Greater Laker all-time: Pau Gasol or Anthony Davis?
AD
26%
[ 10 ]
Pau
73%
[ 28 ]
Total Votes : 38
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Joined: 14 Nov 2015 Posts: 874
Posted: Mon Feb 03, 2025 11:22 am Post subject: Greater Laker all-time: Anthony Davis or Pau Gasol?
AD, 6 years in LA:
Reg Season 25 PPG, 11 RPG, 3 APG, 2 BPG, 53% FG
312 GP ; 186 WINS (60% winning percentage)
Playoffs 25 PPG, 12 RPG, 3 APG, 2 BPG, 55% FG
47 GP ; 27 WINS (57% winning percentage) -- 1 NBA Finals app.
~ NBA Champion, 3x All Star, 2x All Defensive 1st Team, All NBA 1st Team, All NBA 2nd Team, NBA Cup ~
______________
Pau, 7 years in LA:
Reg Season 18 PPG, 10 RPG, 4 APG, 1 BPG, 52% FG
429 GP ; 278 WINS (65% winning percentage)
Playoffs 17 PPG, 10 RPG, 4 APG, 2 BPG, 52% FG
93 GP ; 55 WINS (59% winning percentage) -- 3 NBA Finals app.
~ 2x NBA Champion, 3x All Star, 2x All NBA 3rd Team, All NBA 2nd Team ~
But AD is a better player. _________________ On Lakersground, a concern troll is someone who is a fan of another team, but pretends to be a Lakers fan with "concerns".
This comes down to the whole "how do you define greatest" thing.
Pau is probably the greater Laker, AD is by far the better Laker.
Yeah that's why I thought it was interesting. Success wise easily Pau, but AD was such a talent for us as well, not saying Pau wasn't a talent himself, but AD was a tier above.
This comes down to the whole "how do you define greatest" thing.
Pau is probably the greater Laker, AD is by far the better Laker.
Yeah that's why I thought it was interesting. Success wise easily Pau, but AD was such a talent for us as well, not saying Pau wasn't a talent himself, but AD was a tier above.
And Pau won his chips with Kobe. To say this current era isn't close to the same in the hearts and minds of the overwhelming majority of Lakers' fans is an understatement. _________________ KOBE
Lets put it this way: last year AD went toe to toe with Jokic and hardly looked the inferior player - in fact for vast parts of that series, AD outplayed Jokic. Pau could NEVER do that against a player of Jokic's caliber: which would be Shaq/Hakeem/Jokic/Kareem. Hell, the times he met Dirk (whether in Memphis or LA) and pre-knee injury KG in the playoffs, it was clear who the better player was. Pau went toe to toe with Duncan and Amar'e and held his own but these two are nowhere the force that Jokic is.
Joined: 24 Dec 2007 Posts: 37042 Location: Santa Clarita, CA (Hell) ->>>>>Ithaca, NY -≥≥≥≥≥Berkeley, CA
Posted: Mon Feb 03, 2025 11:55 am Post subject:
In retrospect, Pau really only had two good playoff runs with us. In 07-08, he collapsed against the Celtics in the finals and averaged 14.5 ppg. In 10-11, he disappeared against the Mavericks because Shannon Brown (allegedly) slept with his fiancée. In 11-12 under Mike Brown, he disappeared against the Thunder. In 12-13 after Kobe tore his Achilles, we got swept by the Spurs.
AD played like an MVP level player in the bubble and arguably again in the 2023 and 2024 playoffs.
However, because Pau was not prominent when we got him, he *feels* like someone we developed. AD always felt like a mercenary to me. And with Pau we had 4-6 seasons of feeling like a contender. With AD it was two, one of which was the bubble season.
So IMO AD is clearly the better player but there were better memories with Pau. _________________ Damian Lillard shatters Dwight Coward's championship dreams:
In retrospect, Pau really only had two good playoff runs with us. In 07-08, he collapsed against the Celtics in the finals and averaged 14.5 ppg. In 10-11, he disappeared against the Mavericks because Shannon Brown (allegedly) slept with his fiancée. In 11-12 under Mike Brown, he disappeared against the Thunder. In 12-13 after Kobe tore his Achilles, we got swept by the Spurs.
AD played like an MVP level player in the bubble and arguably again in the 2023 and 2024 playoffs.
However, because Pau was not prominent when we got him, he *feels* like someone we developed. AD always felt like a mercenary to me. And with Pau we had 4-6 seasons of feeling like a contender. With AD it was two, one of which was the bubble season.
So IMO AD is clearly the better player but there were better memories with Pau.
Good info. I would add that Pau was more available to play during the regular season, averaging 67 games in the regular season as apposed to 54 for AD. These things add to those memories you mention. And yes in 6 years we had 2 rings Vs 1 in 4 years with AD; also adds.
There is also the beloved Kobe attached to Pau Vs LeBron which many still don't actually like; so there is that, as well. _________________ Lakers need to build a freaking team !
Pau is a great, but AD had that first year that was on par with Kobe. Go look at his numbers on offense and also his impact on defense, plus the game winner against Joker/Nuggets in the WCF. That 2019-20 season as a whole, AD's body of work was top 5 on offense in the league, top 2 on defense and was basically a MVP level player. Pau never had that kind of year for us.
So Pau may get more votes, but that 1 year that AD has had for us that first year was as good as any championship season by an individual player in the modern Lakers era.
Lakers 19-20 AD season:
6th in MVP
2nd in DPOTY
26 ppg
Defensive rating: 102
Playoffs: 28 ppg on 58%
Again, only Kobe and prime Shaq have had this level of 2-way impact on a team. So to me AD's first season was up there with Kobe's/Shaq's best years. Unfortunately injuries and the way Pelinka messed up the team and coaching situation never allowd him to continue that level.
AD was the more talented for sure, and had a far greater up-side, but Pau & company certainly accomplished more than AD & company. _________________ "A metronome keeps time by using a Ringo"
AD was better than Pau as a player in literally every facet of the game....minus clutch free throws where he is Nick Anderson Davis and passing.
as a laker
pau -2 rings
ad- 1 bubble
Played 100 more reg season games in only one more season and IIRC got here mid way through his first season.
almost double the amount of playoff games.
Not even close. Pau is by far and away a greater laker.
This same asinine argument can be made to say James Worthy or Byron Scott or AC Green were "greater Lakers" than Lebron James. Ridiculous and asinine. In the case of Pau vs AD, AD is obviously the greater Laker because he played long enough, won a chip and was a significantly better player than Pau Gasol.
AD was better than Pau as a player in literally every facet of the game....minus clutch free throws where he is Nick Anderson Davis and passing.
as a laker
pau -2 rings
ad- 1 bubble
Played 100 more reg season games in only one more season and IIRC got here mid way through his first season.
almost double the amount of playoff games.
Not even close. Pau is by far and away a greater laker.
This same asinine argument can be made to say James Worthy or Byron Scott or AC Green were "greater Lakers" than Lebron James. Ridiculous and asinine. In the case of Pau vs AD, AD is obviously the greater Laker because he played long enough, won a chip and was a significantly better player than Pau Gasol.
career bron as lakers Worthy- the chip AD , like the dodgers said was suspect- they all acknowledged how bad they wanted their latest championship because 2020 was asterisked. I forgot the player who said this was the first ring since 1988.
My metric has always been success. Kobe-Pau was far more successful than Bron-AD, even though AD was the superior talent to Pau and a freak of nature.
Nevertheless, AD was the reason they won in 2020 and made the WCF in 2023, so I have no issues giving him his due. He raises the defensive ceiling of a team like no one's business.
Nico Harrison might have had CTE when making the trade, but at least he understands that defense is what propels teams to contending status. Lakers just didn't do a good job of surrounding AD with worthwhile talent. _________________ Yi Jianlian Fanboy. Respect The Chair.
Starting anew. I'm retiring my main.
My metric has been success. Kobe-Pau was far more successful than Bron-AD, even though AD is a superior talent to Pau.
Nevertheless, AD was the reason they won in 2020 and made the WCF in 2023 so I have no issues giving him his due.
There are very few Lakers hell duos in general Ive seen better than the 2020 Lebron-Davis pairing. Kobe-Pau Stop it, they dont come close. 2001 and 2002 Shaq-Kobe: This one is very comparable. 1985 Magic-Kareem: Another very comparable one.
My metric has been success. Kobe-Pau was far more successful than Bron-AD, even though AD is a superior talent to Pau.
Nevertheless, AD was the reason they won in 2020 and made the WCF in 2023 so I have no issues giving him his due.
There are very few duos Ive seen better than the 2020 Lebron-Davis pairing. Kobe-Pau Stop it, they dont come close. 2001 and 2002 Shaq-Kobe: This one is very comparable. 1985 Magic-Kareem: Another very comparable one.
I get your point but I'm talking about excellence over a longer period of time. Pau wins in that category. Lakers 3 peat with Kobe-Gasol if Bynum and Ariza aren't hurt in 08. That one still stings. _________________ Yi Jianlian Fanboy. Respect The Chair.
Starting anew. I'm retiring my main.
give kobe and Pau a 4month break- Bynum gets healthy. no travel. players on other squads not wanting to be there. Disney land title would have been a cake walk. but instead we had to bang with the Celtics - a team that caused some players to jump to another team _________________ https://www.instagram.com/reel/DDfvXWXvpeb/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==
My metric has been success. Kobe-Pau was far more successful than Bron-AD, even though AD is a superior talent to Pau.
Nevertheless, AD was the reason they won in 2020 and made the WCF in 2023 so I have no issues giving him his due.
There are very few duos Ive seen better than the 2020 Lebron-Davis pairing. Kobe-Pau Stop it, they dont come close. 2001 and 2002 Shaq-Kobe: This one is very comparable. 1985 Magic-Kareem: Another very comparable one.
I get your point but I'm talking about excellence over a longer period of time. Pau wins in that category. Lakers 3 peat with Kobe-Gasol if Bynum and Ariza aren't hurt in 08. That one still stings.
Understood....Im more of a peak guy myself. Its why I have Shaq so high on my all-time list and ahead of Kobe. I literally have Shaq as the third best player ever behind only Jordan and Lebron James and when Im thinking Jordan, Im thinking 88-92 Jordan and for James 09-13.
AD was better than Pau as a player in literally every facet of the game....minus clutch free throws where he is Nick Anderson Davis and passing.
as a laker
pau -2 rings
ad- 1 bubble
Played 100 more reg season games in only one more season and IIRC got here mid way through his first season.
almost double the amount of playoff games.
Not even close. Pau is by far and away a greater laker.
This same asinine argument can be made to say James Worthy or Byron Scott or AC Green were "greater Lakers" than Lebron James. Ridiculous and asinine. In the case of Pau vs AD, AD is obviously the greater Laker because he played long enough, won a chip and was a significantly better player than Pau Gasol.
James Worthy is a greater Laker than Lebron James. I think most Laker fans would agree with that. _________________ Music is my medicine
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