The latest evidence was Saturday's win over the Milwaukee Bucks. With Derrick Rose out due to knee soreness and Jimmy Butler in a shooting slump, Gasol had to carry the offense on his own. All he did was score a career-high 46 points, which also tied an NBA season high set by Carmelo Anthony on Nov. 14. But that wasn't enough for him, so he grabbed 18 rebounds, eight of which were of the offensive persuasion.
We could talk more about how Gasol has exceeded expectations, but I would just be repeating words then. Instead, I'll say this might be what the Bulls needed to break out of their doldrums. Poor shooting games against Utah and Washington led to dispiriting losses and any comebacks they might have made were hampered by slumps both before and after opposing teams' runs. Gasol showed terrific leadership with no one else able to produce a spark.
There's no question the offense is designed to create the best opportunities for Rose, but Gasol is typically next in line. Although Butler is having a career season, Gasol has the better track record and is simply more talented. At a time when the NBA is moving towards a perimeter-friendly style, Gasol serves as a reminder that there will always be a need for low-post scorers. The best go on to have long, productive careers and the Bulls are lucky to have him.
While talking with my co-worker Luis Medina last night, he repeated a point he's often made. He's a big Kobe Bryant fan, so while watching the Lakers games that go with it, he noticed that Mike D'Antoni misused Gasol while coaching him in LA. This comparison between Gasol's last two seasons indicates Gasol shot all over the place last year, but was finding most of his success in the paint. Under Tom Thibodeau, most attempts are coming there and the success has followed.
Thibodeau's point guards have played well, but there may not be enough credit for how his power forwards have thrived. Taj Gibson has done it, Nikola Mirotic is starting to, Carlos Boozer couldn't do enough, but Gasol has more talent than all three and his play has shown that. The greater your skill set, the greater chance you have for success at that position in Chicago. It could all just be a coincidence, but a study on Thibodeau's fours might be in order.
The question now is not whether Gasol can help this team win a title, but how much. It hardly seems logical to set any expectations for him anymore because he keeps exceeding them. Remember, it was the mere addition of him that allowed the Lakers to reach three straight Finals and win two of them. The Bulls had a chance to acquire him during the same time period, but this is turning into better late than never as opposed to watching a declining superstar.
We'll see if Gasol can create something else spectacular Monday against the Orlando Magic. It would be easier than having to endure what I'm sure were large crowds during his appearance at Woodfield Mall today. Against an inferior team, we should expect no less than a double-double. Hey, it doesn't hurt to get greedy with this type of talent, right?
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