Now that his not-quite-Emmy-worthy cameo on CSI:Miami is over — Phil Jackson told him not to give up his night job — Pau Gasol can get back on the court. Finally.
Pau Gasol, after a long summer of playing for the Spanish National Team, came in and (due to an injury to backup center DJ Mbenga) got pushed hard in training camp, being forced to defend the stronger Andrew Bynum in drill after drill after drill.
The result of all this wear — a slight tear in his hamstring.
It’s the kind of thing that often heals in a week or two, but hamstrings can be tricky things. Gasol tried to come back too fast and aggravated it, so it was back to the waiting. The second time around Gasol was patient. He knows his body — his mother is a doctor in Barcelona — and he waited until he was 100%.
Meanwhile, Kobe Bryant played through a groin injury (scoring 40 against the Pistons). Jackson kept throwing little joking jabs out at Gasol, about not playing until Christmas and that he really got injured on the CSI: Miami set. Gasol laughed it all off and rested, waiting for his body to heal.
Now he is ready.
Gasol return should — should — return some balance to a Lakers offense that has fallen in love with Kobe getting the ball in the post. Kobe has shot well from there, and he is shooting more — four more shots a game than last year. But with Kobe in the post, and Andrew Bynum a lot as well, the movement and flow of the Lakers offense from last year has been missing. The Lakers have looked more like a 1990s isolation offensive team than one that runs Jackson’s triangle.
Gasol should change that. While he can score, he is also the best passing big man in the NBA, and because of that guys move and cut more when he is on the floor (they know they will be rewarded for getting open). It may take a few games of adjustment, but that movement should come back to the Lakers. Having a second seven-footer near the rim to block shots usually helps the defensive end of the floor as well.
All this should — should — have the Lakers starting to look like their championship selves again soon. Which would be an even more welcome return.
Kurt Helin does not put on his sunglasses with enough flair to be on CSI:Miami, instead he runs the NBA/Lakers blog Forum Blue & Gold (which you can also follow in twitter).
