EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — I remember writing in a game story from Memphis recently that the shaggy-haired, scraggy-bearded Pau Gasol looked like Phil Jackson back in Jackson’s playing days.
Jackson apparently thought the same kind of thing, because he said he told Gasol that he would shave his beard if Gasol shaved his. Gasol said he liked his.
Maybe Gasol needs the tougher look given that many people have thought his game is too soft. But the cleaner look might work better if he wants to take full advantage of being a Spanish-speaking star player in the Southern California market.
Gasol said he’s grasping that it’s a different story to be a Laker.
“I’m starting to realize how big the Lakers are around the country and around the world,” he said. “I had a little bit of a feel when they would come to Memphis and I would see more Lakers jerseys than Grizzlies jerseys in the stands – but that just happens everywhere. I guess I’m going to find out more about it, because I haven’t been in L.A. yet, but I feel and have received a lot of happiness.”
I don’t think the shaggy, unkempt look will work too well in LA. But more importantly, how well he plays will shape LA fans’ opinion of their team’s newest acquisition.
That is why I think it would be good for Phil Jackson to limit Gasol’s playing time until Gasol becomes more acclimated to the flow of the triangle offense. The Lakers have been playing well in this road trip (other than the brief meltdown against a very good Pistons team), and Turiaf, Odom and Radmanovic (and even Mbenga) have done their jobs during Bynum’s absence. Other than the Magic, the rest of this road trip is against teams with losing records, and so I think the Lakers can get W’s without having Gasol playing too much and potentially risking disruption of the team’s overall on-the-court chemistry.
On the other hand, I think Gasol joining the Lakers during this road trip is a good thing. He gets to gel with his new teammates without being bombarded by the LA media and fans and all the craziness involved in moving to a new city during middle of the season (especially to the second largest city in the US). I think he should focus on learning the triangle offense and getting to know his new teammates.
If the Lakers can go 7-2 (or even 6-3) on this road-trip, that would be a great accomplishment. Before it began, I was just hoping for a winning record. At this point, I would not be surprised with an 8-1 record. But I would definitely be satisfied with a 7-2 or 6-3.
I agree with many of my fellow-Laker-diehards — man, it’s good to be a Laker fan these days.
amen!
I was wrong. Gasol played 35 minutes and was phenomenal…