In the latest NBA All-star voting returns, Pau Gasol was among the top three forwards in the East, as voted by the fans. This would be perfect validation for the oft-criticized big man. The All-Star balloting closes January 19th, and here’s hoping that Gasol remains at least among that top three forwards, as he deserves to be starting in New York.
I wrote an article before the season about Lakers fans being sad to see Gasol go. He was not only a great player, but a great teammate and someone who earned the respect of Kobe Bryant, which is not an easy thing to accomplish. After helping lead the Lakers to back-to-back championships alongside Bryant, Gasol was pushed aside to make room for emerging All-Star Andrew Bynum. This was followed by the arrival of Dwight Howard, and during the Mike Brown and D’Antoni eras Gasol battled injuries and toiled in systems that did not tailor to his talents. The result was years of struggle following those championships and All-Star appearances. Gasol’s treatment was not typical of players of his calibre. He was traded once unsuccessfully (as it was vetoed by David Stern), and was involved in rumors for his last three seasons as a Laker. While many all-star players would have protested loudly and found a way out of town, he was as professional as anyone could have been under the circumstances.
Gasol created a legacy in LA that put him in the company of some of the greatest Lakers of all time. As tough as it would be for Lakers fans to see him leave, any true fan of his has to be ecstatic about his renaissance the first half of this season in Chicago. The Bulls were favorites to make at least the Eastern Conference Finals before the season and Gasol was a pick-up to help what has been a historically mediocre offense. Gasol has been much more than just an extra piece for the Bulls, he has been arguably their best player this season (I‘m fine with saying that the honor could go to Jimmy Butler, who is fantastic). Chicago sits in fourth place in the East with still a good chance of climbing in the standings. I think it is safe to say they wouldn’t be where they are this season without a newly rejuvenated Pau Gasol.
This season marked the return of former MVP Derrick Rose to the Bulls line-up, but he has missed 11 games and has only shown flashes of his former MVP type play. Rose is averaging 17 points and 4.9 assists per games, and has struggled to find a rhythm in just 28 games played. The Bulls’ other All-Star Joakim Noah has been playing well, and has always been a great rebounder and defender, but the addition of Gasol has added an extra dimension to the Bulls this year. Gasol is second on the team with 19 points per game, to go along with 11.4 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks. He and the improved Jimmy Butler have carried an offense that had been below average without Rose. The two-big line-up featuring Noah and Gasol showcases some of the best interior passing by big men in the league.
When the All-Star returns have Gasol in the top three among East forwards, I hope that the fans would continue to prove they have the ability to vote for at least some deserving players. LeBron James will obviously get a starting nod for the Eastern front court and I am okay with the fans voting in Carmelo Anthony to start in his home city. That said Paul Millsap and Al Horford are both deserving candidates for an all-star selection. That said, after James, the most deserving of an Eastern Conference starting forward spot is Gasol, who has silenced critics who had already written him off in Los Angeles.
An All-Star start following the debacle that went down in LA would be the perfect bounce back for Gasol. He has proven that it was not him who was to blame for the Lakers collapse, but rather it was coaches Mike Brown and Mike D’Antoni, who could not figure out a way to make it work with Gasol. Once touted as the most skilled big man in the NBA, Gasol has gotten back to a style and system that works for him and he is able to showcase his unique abilities alongside another big man who is a perfect running mate for him. If he isn’t voted as a starter, Gasol will most surely be chosen by the East’s coach. For all those who thought he was done, the validation of an All-Star start will show he is still one of the NBA’s elite big men.
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Main Photo via Mike DiNovo, USA TODAY Sports
