Why is Pau a defensive juggernaut in the East?

[Nick Young]

When Pau played in the West he was known as a bad defender who was softer than a marshmallow. Now that he is in the East, Pau is suddenly looking like prime David Robinson on the defensive end.

He recorded 6 blocks vs the defending Eastern Conference champions just now and got the game saving block vs the East's best player.

Why?

[dubeta]

No he wasnt

Theres a reason the Lakers were a top ranked defense between 2008-2010

(No it wasnt cause of Kobe)

[LikeMike]

He was always a good defender. Kobe fans just wanted people to think Kobe was doing it alone.

[AnaheimLakers24]

Even obama thinks the east is garbage

[JerrySeinfeld]

Because LeBron James

[Nick Young]

He was always a good defender. Kobe fans just wanted people to think Kobe was doing it alone.

I watched Pau's entire Lakers career. He sucked on defense, even guys like Leon Powe would go to town against him.

[TrueBlue89]

We gonna act like that back to back Lakers team wasn't elite defensively?

[stalkerforlife]

The current east is the weakest conference in NBA history.

[juju151111]

When Pau played in the West he was known as a bad defender who was softer than a marshmallow. Now that he is in the East, Pau is suddenly looking like prime David Robinson on the defensive end.

He recorded 6 blocks vs the defending Eastern Conference champions just now and got the game saving block vs the East's best player.

Why?

He not a defensive juggernauts. He was a - on defense last year. He good on straight up blocks where he doesn't move much, but he horrible in Pick and rolls,closing out to his man, or anything involving moving.

[Nick Young]

We gonna act like that back to back Lakers team wasn't elite defensively?

Pau was not the reason. Andrew Bynum, Odom, Kobe, Artest was the reason. Pau's defensive shittiness was covered by 7'2" Bynum protecting the paint.

[guy]

He had a good defensive game today but usually sucks on that end. It looks like the Bulls are probably going to give up one of their 4 bigs, and will probably be Noah since they don't want to pay him. It's sad cause they should be giving up Gasol. He's old, not a good defender, and probably won't be the same offensively. But he's cheap right now. Will be sad to see Noah go.

[Nick Young]

Noah's a dumbass if he ever thinks he'll have it as good as he has it right now in Chicago.

[Bankaii]

Pau was not the reason. Andrew Bynum, Odom, Kobe, Artest was the reason. Pau's defensive shittiness was covered by 7'2" Bynum protecting the paint.

It would help if you actually watched a game or 2.
Defensively he had a bigger impact than Kobe.
Eye test and stats support this. Outside of Fisher Kobe was the worst defensive player of the starters on those championship teams.

[Fire Colangelo]

Pau was not the reason. Andrew Bynum, Odom, Kobe, Artest was the reason. Pau's defensive shittiness was covered by 7'2" Bynum protecting the paint.

Pau always had good defensive instincts, he just got really slow at the end of his Laker tenure and got a rep for being slow/soft defensively. Even then, it's only the pick and rolls that really got him.

But yeah, it's no coincidence that Lakers became a top defensive team in 2008 (with Bynum injured for most of the season might I add!) as opposed to being one of the worst defensive teams in 2007 just after adding Pau.

[kennethgriffin]

its the new nba


everyone went small.. pau stayed 7 feet