POW!!

Yes, I know how to spells Pau Gasol's name, but "Pow" is a nice way to describe what has happened to the Lakers since they acquired the big man earlier this month. The Lakers are 10-1 with Gasol and currently winners of 9 straight. They have the best record the Western Conference, just came off an 8-1 road trip, and look like the favorite to win the NBA championship this season...and oh yeah, Kobe is happy. Even though the Lakers had a respectable record before trading for Gasol, they definitely did not look like a championship team, more like a team with a lot of promise. This great move by the Lakers turned the team around, and this is without their other big man Andrew Bynum. It seems like the Lakers won't be able to lose another game once he comes back. Their starting five is just ridiculous and it seems like they blowout their opponents every night. The funny thing is their only loss in the last 11 games came to the Atlanta Hawks. Since acquiring Gasol and being 10-1, the Lakers are averaging 110.5 points per game, which is 2.7 points per game higher than their season average. They are allowing opponents to 97.3 points per game, which is down 3.2 from their season average and their average margin of victory the past 11 games is 13.2, which is 6.1 up from their season average. So the Lakers as a team are improving in every category on both offense and defense. Kobe Bryant for the season averages 27.8 ppg 6.1 rpb 5.4 apg. During the last 11 games his points per game dropped to 23.5 and rebounds to 4.9. But what I like is that Kobe is trusting his teammates a lot more and he is averaging 1 assist more per game over the last 11 games. It may not seem like much but it really is for him. Gasol's numbers are about the same as his season averages but what the has done to the Lakers is astonishing. He has not only improved their team but triggered trades by the rest of the contenders in the West. Teams realized that the Lakers are a force to be reckon with Gasol and they had to act quickly. I like how the pinky finger scare of Kobe Bryant faded away when Kobe decided to put 41 points up last game versus the Suns. The Western Conference is stacked and any team can beat the other in a playoff series but I truly feel the Lakers will represent the Western Conference in he finals and win. I don't think their is a team in the league that can hang with the Lakers in a seven game series. They are extremely fast, they score a lot of points, and lately have been playing great defense. Good job to Lakers on listening to Kobe to get him some help on scoring and not giving in by trading him away. He is one of the most talented players in the league, if not one of the most talented ever. ---CJ