5 Greatest Games of Pau Gasol’s Laker Career (w/video)
By Jacob Rude
5. Game 6 2010 NBA First Round vs. OKC Thunder – 9 points, 18 rebounds, 3 assists
The first game on this list is not a great game stat wise, but was one of his best singular moments of his Lakers career. Against the upstart Thunder, the Lakers were in a battle to make it out of the first round. In a hotly contest Game 6, the Lakers found themselves down one with the ball in the hands of likely the best closer in the game, Kobe Bryant. As he dribbled the clock down, Bryant isolated on the right wing, used his fancy footwork, and put up a semi-contested jumper.
Unlike other memorable moments, Bryant’s jumper bounced around the rim and off the backboard. But as everyone else watched Bryant work, Gasol worked his way in between defenders, got the offensive rebound and laid in the game-winner with just 0.5 seconds left on the clock.
4. 2010 Regular Season vs. San Antonio Spurs – 21 points, 19 rebounds, 8 assists, 5 blocks
The lone non-playoff game, this was arguably, from a pure statistical perspective, Gasol’s best game as a Laker. With Bryant out for a handful of games and the Lakers on the quest to defend their title, they turned to Gasol to run the offense through, and he provided better than anyone expected. Going 4-1 over the stretch, Gasol averaged 18.4 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 4.4 assists. But on this night in Los Angeles, Gasol played out of his mind, nearly putting up a triple double in a majestic performance.
In short, it was vintage Pau