This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
The game began with Pau controlling the tip, hitting it forward to Radmonovic who scored on a quick pull up jumper. My friend Ara turned to me and said, "He controlled it by tipping it forward and not backwards. Thats symbolic, thats deep." Ara is a philosophy major with a beard that screams wisdom, so I couldn't help but agree- As tonights game showed, I think Pau is a piece that puts us over the top.
If you were busy partying with LAist at Seven Grand in LA, following up on the day's political action, you missed an interesting game. Kobe injured his hand (but kept playing), but Pau took over as the Lakers defeated a Nets squad they had lost to in November.
Pau has been flying back and forth across the country this last week and has been apart of only one full practice thus far. With that in mind, it wasn't much of a surprise when he finished the first half with six points and early foul trouble. Though, in the third, he looked more comfortable, finding his place in an offense that compliments his skill set.
In the fourth, Pau connected on all five of his attempts for a 12 point quarter highlighted by a over the shoulder pass to a slashing Fisher and a pick and roll with Kobe that had even Phil on his feet and smiling. The final boxscore shows that all starters were in double digits except for Kobe. You can blame Kobe's shooting percentage in the game on his injured pinky, but I think it has to do with how giddy he looked out there. Pau Finished with 24 points (on 10-15 shooting), 12 rebounds, 4 assists and 1 steal.
What made last night even more "super'? Multiple sources report that Shaq is a physical away from returning to the western conference in a trade for Shawn Marion & Marcus Banks. I'll love shaq for what he did in Los Angeles after he retires. In the meantime, bring it Phoenix.
