...Gasol isn't a physical challenge...
I am actually more afraid of Gasol than I am of Kobe. I know what Kobe gives a team 25-40 points, a few rebounds, a few assists, a few steals.
Gasol is the wild card. He REALLY wants the Celtics. REALLY wants them. Perkins and KG really punked him in '08 and exposed him as soft. If you watch him now he looks possessed. I expect him to be so amped at playing the Cs in the Finals he has ridiculous numbers in game 6 (30+ points, 15+ boards, 5-7 assists, 2-5 blocks).
If he keeps up the intensity he has had all season it will be a much tougher Finals than '08.
The intensity he's had all season? The guy scored 9 points tonight on 2-9 shooting. In a closeout game. Against Phoenix.
So far in the playoffs, he hasn't faced a real frontline. This is the #1 thing people are overlooking IMO.
L.A. looks so good because they've played three teams in a row without real front lines.
