Facing a good deal of heat from fans and reporters alike, Los Angeles Lakers coach Mike D'Anton insists there will be "a lot of changes," regarding how the team uses forward Pau Gasol upon his return from a concussion, Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News writes.
Mike D’Antoni promises ‘a lot of changes’ for Lakers upon Pau Gasol’s return
Lakers forward Pau Gasol is taking more shots away from the rim than ever, something Mike D’Antoni hopes to put an end to.
Jeff Gross
With the longtime All Star increasingly taking shots away from the basket this season, D'Antoni vowed to get Gasol in the post more frequently once he's back on the court. "There's going to be a lot of changes. We have to try to do everything. If that works, we'll do it in a heartbeat," D'Antoni said.
This season, Gasol is averaging a career-low 12.4 points per game while shooting just 42 percent from the field, easily the worst mark of his career. His tendency to take mid-range jumpers has been a big part of the problem -- he’s taking 4.3 shots per game from 16-23 feet this season, compared to just 3.3 shots per game at the rim, per HoopData.
That refusal to play inside has also caused his free-throw numbers to suffer, as he’s averaging a career-low 3.4 attempts per game at the charity stripe. Finding ways to get the 7-foot Gasol back down low where he can be more efficient will be key to getting the big Spaniard going again.
See More:
