Why is Pau a defensive juggernaut in the East?

[Nick Young]

When Pau played in the West he was known as a bad defender who was softer than a marshmallow. Now that he is in the East, Pau is suddenly looking like prime David Robinson on the defensive end.

He recorded 6 blocks vs the defending Eastern Conference champions just now and got the game saving block vs the East's best player.

Why?:confusedshrug:

[dubeta]

No he wasnt

Theres a reason the Lakers were a top ranked defense between 2008-2010

(No it wasnt cause of Kobe)

[LikeMike]

He was always a good defender. Kobe fans just wanted people to think Kobe was doing it alone.

[AnaheimLakers24]

Even obama thinks the east is garbage

[JerrySeinfeld]

Because LeBron James

[Nick Young]

He was always a good defender. Kobe fans just wanted people to think Kobe was doing it alone.
I watched Pau's entire Lakers career. He sucked on defense, even guys like Leon Powe would go to town against him.

[TrueBlue89]

We gonna act like that back to back Lakers team wasn't elite defensively? :biggums:

[stalkerforlife]

The current east is the weakest conference in NBA history.

[juju151111]

When Pau played in the West he was known as a bad defender who was softer than a marshmallow. Now that he is in the East, Pau is suddenly looking like prime David Robinson on the defensive end.

He recorded 6 blocks vs the defending Eastern Conference champions just now and got the game saving block vs the East's best player.

Why?:confusedshrug:
He not a defensive juggernauts. He was a - on defense last year. He good on straight up blocks where he doesn't move much, but he horrible in Pick and rolls,closing out to his man, or anything involving moving.

[Nick Young]

We gonna act like that back to back Lakers team wasn't elite defensively? :biggums:
Pau was not the reason. Andrew Bynum, Odom, Kobe, Artest was the reason. Pau's defensive shittiness was covered by 7'2" Bynum protecting the paint.

[guy]

He had a good defensive game today but usually sucks on that end. It looks like the Bulls are probably going to give up one of their 4 bigs, and will probably be Noah since they don't want to pay him. It's sad cause they should be giving up Gasol. He's old, not a good defender, and probably won't be the same offensively. But he's cheap right now. Will be sad to see Noah go.

[Nick Young]

Noah's a dumbass if he ever thinks he'll have it as good as he has it right now in Chicago.

[Bankaii]

Pau was not the reason. Andrew Bynum, Odom, Kobe, Artest was the reason. Pau's defensive shittiness was covered by 7'2" Bynum protecting the paint.
It would help if you actually watched a game or 2.
Defensively he had a bigger impact than Kobe.
Eye test and stats support this. Outside of Fisher Kobe was the worst defensive player of the starters on those championship teams.

[Fire Colangelo]

Pau was not the reason. Andrew Bynum, Odom, Kobe, Artest was the reason. Pau's defensive shittiness was covered by 7'2" Bynum protecting the paint.

Pau always had good defensive instincts, he just got really slow at the end of his Laker tenure and got a rep for being slow/soft defensively. Even then, it's only the pick and rolls that really got him.

But yeah, it's no coincidence that Lakers became a top defensive team in 2008 (with Bynum injured for most of the season might I add!) as opposed to being one of the worst defensive teams in 2007 just after adding Pau.

[kennethgriffin]

its the new nba


everyone went small.. pau stayed 7 feet

[Mr. Jabbar]

When Pau played in the West he was known as a bad defender who was softer than a marshmallow.

:oldlol: so true.

[dhsilv]

I always thought the Pau is soft was about him not demanding the ball and not being a big body who'd bang in the post. Defensively he's always been well above average. He's strong, has great hands/reflexes, and has remained relatively mobile for a 7 footer.

[buddha]

Pau is a solid defender, he'd be great if he had more effort. playing on the Bulls alot of his problems are masked much like Boozer's were, the difference is Pau has height to disrupt lanes and make blocks.

If the Lakers had Roy Hibbert next to Pau with a good wing defender like Ariza nobody would notice Pau's faults in L.A.

[dhsilv]

Pau is a solid defender, he'd be great if he had more effort. playing on the Bulls alot of his problems are masked much like Boozer's were, the difference is Pau has height to disrupt lanes and make blocks.

If the Lakers had Roy Hibbert next to Pau with a good wing defender like Ariza nobody would notice Pau's faults in L.A.

He was a really good defender for LA...i'ts like people don't watch the games...

[Nick Young]

He was a really good defender for LA...i'ts like people don't watch the games...
Andrew Bynum had his back, and Odom was close to 7 feet dominating the boards to cover up Pau sucking at rebounding.

Whenever Bynum was injured, or defense would turn to crap.

[dhsilv]

Andrew Bynum had his back, and Odom was close to 7 feet dominating the boards to cover up Pau sucking at rebounding.

Whenever Bynum was injured, or defense would turn to crap.

Gasol's defensive metrics are too strong for that belief to be valid and much better than Bynum's.

Perhaps you're more focused on the fact that when the Lakers had Odom, Bynum AND Gasol they had an all time great defense and without having essentially 3 7 footers on the floor they feel back to normal nba?

All the on off data strongly indicates Gasol was better and bynum missed an absurd amount of games so if he was causing all this greatness he'd have the better numbers.

[Magic 32]

But yeah, it's no coincidence that Lakers became a top defensive team in 2008 (with Bynum injured for most of the season might I add!) as opposed to being one of the worst defensive teams in 2007 just after adding Pau.

http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/slides/photos/000/813/039/73753747_crop_650x440.jpg?1301265635

[ShaqTwizzle]

Gasol was the best defender on the 2peat Laker's and he was an excellent all around defender with no obvious weaknesses on that end.

He was one of the best rim-protectors in the league averaging 2+ bpg and his ability to consistently alter shots around the basket and provide a deterring presence was the biggest part of the Laker's defense anchor.

His m2m defense was also excellent.
He bulked up when he joined the Lakers and his defense against various bigs in their 08-10 runs was excellent. He helped or was primarily responsible for the poor offensive performance of many bigs they faced from Duncan in 08 to Boozer to Dwight in the 2009 Finals.
Dwight against Cleveland (2009 ECF) : 26 / 2.8-apg on 65%FG
Dwight against Lakers (2009 Finals) : 15.4 / 2.4-apg on 48%FG
--
Duncan VS LAL (2008) : 22-ppg on 43%FG / 46%TS
Boozer VS LAL (2010) : 15-ppg on 46%TS

Pau's rotational and PnR defense was also excellent back then as before his athletic decline he had excellent mobility/quickness and BBIQ on that end.

Ignore the trolling or delusional Kobe stans who will push any blatantly false agenda in an effort to make Kobe look better.
Gasol was never soft and he was a good defender before his physical decline.

Gasol has declined physically since 2010 and obviously no longer has good mobility or quickness which is why he is no longer a good PnR or rotational defender and which is why quicker bigs (like Griffin) can abuse him at times in 1v1 matchups.
That shouldn't be used as an excuse to downgrade Prime let alone Peak Gasol who was an excellent defender and the main anchor & most valuable piece of the 2peat Laker's defense.

That is all.