Twitter

Pau Gasol:

“Defense has disappeared. I don’t like that we’re losing the essence of basketball… which is to play as a team.�

(via @MovistarNBA) pic.twitter.com/Ja2RC1OuQV

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) March 17, 2023

But Pau. You have to understand. The skills. The league is so skilled right now. It’s too skilled right now. Everybody can shoot and it’s like if everybody can shoot and scores entering into the hundreds every night.


Obviously. OBVIOUSLY. Defense is being played here. Duh. The skills pau. You don’t understand the skills. You old and the players you played with just aren’t as

Skilled as the players today Pau. Sorry. BXSC knows. They wouldn’t just say sh*t.

I mean they watch Fox sports 1 and use Nick Wright and skip Bayless as sources of info.

They obviously know what the fu*k they talking about pau. These are serious anaylst here, who sh*t talk and watch idiots all day.

They on point with they sh*t.


I mean former ball playing greats call it out. Like Jerry and Kobe and Stockon. Recently dame now pau.

These guys clearly don’t know sh*t. I say offense only, start throwing n*ggas who contest shots the fu*k out the game.

Pau Gasol didn't play defense when he was a star.

Pythagoras said Pau Gasol didn't play defense when he was a star.

Came in to say this.

What is Pau Gasol of all people talking about with guys not playing defense?

He’s going to the HOF because he was a skilled PF on offense, Jokic in a lot of ways took his skill set to a new MVP level AND none of that requires being a good or even great defender to limit your opponent when you can score and create shots for others so easily.

Defense is “lost” in the regular season because guys can score points so easily today without having to face any physicality. Guys are pulling up from 30 with a hand in their face. It’s not much you can do to stop that. Getting tough baskets is not the only way to score anymore.

Pau giving lectures on defense?

MHP Trotty said Came in to say this. What is Pau Gasol of all people talking about with guys not playing defense? He’s going to the HOF because he was a skilled PF on offense, Jokic in a lot of ways took his skill set to a new MVP level AND none of that requires being a good or even great defender to limit your opponent when you can score and create shots for others so easily. Defense is “lost” in the regular season because guys can score points so easily today without having to face any physicality. Guys are pulling up from 30 with a hand in their face. It’s not much you can do to stop that. Getting tough baskets is not the only way to score anymore.

Fam didn’t he basically say defense As a team philosophy was the problem here and most teams just not having it.

Clearly pau had to work with other n*ggas who were better defender than him to understand what to do and how to do in order to win…

Twice.

Y’all be missing the sh*t right there in front of you. Lol. I don’t get it….

Pau was the anchor of championship defenses

Docviticus said Fam didn’t he basically say defense As a team philosophy was the problem here and most teams just not having it. Clearly pau had to work with other n*ggas who were better defender than him to understand what to do and how to do in order to win… Twice. Y’all be missing the sh*t right there in front of you. Lol. I don’t get it….

Pau is speaking to a type of basketball that just doesn’t exist anymore on either end, and so are you taking shots at people who acknowledge the overall league is more skilled. For a bulk of Pau’s career you had role players to surround your stars and it fit live a glove on both ends as a TEAM because guys knew their roles because they also understood their limitations as players. Pau had a Shane Battier, a Derek Fisher, etc guys who were the ultimate role player because their game revolved around playing off of him because they understood they can’t take or make any shot on offense so it’s no point coming into a game expecting to get 15 PPG.

In todays league because the talent level has been raised overall you’ve got guys who have the skill set and ability to take and make any shot on offense, they can handle the ball like a Guard despite playing a front court position, get to the basket, shoot the 3, run the floor, etc. They’re forced into a “role player” role but that’s not them, they want to be the guy, when the opportunity presents themselves to play the way they want to they jump at it. It’s looking like a bunch of All Star Games now cause teams have way more guys who think they’re the guy or can be the guy if you ask them to. Lamar Odom was a cheat code off the bench in LA for that reason, It’s way more guys with that player profile in the league now coming off a bench.

view image

Pau is speaking to a type of basketball that just doesn’t exist anymore

He's talking about the complete game of basketball

Team USA can't go to the Olympics and play like yall are talking about or it'll be a repeat of the LeBronze era

Pythagoras said Pau Gasol didn't play defense when he was a star.

SpunkyXL23 said Pau giving lectures on defense?

view video

Kyu said view image

Pau won 2 championships with the lakers and I see dudes in here who spaz over that disneyland tournament trying to discredit him?

LOL

In my lifetime, I've seen people say all manner of stupid sh*t. Hell, I'm not immune, especially when I was younger, trying to figure life out.

New era fans don't want to think lesser of their era of favorite players, and they're going to argue you down that this sh*t era is just as as physical, or more physical.

Oh, well.

Boy that new commissioner is about p*ss some folks off in a couple years. This will eventually start k*lling ratings if it haven’t already

MHP Trotty said Came in to say this. What is Pau Gasol of all people talking about with guys not playing defense? He’s going to the HOF because he was a skilled PF on offense, Jokic in a lot of ways took his skill set to a new MVP level AND none of that requires being a good or even great defender to limit your opponent when you can score and create shots for others so easily. Defense is “lost” in the regular season because guys can score points so easily today without having to face any physicality. Guys are pulling up from 30 with a hand in their face. It’s not much you can do to stop that. Getting tough baskets is not the only way to score anymore.

Nah he was decent on defense bro lol. Especially with how offense was played back then. One on one he would get served but he was an above average defender. Its hard to play basketball now its all about skill and creating space. Playoffs they still play defense and rotate.

MHP Trotty said Pau is speaking to a type of basketball that just doesn’t exist anymore on either end

My n*gga yeah.

But yall boys swear nba more skilled today



Back in my days 3 steps was considered a travel, the list goes on



NBA soft AF now compared to 80s-90s and early 2000s

donnyyy said He's talking about the complete game of basketball Team USA can't go to the Olympics and play like yall are talking about or it'll be a repeat of the LeBronze era

Different game than the NBA.

Funny because that JJ redd*ck interview that Dame just did.... he spoke on the game and he could've chose any time period to say that he liked. He went back kinda recent to the 2010 Finals with the Celtics/Lakers... which i mention is funny because all the top players in that series, were drafted in the 90s.

Gasol got the occasional dunk here or there but he was far from a defensive anchor and was always considered soft. He led Kobe and the Lakers to two championships but it wasn't because of his defense.

Ngl as a casual fan of the sport i love how most players can actually shoot now. Back in the day when I use to play NBA live on my PS2 I use to be pissed tf off when I accidentally shot the ball with my power forward and they bricked an open shot.

Games get boring for me though seeing all the unstoppable scoring tbh. I've been having trouble trying to sit through a whole game without changing the channel.

I thought playing fantasy basketball would help me get hooked again into the nba but I keep forgetting to set my lineups.

Lately though I got hooked into soccer. I use to find games boring but once I learned about the defensive side of the sport I started to enjoy it. Id rather sit through 90 minutes of n*ggas trying to score 1-3 points on each other instead of seeing n*ggas run down a court and score constantly for 2 hours

Edit: let me add what also really helped me with soccer was the fact I started playing fifa a lot more. Not only do I play online 1v1s but I also played their version of myplayer(like NBA 2k). I played as a defender. I found it fun blocking n*ggas from scoring, making tackles, and creating a*sists.

Now when I watch games irl I pay attention to what defenders are doing instead of just only waiting for attackers to score.