation differently than Lamar Odom
December 12
Los Angeles Times
 
"The Lakers nearly removed his jersey, but Pau Gasol kept wearing it. The Lakers nearly took his jersey, and Lamar Odom willingly returned it. A strained right quadricep and perhaps mixed emotions kept Gasol away from practice temporarily. A bruised ego kept Odom away permanently. Gasol immediately vowed he wanted to remain a Laker, so much that he arrived at the team's media day Sunday proclaiming himself one for an ESPN Radio promotional spot. Odom immediately vowed he wouldn't report to training camp, so much that he reportedly told General Manager Mitch Kupchak to trade him, something that became official once the Lakers sent him Saturday night to the Dallas Mavericks for a 2012"
Revised deal reached to send Paul to L.A.
December 10
CBSSports.com
 
"The Lakers, Hornets and Rockets reached agreement on the framework of a revised trade sending Chris Paul to the Lakers Saturday, pending the resolution of some moving parts and approval by the commissioner's office, multiple sources told CBSSports.com. Houston would still get Pau Gasol from the Lakers in the three-team swap, while the Rockets would send Luis Scola and Kevin Martin to the Hornets, as in the original version that was killed by commissioner David Stern in his role as final decision-maker on major personnel moves for the league-owned Hornets. It wasn't immediately clear how the Hornets were satisfying the league directive to acquire young players and valuable draft picks in"
Chris Paul trade talks remain in full swing
December 10
New Orleans Times-Picayune
 
"Well, that was awkward. A day after packing for Los Angeles, only to have his trade to the Lakers nixed by the NBA, New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul unexpectedly showed up for the first day of training camp Friday at the Alario Center. Still, it might have been just a cameo. Hornets General Manager Dell Demps said he is resuming trade discussions for his four-time All-Star and didn't rule out revisiting the Lakers and Houston in trying to consummate a deal that would get league approval. "Yes, people are still calling, and we're calling people,'' Demps said Friday. "So we're confident we can get a deal.'' Demps, though, didn't have a timetable on when a deal will be completed."
Hornets, Lakers, Rockets resume Paul talks
December 9
Yahoo! Sports
 
"The New Orleans Hornets, Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers have resumed negotiations in an attempt to find a way to complete a blockbuster trade that would send Chris Paul to L.A., league sources told Yahoo! Sports. "All three teams are engaged," one source told Y! Sports. "Not sure if it will work." The resumption of talks comes less than 24 hours after the three teams agreed on a trade only to have NBA commissioner David Stern veto it. Stern released a statement on Friday saying he blocked the trade because the league-owned Hornets were "better served with Chris in a Hornets uniform than by the outcome of the terms of that trade.""
Stern kills Lakers' deal for Paul
December 8
Yahoo! Sports
 
"NBA commissioner David Stern has killed the New Orleans Hornets' trade of Chris Paul after several owners complained about the league-owned team dealing the All-Star point guard to the Los Angeles Lakers, league sources told Yahoo! Sports. Some owners pushed Stern to demand that trade be nullified, and the Hornets be made to keep Paul on the roster for the foreseeable future, sources said. Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban was one of the most vocal in a chorus of owners irate with the belief that the five-month lockout had happened largely to stop big-market teams from leveraging small-market teams for star players pending free agency. Before Stern intervened, the Lakers had reached an"
Lakers set to land Paul
December 8
Yahoo! Sports
 
"The Los Angeles Lakers are nearing an agreement to acquire All-Star point guard Chris Paul in a three-team trade that will cost them Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom, league sources told Yahoo! Sports. The Lakers are finalizing the trade with the New Orleans Hornets and Houston Rockets. Under the terms of the deal, the Lakers would send Gasol to the Rockets. The Hornets would receive Odom, Rockets guards Kevin Martin and Goran Dragic and forward Luis Scola, league sources said."
Three-team trade discussed that would send Paul to Lakers
December 8
SI.com
 
"The Lakers, Hornets and Rockets are discussing a three-way trade that would send Chris Paul to L.A. and Pau Gasol to Houston, league sources told SI.com. New Orleans would receive Rockets swingman Kevin Martin and center Luis Scola. The Lakers have been in the hunt for Paul since the beginning, but L.A.'s refusal to include Andrew Bynum in any deal for Paul has prevented talks from advancing. The Lakers prefer to hold on to Bynum as the possible centerpiece of trade talks with Orlando for Dwight Howard. The Hornets are not interested in Gasol (who has three years and $57 million left on his deal), but in the last 48 hours they have put out feelers to try and gauge league-wide interest in"
Pau Gasol ready to get back to work with Lakers
December 8
Los Angeles Times
 
"Pau Gasol met with Lakers coaches at the team's training facility Wednesday, a precursor to the expected vote on the new collective bargaining agreement Thursday and the start of training camp Friday. Ready, set, go? Given how things unraveled for the Lakers last season in the playoffs, there remained a possibility that their All-Star forward would have to start fresh with another team. "I guess after the way the season ended last year, it's kind of expected," Gasol said of hearing his name in trade rumors. "I'm looking forward to getting back on the floor and playing hard, playing my best, and I'm sure after that my name won't be brought up.""
Talks slow, but California teams leading race for All-Star Paul
December 8
SI.com
 
"No decision has been made by New Orleans about where to send point guard Chris Paul, but a source with a good read on the talks puts the list of leaders for his services as such: the Lakers, Clippers and Warriors. There are other teams making a push, among them Dallas and Houston, but there are no indications that they're being seriously considered by Hornets general manager Dell Demps. But the situation doesn't begin and end with the Hornets' intentions, since Paul's perspective on where he might agree to stay long-term is a major factor. The Celtics, for example, have the assets (Rajon Rondo) and the incentive, but sources close to Paul says he has no interest in a long-term future in"
Lakers still in hunt to work deal for Hornets' Paul
December 7
NBA.com
 
"The Los Angeles Lakers are not out of the Chris Paul Sweepstakes. A league source involved in the discussions said late Tuesday night that the Lakers are still among the teams the New Orleans Hornets are having advanced discussions with on a potential trade of Paul, the four-time All-Star guard who is seeking a trade after spending his first six seasons in the Big Easy. The Lakers, Clippers, Warriors and Celtics currently have a leg up on other teams that are trying to acquire Paul. Yahoo! Sports had reported earlier Tuesday that the Clippers, Warriors and Celtics had the three best offers on the table for Paul. The Lakers' potential offer would send either center Andrew Bynum or forward"
Sources: Lakers eye blockbuster trades
December 6
ESPN.com
 
"It is no secret that the Los Angeles Lakers would like to trade for Dwight Howard or Chris Paul, but sources with knowledge of the situation say the Lakers actually have something greater in mind: acquiring both players. Hoping to pull off a pair of blockbuster moves that would rock the NBA, the Lakers are willing to trade anyone on their roster outside of Kobe Bryant to bring Howard and Paul to Los Angeles, two sources said. Whether the Lakers are able to make it happen remains to be seen, but with stars Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom on the roster, they have the talent and the financial capacity to make the trades work."
Lakers talking Gasol or Bynum for Chris Paul?
December 5
CBSSports.com
 
"As NBA teams race to spend their Mid-Level Exceptions on the likes of Kwame Brown, Jeff Foster and Samuel Dalembert in free agency, the Los Angeles Lakers lay back in the cut, holding two of the league's premier big men -- Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum -- on their roster. Both players have questions about their long-term fit in L.A. and both ended their 2010-2011 seasons in disappointing fashion. Add up the ever-present demand for quality big men and the Lakers' surplus of potentially ill-fitting low-post parts and it's a recipe for trade rumors galore. Indeed, Yahoo Sports reports that New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul, who is eligible to sign an extension this season but reportedly"
Pau Gasol reportedly to play for Barcelona if NBA cancels season
November 15
Los Angeles Times
 
"Throughout this prolonged NBA lockout, Lakers forward Pau Gasol dismissed the prospects of playing overseas beyond taking part in the FIBA European Championships. Gasol held enough optimism that the owners and players union could at least salvage part of the 2011-2012 season. But with the possibility of a lost season now on the horizon, Gasol reportedly told Spanish media he and his brother, Marc, would play for Barcelona. 'If they cancel the season we would like to play here," Gasol said, according to Slam. "I speak for myself, but Marc would also like to play for Barcelona.""
Magic Johnson inspired Lakers' Pau Gasol in more ways than one
November 6
Los Angeles Times
 
"Like millions of other children around the world, the 11-year-old boy watched the television in horror as Magic Johnson announced he had HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Unlike most others his age, the boy vowed to do something about it. He would become a doctor and seek a cure. His name was Pau Gasol. Saving others was what his family did. His mother was a surgeon in Spain, his father a nurse administrator. It didn't matter to the boy that Johnson, the married Lakers star, announced on Nov. 7, 1991, that he had a virus associated with unsafe sex and intravenous drug use. "My perception didn't change when I heard the news," Gasol said of his childhood hero in an email recently from"
Noah, France fall to Spain in Eurobasket final
September 19
Chicago Tribune
 
"Joakim Noah and the French national team's storybook run to the EuroBasket championship didn't end in storybook fashion Sunday, with the Bulls' center fouling out late in Spain's gold-medal-winning 98-85 victory. However, Noah, who finished with 11 points and eight rebounds, applauded fans as he walked to the bench with 3 minutes, 11 seconds left, a nod to the passionate fans who attended the games in Lithuania along with France's strong run. France earned an automatic berth in the 2012 London Olympics by virtue of advancing to the championship game."
Pau Gasol sprains ankle in European Championships
September 6
Los Angeles Times
 
"Lakers forward Pau Gasol sat out of Spain's 65-57 loss Monday to Turkey in the preliminary round of the European Championships after suffering what the team termed a mild ankle sprain, according to a report from ESPN.com's Mark Woods. Spain had entered Monday's game guaranteed first place in Group A and exercised caution on Gasol, who had reportedly sprained his ankle during Sunday's victory over Lithuania. "He is day-to-day," Spain Coach Sergio Scariolo told reporters. "He's having treatment and the doctors will assess him before the second round begins.""
FIBA European Championships: Pau Gasol of Spain scores 20
September 2
Los Angeles Times
 
"I'd love to offer substantial analysis on Pau Gasol's 20-point performance in Spain's 87-73 victory Thursday over Portugal in the preliminary round of the FIBA World Championships. But there are a few problems and it has nothing to do with sleeping through my alarm clock set for the game's tip time at 5:15 a.m. Knowing I could use the trusty ESPN3.com replay device since I use Time Warner Cable as my Internet provider, I figured I could just enjoy the replay. Instead, I just encountered bureaucratic nonsense that I don't really have an account with them even though I pay a monthly bill."
Gasol's 29 leads Spain at European Championship
September 1
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"Los Angeles Lakers center Pau Gasol scored 29 points to help defending champion Spain beat Poland 83-78 Wednesday in its opening match at the European Championship. San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker had 31 points to help France beat Latvia 89-78, and Serbia, which lost to Spain in the title match two years ago, shook off a slow start to beat Italy 80-68. The Atlanta Hawks' Zaza Pachulia scored 16 points in Georgia's 81-59 rout of Belgium, and Montenegro scored the last five points in overtime to beat Macedonia 70-65 at the start of the 24-team tournament. In other games, Greece beat Bosnia-Herzegovina 76-67, Slovenia defeated Bulgaria 76-67 despite a late collapse and Turkey swept past"
Pau Gasol wants to play in Spain or China during lockout
July 3
Yahoo! Sports
 
"Now that NBA players have been locked out by the owners, players are figuring out what they're going to do if things extend into the season. Los Angeles Lakers center Pau Gasol(notes) says he'd like to go play in his homeland of Spain, but he'd take a gig in China, too, according to the Associated Press. "Spain would be the first choice -- I wouldn't say only one, but the first," Gasol said, adding that China has "great potential," the AP reports. The idea of sitting out a season seemed "weird" to Gasol, the AP notes."
Pau Gasol doesn't want to be traded, but are the Lakers making the calls?
June 21
Pro Basketball Talk
 
"All over Los Angeles there seems to be a case of "trade Pau Gasol fever." Which is just flat-out stupid overreaction by Lakers fans, but there you go. This guy was the No. 2 reason the team won back-to-back rings, was the team's MVP for the first 30 games of last season, then wore down physically after playing 400 games over 4 seasons (like every other Laker) and you want to trade him? For Kevin Love, a guy who never leaves a rebounding position to contest a shot on defense? That would be foolish. But that may be what the Lakers themselves are doing. Know that Gasol himself does not want to be traded. He told the Spanish news service AFP he wants to stay a Laker. "My desire is to stay with"
Timberwolves want Pau Gasol for No. 2 pick?
June 20
SportingNews.com
 
"Looking at a record of 32-132 over the last two years and little progress on the court, the Timberwolves could have used a few breaks this offseason. So far? Nothing. Not only did Minnesota lose out to the Cavaliers in the NBA's draft lottery -- finishing with the No. 2 pick -- but also potential No. 2 picks like Harrison Barnes and Perry Jones pulled out of the draft. Now, Minnesota is facing some unappetizing choices on draft night. The Timberwolves could go for presumed No. 2 pick Derrick Williams, but Minnesota already has Michael Beasley in a similar tweener forward role and, given Beasley's off-court issues as a rookie, his trade value is so-so at best. They could take a chance on"
Pau Gasol wants to play for Spain in European Championship
June 3
Los Angeles Times
 
"Lakers forward Pau Gasol confirmed Wednesday that he plans to play for the Spanish national team in this summer's European Championship, according to the Spanish basketball federation website. "This year, my intention is to be available for the Spanish team if the coach feels he can count on me," Gasol said in Spanish in a report on the team's website. "I would like to help Spain win another European Championship." Gasol sat out of the 2010 FIBA World Championships last summer while Spain finished in sixth place, opting for rest because of fatigue and injury concerns. He had appeared in helped Spain win the 2006 FIBA World Championship, appeared three consecutive NBA Finals series and the"
Kobe Bryant named to All-NBA first team; Pau Gasol makes second team
May 13
Los Angeles Times
 
"This isn't the mark Kobe Bryant measures himself by in terms of his legacy. But in a season that Bryant described as a "waste of his life," there's at least some solace to the Lakers getting swept in the Western Conference semifinals to the Dallas Mavericks. OK, well not really. But at least there's signs that the Lakers weren't entirely bad, even if they underachieved. For the ninth time in his career and the sixth time in a row, Bryant was named to the All-NBA first team after finishing fifth in the league in scoring (25.3 points per game). Lakers forward Pau Gasol was named to the All-NBA second team for the first time in his career. Despite the accolades, this by no means marked peak"
Pau Gasol: Rumors caused 'suffering'
May 11
ESPN.com
 
"Lakers forward Pau Gasol denied recent internet reports and speculation in several major media outlets that there has been any conflict between Kobe Bryant's wife Vanessa and Gasol's girlfriend Silvia Lopez Castro. One report even intimated that Gasol's situation had spilled into the Lakers locker room and caused an argument between him and Bryant because Bryant's wife became involved in Gasol's relationship issues. On Tuesday, Gasol called rumors of a rift between he and Bryant or a breakup with his girlfriend "absolutely false." "My girlfriend and I are fine, we're happy, we're doing well. Kobe and I are fine," Gasol told ESPNLosAngeles.com in the parking lot outside the Lakers training"
Gasol hopes to learn from season
May 9
Los Angeles Times
 
"Pau Gasol slowly exited the Lakers' locker room and eased his 7-foot body down the hallway, taking the long, deliberate walk to the team bus. Gasol looked worn down from all the intense pressure he has come under. He looked weary from not being able to perform for the Lakers in the playoffs. He looked downcast from having been the subject of so much criticism directed at him because of the Lakers' woes this postseason. And Gasol looked beat down from the Internet rumors that have affected him and those around him. "It's going to be a long flight home," Gasol said. "It's been a long, tough season, too." Gasol had just 10 points on four-for-10 shooting in Game 4 of the Western Conference"
Pau Gasol feeling 'some tension'
May 8
ESPN.com
 
"Los Angeles Lakers All-Star forward Pau Gasol has struggled in the postseason, as his scoring average has plummeted by more than five points per game and his rebounding average has gone down more than two since the regular season. "Obviously there's some tension inside of me," Gasol said Friday night. "I guess it's -- you can see it. It's tangible." With the Lakers on the brink of elimination, trailing 3-0 in the Western Conference semifinals to the Dallas Mavericks, Gasol addressed rumors published on Internet gossip websites that suggested relationship problems have led to Gasol's on-court problems."
Theories, rumors swirl around Gasol's ineffectiveness
May 8
L.A. Daily News
 
"So what's really eating Pau Gasol? Even he admitted something is amiss, that as hard as he tries to get himself activated he is unable to sustain the level of energy needed to be a factor in these playoffs. On one hand Gasol conceded it's been a mental strain on him. On the other, he said nothing in particular is troubling him or holding him back. "Nothing is really bothering me mentally," Gasol said Saturday. "I would just like to be more of a factor, be more productive out there. But I haven't been able to get myself to that level yet." With no concrete answer, people are scurrying about trying to figure one out. Phil Jackson said he thinks Gasol might be affected by the Mavericks"
Phil Jackson says rule change has helped opponents defend Gasol
May 8
Dallas Morning News
 
"It wouldn't be a Mavericks playoff series without some veiled criticism of the officiating. In a twist, the commentary is coming from Lakers coach Phil Jackson, not Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, who remains committed to silence in this series. Not so Jackson, who on Saturday detailed part of the reason he feels Pau Gasol has been less effective in the first three games of the series. The Mavericks, he said, have been using a tactic that Jackson said used to be illegal to push Gasol off his favorite, close-in spot on the low post. "You know, I've resisted this the whole playoffs, but the NBA used to call a knee [to the backside]," Jackson said. "You couldn't lift a knee off the floor to run a"
Lakers suffer from Pau Gasol's diminishing returns
May 5
L.A. Daily News
 columnist Vincent Bonsignore
"Pau Gasol got the ball at the top of the key early in the first quarter of Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals and turned toward the basket. The ball was barely in his hands two seconds when a fan shouted from just behind the basket. "Do something, Gasol!" What he did was misfire on a short-range jump shot. And so continued Gasol's mystifying playoff struggles this year. Meanwhile, patience is running thin with the fans. As for the Lakers, they look more and more like a team staggering to the finish line, the only question now how far off the lead they'll be when they get there. After a 93-81 loss to Dallas on Wednesday to fall into an 0-2 hole, that might happen as early as this"
Pau Gasol and Lakers look finished
May 5
Los Angeles Times
 columnist Bill Plaschke
"Every time he touched the ball, the murmur grew, and grew, until finally, the sound of a collapsing Lakers season cascaded around the skinny guy's shaky shoulders. The booing fans knew it. The annoyed Lakers felt it. History will eventually record it, and it will be about as pretty as the skinny guy's haircut. When the story of the end of the Lakers' attempt to win three consecutive championships is written, it will begin, and end, with Pau Gasol. You want a scapegoat for a 93-81 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday in Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals? You want to attach a name to a two-games-to-none deficit that will be historically improbable to overcome? Gasol is, sadly,"
Pau Gasol recovers after slow start to first-round playoff series
April 29
Los Angeles Times
 
"Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum walked off the court together, dwarfing a narrow hallway as they headed toward the Lakers' locker room. Their first-round playoff series was over. The Lakers had eliminated New Orleans. Before they disappeared into a brief postgame meeting, Gasol reached out and rubbed Bynum's head. If Gasol wasn't giddy, he was close to it, overcoming a wobbly first two games to post better numbers the rest of the series. His averages in Games 1 and 2 against the Hornets: eight points, 5.5 rebounds. His averages the last four games: 16.3 points, 7.5 rebounds. "Not great, obviously, but I'm happy that I was able to bounce back after a slow start," Gasol said. "I think my energy"
Pau Gasol's timely reappearing act in Game 3
April 23
Los Angeles Times
 
"Pau Gasol was back. Maybe. His confounding on-court absence ended Friday against New Orleans with enough flair to send reporters into a rare foray around his career stats. Yes, that was a three-pointer he drilled, pushing the Lakers to a game-turning run early in the fourth quarter in their 100-86 victory in Game 3. It was only his second this season and second in his playoff career. A three-pointer? In a playoff game? Where did that come from? "The corner," he said, smiling. "It was a low shot clock, Steve [Blake] got the ball there and I was open. So I caught it, looked at the rim and made the shot." He had 17 points and 10 rebounds and wasn't done fooling people, leading the media on a"
Los Angeles Lakers forward Pau Gasol says he's got to stay aggressive against New Orleans Hornets
April 22
New Orleans Times-Picayune
 
"Each time Los Angeles Lakers forward Pau Gasol touched the ball in Wednesday night's 87-79 Los Angeles win over the Hornets, the sellout crowd at the Staples Center grew restless, a throaty roar imploring the All-Star to make something, anything, happen. Yet 10 times Gasol shot the ball, and eight times he missed. He finished with eight points on two field goals and four free throws. In the first two games of this Western Conference first-round playoff series, Gasol is 4-of-19 with 16 total points. Yet Gasol talked afterward as though he had a game worth smiling about. "You've got to stay aggressive out there," Gasol said, "no matter what's going on, no matter whether things are going your"
'Pau and the Chipmunks'? No, Gasol has big backups
April 21
Orange County Register
 columnist Kevin Ding
"Back in training camp, Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom stayed after practice one day for Gasol to teach Odom how to lower his left shoulder and drive his defender far enough under the hoop so that even he with the very weak right hand could just flip up an uncontested shot right-handed. After some test runs, the bubbly Odom was so appreciative for the trick that he walked over and slapped Gasol's unraised right hand with his, bringing a quick smile to Gasol's face. Andrew Bynum would sit out all of training camp and the season's first 24 games because of a delayed knee surgery and a longer recovery time because the procedure was done in a way to maximize the longevity of Bynum's right knee joint."
No worries about Gasol's mindset
April 20
L.A. Daily News
 
"Pau Gasol emerged from the Lakers locker room after practice Tuesday and immediately was met by a swarm of reporters. They had a lot of questions for the Lakers center who suffered through one of his worst postseason games ever in the Lakers' loss to New Orleans on Sunday in Game 1 of their first-round Western Conference playoff series. He then spent the next 48 hours or so hearing about how soft he played, how disappointed Kobe Bryant was with him and how he needed to pick it up for the Lakers to regain control of the series. In case you're wondering, though, none of that affected him as much as his own displeasure with his play. "What bothers me is when I don't perform to the level that"
As going gets tough, Lakers look for Pau Gasol to get going
April 20
Los Angeles Times
 
"How now, Pau? These have been grueling days for Pau Gasol, sautéed in almost every possible media format, second-guessed for his surprisingly ineffective playoff opener against New Orleans and blamed for everything but the destruction of the Roman Empire. So what did he offer after several minutes of probing questions from reporters Tuesday? A pleasantry. "See you guys," he said, smiling. "Have a nice day." It was a typical reaction from one of the NBA's kindest players, and it came after he publicly reassured many factions (himself, his teammates, Lakers fans) that he wouldn't be a pushover Wednesday in Game 2 of the best-of-seven series. His eight-point, six-rebound effort in almost 38"
Lakers seek Gasol, others to bounce back
April 19
New Orleans Times-Picayune
 
"This time it was not Kendrick Perkins or another NBA opponent chiding Pau Gasol for playing soft. This time the criticism, sharp and shrill, came from Los Angeles Lakers fans as the seven-foot All-Star Gasol trudged off the court and through the tunnel Sunday afternoon at the Staples Center following the Lakers' stunning 109-100 loss to the Hornets in Game 1 of a Western Conference first-round playoffs. It was a game that Gasol would like to expurgate from his memory, but a two-hour tape session Monday morning -- an hour longer than Lakers Coach Phil Jackson's typical game review, brought back Sunday's sordid performance by Gasol. Jackson didn't shine the spotlight directly on Gasol"
Kobe challenges Gasol after Game 1 loss
April 18
Yahoo! Sports
 
"Kobe Bryant stared at his questioner and nodded. Concerned? Yes, he's concerned. He'd just watched Chris Paul dance through his Los Angeles Lakers for 33 points, sending the two-time defending champions to the most unlikely of losses in these playoffs. Nothing the Lakers did during the afternoon suggested they had shaken off the malaise that smothered them the last few weeks of the regular season. That switch everyone thought the champs would flip as soon as the postseason started turned out to be only a dimmer. The Lakers couldn't match the wattage of these wounded New Orleans Hornets. They couldn't slow Paul, nor could they contain Aaron Gray, a 7-foot backup center whose Wikipedia entry"
Lakers, and Pau Gasol, are knocked flat by Hornets in Game 1, 109-100
April 18
Los Angeles Times
 
"Long after the Lakers finished fumbling their playoff opener, Pau Gasol stayed on a table in the trainer's room, flat on his back, eyes closed. There was plenty to ponder. He picked a bad time to be more white swan than black swan, to steal Kobe Bryant's comparison earlier this season. Gasol was outscored by Aaron Gray, outhustled by Carl Landry and reminded to take better care of his on-court business after the Lakers' stunning 109-100 loss Sunday to New Orleans. "It's one and two, it's me and him," Bryant said. "We get all the praise when things go our way and you get all the blame when things don't. It's part of the seats we sit in." Gasol's Game 1 seat was the equivalent of a rickety,"
Teammates defend Pau Gasol
April 6
ESPN.com
 
"Los Angeles Lakers forward Pau Gasol is a four-time All-Star and two-time NBA champion, but opponents continue to choose the same word to identify the 7-foot Spaniard: soft. The latest to make the claim is the New York Knicks' Amare Stoudemire. Making a recent public appearance at a Foot Locker retail store, Stoudemire was asked what it was like to play against Gasol, with the emcee noting Gasol's "soft" reputation as part of the query."
Rivals refuse to go soft on Lakers' Pau Gasol
April 6
Los Angeles Times
 
"Funny thing about Pau Gasol. He's won two championships, been on four All-Star teams and entrenched himself as the second-best player on the Lakers. But opponents still like to rip him. Oklahoma City center Kendrick Perkins called him "soft" a few weeks ago, and New York center-forward Amare Stoudemire followed up on it while making a promotional appearance at a shoe store. "He's still soft," Stoudemire said in amateur video shot during an informal Q&A session. "He's a good player, but then he also has help down there with Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum and those 7-footers. He has a supportive cast." Apparently Gasol didn't shed the soft label with his 19-point, 18-rebound effort in Game 7 of"