Dang man. I love Gasol. It must be me. Just like Aldridge, I don't see Gasol trying to avoid contact when going after players on defense, setting picks, or trying after rebounds. They're not necessarily a brutish baller trying to overly assert themselves on the game either, but that doesn't make them soft IMO. I think back to the Olympics (that was the last time I really studied Gasol's game). He actually was very aggressive and at times going toe-to-toe with the oppositions big men. Obviously there's a great deal of finesse to their offensive moves, but in Pau's case, that's a sign of craftiness, not a weakness.
I agree with Crimson the Cat that Gasol isn't soft. His reputation when he came to the NBA was as one of the few hard-nosed European basketball players, and I think he's justified that. He's definitely not one of the most bruising players in the NBA, but he doesn't shy away from contact...he'll mix it up on defense and on the boards. I think Gasol is actually a fairly good comp for Aldridge. He needs to refine his offensive game, tighten up his defense and go harder for rebounds, but being a Gasol-like player is definitely within his ability and Gasol has had a number of very strong seasons.
Thanks Minstrel! Well the vagabond musician is on my side. I win. Here's some "soft" moments from Lamarcus. <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Z0X6gkW46Kg&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Z0X6gkW46Kg&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/vCk3oLU3Z84&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/vCk3oLU3Z84&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/clMi_I1fqqI&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/clMi_I1fqqI&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZRsNDzEr0aQ&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZRsNDzEr0aQ&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/FfCp2DoPQi0&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/FfCp2DoPQi0&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/NysHafcP8uw&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/NysHafcP8uw&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/1NFFlHnICZE&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/1NFFlHnICZE&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
Just because Aldridge has a fadeaway turn around jumper, doesn't make him soft. It makes him a weapon on offense. Just because he put up short-range jumpers, doesn't make him soft. He takes what the defense gives him. I suppose he could try and get even better positioning, but why risk it when he can just shoot over everyone? Just because he can shoot from 18-feet out doesn't make him soft. Look. LA has skills that many other PFs don't. These skills, on offense, are going to put him out of position for rebounds. And that's fine for this team. It doesn't make him soft. I agree that he has to improve on the defensive end grabbing rebounds. Odds are he will. Each year he's improved. I think many of you need to relax a bit and watch him develop before saying he's soft. He will mix it up when he can. And as he gets more comfortable with his teammates, he'll mix it up more often I predict. I guarantee his rebounding numbers will increase. More of what we saw last night, defensively, is just the start.
Aldridge hasn't been a monster rebounder and often settles for jumpshots, so I suppose he fits the mold of what some fans refer to as "soft". But I don't think he's soft. I think he plays good defense and has a good post game when he uses it (soft players aren't comfortable there). Compared to someone like Frye, he's much more adept and comfortable there. He's gradually going downlow more and more, but it's stupid to assume he needs to do that the majority of the time, that's simply not where we need him most of the time. Bring guys like Amare and Duncan out to guard him, so Oden/Joel have an easier time gobbling up off-rebounds. The simple truth is right now he's not supposed to be Oden, he's suppose to be Lamarcus. Open jumpshots are going to be there when teams focus on Oden and Roy, and since he can hit them usually, why not take them? That's often his role. Since he's one of the fastest bigmen down the court, it's also his role to run the fast-break and get easy dunks, while Oden and Joel clean up the rebounds. His rebounds are also going to be hurt by the fact we just have a long, tall team in general. Guys like Batum, Outlaw, and Frye and even Roy/Rudy are decent rebounders. Outside of our two centers, rebounds are spread around on this team. And btw, Sheed has a won a title, Bosh hasn't, so if this comparison is meant to slight Sheeds game in some way, I don't get it. And Sheed had Ben Wallace on the offensive end, not Oden/Joel.
