USA - Gasol and the frustrated Lakers

LOS ANGELES (NBA/EuroBasket) - Pau Gasol has endured his share of struggles off the court in his career.

Only last season, the Los Angeles Lakers agreed to send him to the Houston Rockets as part of a three-team trade that was to bring Chris Paul to L.A. from New Orleans.

The NBA nixed that deal, though, and Gasol´s career hung in limbo as other potential trade scenarios involving him were discussed.

It was an agonizing stretch for the Spanish basketball icon.

He ended up remaining with the Lakers, a club that he'd won a couple of league crowns with and one that helped make the 2.13m superstar one of the most famous players in the world.

Now Gasol is experiencing a major struggle on the court as he attempts to adapt to the style of play that new coach Mike D'Antoni wants the team to play.

A player who has operated in the low post for the majority of his career, Gasol is now being asked to screen and roll, and handle the ball more than he has at any time in his career.

His ability to play on the low blocks is not in demand as much as it used to be now that Dwight Howard is a Laker, following his trade from the Orlando Magic during the Olympics.

Complicating the situation for the 32-year-old Gasol is that he is being bothered by tendinitis in both of knees.

Normally a player on the court in crunch time at the end, Gasol left Sunday´s game with just over six minutes to play and the Lakers on top by a point.

He didn't return and the Lakers lost, 113-103, to drop to 8-9 on the campaign.

Gasol doesn't like to sit on the bench and watch.

"I like to be out there," Gasol said.

"It's upsetting for me as a player but I won't allow it to irritate me."

Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant huddled with reporters after the game and answered questions about Gasol.

"It's frustrating, but at the same time it´s an opportunity," Bryant said.

"Pau has to make some adjustments to his game, obviously. He may not be posting up as much as he likes.

"But he just has to adjust.

"The reality is, I've adjusted. I've never had to do this many screen-and-rolls in my entire life, but I've worked on it. I've worked on handling the ball, worked on coming off screens, making plays.

"I´m used to being in the post much much more. But you have to adjust. You have to master what it is that we are trying to do here.

"Pau is talented enough and good enough to be able to do it."

When Gasol was traded to the Lakers on the 1st of February in 2008, he had already been named MVP of the 2006 FIBA World Championship.

Since then, he has captured a couple of NBA titles, two EuroBasket gold medals and a couple of Olympic silvers. He was also named MVP of EuroBasket 2009.

Gasol hasn't given up, but finding life with the Lakers very difficult right now.

When asked how to keep Gasol connected when he's not playing long stretches of the fourth quarter, as was the case against Orlando, Bryant responded: "Put your big-boy pants on.

"Come on, just adjust. You can't whine about it. You can't complain about it. Like I said, I'm 34 years old. I'm running screen-and-rolls out there because Steve (Nash) is out (injured) and my ass is running up and down the court more than I ever have in my entire career."

Howard has yet to hit his stride with the Lakers as well.

He has endured some almighty struggles at the free-throw line, including Sunday when making just nine of 21 and seven of 14 in the last quarter.

"His biggest thing is just conquering the free-throws a little bit," Bryant said. "If he makes those free-throws, the guy would be averaging 30 points a night."

FIBA